How to Price your Sugar Flowers
When I started to learn sugar flowers while attending Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary arts back in 2013, I was soo giddy to create edible pieces of art!
How to Price your Sugar Flowers
I’ve always adored cake artists who make their own sugar flowers. Seeing the beauty of a handmade flower using gum paste would bring out the true artistry of a cake. In my opinion, Cake Designers who create their own sugar flowers truly stand out from the sea of cakes that use real flowers.
I totally get it, using fresh flowers is a less expensive way to make a gorgeous cake and is less time consuming than designing your own flowers. Hence, you can also charge your customer less for your cake if you use real flowers.
When I found out I would learn how to make sugar flowers while attending the Bonnie Gordon College of Confectionary Arts back in 2013, I was so giddy to create edible pieces of art!
I knew the kind of cake designer I wanted to be, and sugar flowers were right up my alley.
There’s something so special about using gum paste as a medium to create an edible, intricate, and beautiful design. No two sugar flowers are the same, just as no two authentic roses are the same. Each petal, each curve, and each placement is unique. Plus, each cake designer’s sugar flowers are different and unique.
While I remember getting a B- in my sugar flowers class (major side-eye), I didn’t give up on creating beautiful sugar flowers. I was eager to improve, develop my skill set, and continue to practice this side of cake design. Practice makes perfect, right?
The Challenge of Pricing Sugar Flowers
When I began to charge for my cakes inside of my cake business, I discovered pretty early that I had to properly price my sugar flowers and come up with a pricing strategy that would help me easily quote the flowers I just created.
At first, I assumed that the sugar flowers were included inside of the design that I would make for the customer. But what would happen if a customer wanted 20 sugar flowers versus 12? That’s a big difference in the time required to create the final result!
I know how it feels to try to price each cake you sell in your cake business and charge appropriately. It can be very overwhelming. You want to charge what you think your cakes are worth, yet you are afraid to overprice your product where customers will say, “You are too expensive.” If you have heard that from a customer, I have a free ebook that can help with that sticky situation. Download “You are Too Expensive” guide here. It’s inside the Cake Business Library.
I know how it feels to try to price your cakes appropriately. It can be overwhelming. You want to charge what your cakes are worth, yet you’re afraid to overprice and scare customers away with, “That’s too expensive!”
If you’re like many cake designers who forget to charge for sugar flowers, don’t worry—it’s totally normal. But remember, everything you create in your cake business needs to be charged appropriately.
You have to consider the time it takes to produce the final product.
Once you understand how to price your sugar flowers, you’ll feel confident in quoting them during cake consultations. Here are my top tips for pricing sugar flowers effectively:
1. CHARGE PER STEM
The easiest way to price your sugar flowers is to charge per stem.
Easy right? It makes the pricing process very black and white, no room for a grey area left to interpretation.
How much exactly should I charge for each sugar flower?
First, determine how long it takes to make one sugar flower. During a practice session or a real cake order, time yourself from start to finish. Many cake designers underestimate the time it takes to create a finished flower, which can lead to undercharging.
If you charge yourself an hourly rate to design your cakes, charge your hourly rate for how long it will take you to make one sugar flower, then multiply according to how many sugar flowers are included in that cake order.
If you pay yourself $20, $30, or $40 per hour, you can use the same pricing strategy to charge for your sugar flower work. This way, you know you are paying yourself to charge for the work you are producing in your cake business.
2. CREATE YOUR SUGAR FLOWER PRICE SHEET
Cake Designers who love to make sugar flowers typically love to make lots of different sugar flowers. It’s fun right? And also relaxing. But one thing you probably have figured out, some sugar flowers take longer than others to create.
Therefore, each sugar flower needs to be priced accordingly. Roses cake can take longer than making a peony. A blossom is faster to make than an anemone. They all vary.
If you make a wide range of flowers for your cake business, get clear on how long it takes you to make the flowers you sell that your customers typically ask for. For flowers that take longer, charge more. If a bride wants a ton of flowers, charge more. For flowers that are easy peasy, charge less.
Create a pricing sheet for how much you will charge for each sugar flower you know how to make. Keep your price sheet handy while you are quoting your customers instead of trying to remember or guessing during your cake tastings.
