How to Price your Sculpted Cakes
How to Charge for your Sculpted Cakes
How to Price Your Sculpted Cakes for Maximum Profit
I remember when I first started out, staring at a complex sculpted cake design request and having absolutely no idea how to price it. Should I charge by serving? By hour? By complexity? The pricing confusion nearly made me turn down projects that could have been both creatively fulfilling and financially rewarding. Maybe you've been there too—creating stunning sculpted cakes that your clients rave about, but secretly knowing you didn't charge enough for the time and skill involved.
Running a cake business isn't just about creating edible masterpieces—it's about making sure those masterpieces are properly valued. As the founder of Aspen Charm Cakes and Pastries in Denver, Colorado, I've spent years perfecting both the art of cake design and the business strategies behind running a profitable cake studio. I'm passionate about helping cake designers like you double their bookings, charge premium prices ($12+ per slice!), and build businesses they absolutely love.
The good news? After working with countless cake designers through my programs, I've developed a straightforward approach to pricing that takes the guesswork out of even the most complex sculpted cake projects. This system has helped my clients transform their passion projects into profitable businesses, and today I'm sharing these exact strategies with you.
You're Probably Not Charging Enough
I see this question all the time in Facebook groups, Reddit, and where ever Cake Business Owners gather and discuss business: "How much should I charge for sculpted cakes?" So many talented cake designers struggle with pricing these specialty creations, turning what should be a straightforward business decision into something stressful and complicated.
The truth is, pricing doesn't need to be as dramatic or difficult as many make it out to be. With the right approach, you can confidently price your sculpted cakes in a way that honors your time, skill, and business needs.
Here's something that might be hard to hear: you're probably not charging enough. Most cake designers I work with are significantly undervaluing their creations, especially sculpted cakes.
In fact, after implementing my pricing strategy, many of my clients have doubled or even tripled their rates—and surprisingly, they're busier than ever! Why? Because when you charge appropriately, you attract clients who value quality and are willing to pay for it.
Remember, the bulk of the value is in your time and expertise. You need to pay yourself accordingly in your cake business. This isn't just about making money—it's about building a sustainable business that allows you to continue creating amazing cakes for years to come.
Click here to download my free Cake Pricing Checklist so you can finally price your cakes for profits. It’s FREE and inside the Cake Business Library.
The Real Cost of Cake
Here's something that might surprise you: cake is cheap. The actual materials—flour, Swiss meringue buttercream, fondant, and other ingredients—does not cost that much money when you break it down. This is an important realization many cake designers miss.
But, your cake business involves more than just ingredients. You have to factor in:
Materials to complete the cake project
The time it takes for you to start and complete a sculpted cake
Overhead costs like rent and utilities
Marketing expenses
Equipment purchase and maintenance
Professional development and training
Insurance and licensing
All of these expenses need to be included in your pricing structure. Without accounting for these costs, you're essentially paying your clients to eat your cake!
The Secret to Sculpted Cake Pricing
When it comes to sculpted cakes specifically, here's the crucial insight: the bulk of what you're charging for is your time.
This is exactly where most cake designers get stuck. They don't know how to properly value the hours that go into creating these edible works of art. A standard tiered wedding cake might take you 3-4 hours, but a detailed sculpted cake could easily take 7-12 hours or more.
Think about it—the planning, baking, carving, structuring, covering, mixing the colors, detailing, and finishing touches all require significant time investment. Without properly accounting for this time, you'll find yourself working long hours for minimal profit.
My Time-Based Pricing Strategy
What's worked best for me (and my clients) is this simple approach:
Track your time meticulously. Start timing yourself to understand exactly how long it takes to create a sculpted cake from start to finish. Is it 5 hours? 10 hours? 15 hours? The more cakes you make, the better understanding you'll have. Use a simple timer on your phone or a time-tracking app.
Set your hourly wage. Decide what you're worth per hour. Is it $20? $30? $40? $50? $60? Remember, you're a skilled artisan with specialized knowledge—price accordingly! Look at what other professionals with similar skill levels charge who seem to be doing really well in business. I usually preach that you don't want to price match what other cake business owners are doing but this can give you a good benchmark to how much more you should charge.
Do the math. Once you know your time investment and hourly rate, the equation becomes simple. If a cake takes 8 hours and your rate is $40/hour, that's $320 for your time alone.
Add your expenses. On top of your time charge, add the cost of ingredients, overhead, and other business expenses.
This approach ensures you're giving clients accurate quotes because you're accounting for both your time and expenses. It's straightforward, fair, and easy to reproduce for the next cake order.
Understand Your Cake Speed
I know this might take some practice. Understanding how long a particular design will take comes with experience. For newer designers, you might need to create several sculpted cakes before you can confidently estimate timeframes.
For experienced decorators, you likely already have a good sense of how long different designs take—you just need to start explicitly factoring that time into your pricing. The key is trusting yourself and knowing that you deserve to be paid properly for your skill and dedication. If you're charging appropriately, you're respecting both your business and your craft.
Create Your Standardized Pricing Model
Yes, figuring out your timing and proper pricing structure takes some upfront investment of time and thought. But this is essential business development work that will pay dividends moving forward.
By taking the time now to understand how long your sculpted cakes take and what you should be charging, you're setting yourself up for long-term success and profitability.
Consider it this way: spending a few hours now to develop your pricing strategy could result in thousands of dollars of additional income over the next year. That's a return on investment worth making!