If you still aren’t sure about how to price your cakes in your cake business, check out my free cake pricing checklist inside the Cake Business Library. Click here to access.
When you learn new sugar flowers, remember to update your cake pricing sheet.
3. Offer Tiered Pricing for Sugar Flower Decorations
If you have customers with different budgets, offer tiered pricing options to keep your pricing strategy simple. Customers love choosing from packages. It gives them the freedom of choice and you can pre-price what to charge for each package to easily price your cakes during consultations. For example:
Basic Package: Includes minimal sugar flowers (e.g., a few blossoms or simple flowers).
Mid-Tier Package: A mix of simple and detailed flowers.
Premium Package: A cake adorned with a full sugar flower arrangement with multiple varieties and intricate details.
This allows customers to choose a price point that fits their budget while still valuing your work.
4. Educate Your Customers on the Value of Sugar Flowers
Customers often don’t understand the effort that goes into making sugar flowers. They see a beautiful cake but may not realize the hours of labor behind each delicate petal. It’s important to educate them on the craftsmanship involved. Explain why sugar flowers are more expensive than fresh flowers—they are handcrafted, custom-made, and completely edible.
By educating your customers, you help them appreciate the value of sugar flowers, making them more willing to pay for the artistry involved.
5. Factor in Supply Costs
Aside from labor, remember to account for materials such as:
Gum paste
Floral wire and tape
Petal dust and colorings
Tools and cutters
These supplies add up, and your pricing should reflect these costs. If you’re unsure how much you spend, track your expenses for a few orders and adjust your pricing accordingly.
5. REMEMBER TO CHARGE FOR DUSTING AND ARRANGING YOUR FLOWERS.
As you may know, making the sugar flower includes many steps.
I used to forget bout this step until I discovered it was taking me a while to dust, wrap with floral tape, combine flowers, think about the arrangements, and finally arrange on the cakes. It can actually take a while to complete the final design using sugar flowers.
When you are pricing a customer for the cake they are ordering, make sure you are charging for this step because you need to charge for everything associated with designing for the cake. I have found usually underestimate how long it will take for me to complete an order. Add an extra hour or two! It takes time to put the finishing touches on the final product.
6. Experiment with Limited-Edition Sugar Flowers
A great way to boost revenue is by offering seasonal or exclusive sugar flowers. For instance, create special flowers for weddings, holidays, or themed events. Customers love exclusivity, and this can justify a higher price point.
7. Confidence in Your Pricing Matters
One of the biggest struggles cake designers face is confidence in their pricing. Many undercharge out of fear that customers will walk away. However, when you truly understand the value of your work, you’ll attract customers who respect and appreciate your artistry.
If you need more help with pricing your cakes and knowing exactly how to charge for everything you sell, grab my Free Cake Pricing Checklist, which gives you a comprehensive guide to pricing strategies.
How do you charge for sugar flowers in your cake business?
IN CONCLUSION, CHARGE FOR YOUR SUGAR FLOWERS!
Sugar Flower work truly makes you stand out from all the other cake designers who use fresh flowers on their cakes. Again, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with fresh flowers on a cake.
I’ve used fresh flowers on cakes when it “made sense” to use fresh flowers. Either the customer wanted to keep a cake price on the lower end or not knowing to make certain sugar flowers at the time.
From the years spent helping cake designers grow their businesses, I’ve witnessed cake designers who make their own sugar flowers charge for their more than Cake Designers who use fresh flowers on their cakes.
You are charging for a customized, edible piece of art that makes your customer’s special day even better! I’ll be honest, there is truly a difference between the work of cake designers who make sugar flowers and those who don’t.
Make sure you are charging for your work because sugar flowers make your cakes uniquely special!
I hope this post helped you get clear on how to price your sugar flowers in your cake business!
How do you charge for sugar flowers in your cake business?
Have a strategy that works well for you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Your opinion matters here and helps all cake business owners in this community.
Drop a comment below.
Until next time, and remember - you deserve to have both a successful cake business AND a life you love!
Happy Baking and Caking!
Kristina