Next Steps for Your Cake Business
Ready to start pricing your sculpted cakes properly? Here's what to do:
Download my free pricing checklist (click here to download) which gives you a great starting point for accounting for all your expenses
Start tracking the time you spend on each cake project
Set your hourly rate based on your skill level and market
Review your current pricing and adjust as needed (likely upward!)
You'll probably discover you've been undercharging and need to raise your prices to account for expenses you haven't been including. This isn't just okay—it's necessary for running a successful cake business.
And don't worry about losing clients—the clients you lose because of fair pricing weren't the right clients for your business anyway. The right clients will value your work and be happy to pay what it's worth.
Take the Time to Get Clear on Your Pricing
Imagine knowing exactly what to charge for every sculpted cake inquiry that comes your way. No more anxiety, no more guesswork, no more undercharging. Just confident, profitable pricing that respects your time and skill.
That's the breakthrough I want for you, and it's absolutely achievable with the strategies I've shared today. Your talent deserves to be properly valued, and your business deserves to be profitable.
By implementing these strategies, you can start charging your worth, making the money you deserve, and building the profitable cake business you've been dreaming of.
What tip will you implement in your cake business that is listed above?
Comment down below, I’d love to know!
Here's to your sweet success!
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All About Styled Shoots for your Cake Business
The Ultimate Guide to Booking Styled Shoots for Your Cake Business
When I booked my first styled shoot for my cake business, Aspen Charm Cakes & Pastries, I was thrilled! A photographer I adore asked me to create a cake for a shoot, and I immediately fell in love with the entire concept. That single opportunity opened doors I never imagined possible. Since then, I've participated in numerous styled shoots that have been published and truly transformed my cake business from a small operation to a sought-after brand.
Why Styled Shoots Matter for Cake Designers
Styled shoots offer tremendous value for cake businesses, particularly those looking to establish themselves in a competitive market. While you may initially view them as "free work," the benefits far outweigh the investment of time and resources:
Professional Photography
Professional images are the cornerstone of any successful cake business. When potential clients visit your website or social media, they expect to see high-quality photos that showcase your work in the best possible light. Styled shoots provide you with magazine-worthy images captured by talented photographers who understand how to highlight the intricate details of your creations.
These images aren't just beautiful—they're powerful marketing tools that elevate your brand's perception in the marketplace. A portfolio filled with professionally shot cakes in curated settings immediately communicates professionalism and artistry to potential clients.
Invaluable Networking
The wedding and event industry thrives on relationships. Each styled shoot connects you with a network of professionals—photographers, planners, florists, venues, stationers, and more. These individuals become familiar with your work ethic, creativity, and reliability.
When these professionals have clients seeking cake recommendations, you'll be fresh in their minds. This organic referral system often brings higher-quality clients who trust the judgment of professionals they've already hired. I've received numerous client referrals from professionals I met during styled shoots, which translated directly into paid opportunities.
Portfolio Diversification
Every cake designer knows the challenge of building a diverse portfolio. Styled shoots allow you to create designs that might be outside your typical client requests, demonstrating your versatility and pushing your creative boundaries. This expanded portfolio helps attract clients with varied tastes and styles.
Each styled shoot typically has a unique concept—perhaps a bohemian outdoor wedding one month and an elegant ballroom affair the next. This diversity showcases your ability to adapt to different themes, color palettes, and design aesthetics.
Industry Recognition
Many styled shoots are submitted to wedding blogs and publications. Having your work featured in these outlets provides significant credibility and exposure. Publication mentions become powerful endorsements you can highlight on your website and marketing materials, instantly boosting your business's perceived expertise and desirability.
How to Get Booked for Styled Shoots: My Top Strategies
After participating in numerous successful styled shoots, I've developed effective strategies for securing these valuable opportunities. Here's my comprehensive approach:
1. Take Action and Build Relationships
When I started my cake business in Denver, I was completely unknown in the local wedding industry. No one was reaching out with styled shoot opportunities because no one knew my work existed. This realization prompted me to become proactive rather than waiting for opportunities to find me.
Start by identifying the key players in your local wedding industry, particularly planners and photographers who frequently organize styled shoots. Follow them on social media, engage with their content, and find authentic ways to connect with them.
When introducing yourself, be specific about your interest in styled shoots. Many cake designers make the mistake of building relationships but never explicitly expressing interest in collaborative projects. A simple "I'd love to be considered for any upcoming styled shoots you're planning" can make all the difference.
Remember that relationship-building is a two-way street. Share and promote others' work, congratulate them on their successes, and look for ways to provide value before asking for opportunities. Genuine connections lead to lasting professional relationships.
2. Be Selective About Which Shoots You Accept
As your business grows, you'll likely receive more styled shoot invitations than you can realistically accommodate. This is when strategic selection becomes crucial.
Before accepting any opportunity, carefully evaluate the style board or concept. Ask yourself:
Does this aesthetic align with my brand and the clients I want to attract?
Will this shoot challenge me creatively in ways I'm excited about?
Do I respect and want to work with the other vendors involved?
Will the final images enhance my portfolio in meaningful ways?
I've learned to decline shoots that don't resonate with my design aesthetic or business goals, even when flattered by the invitation. Remember that every shoot requires significant time and resources—ingredients, design time, delivery, and coordination. Reserve these investments for opportunities that will truly benefit your business.
Some of my most successful shoots initially pushed me beyond my comfort zone, introducing me to styles I hadn't previously explored. These challenges expanded my design repertoire and attracted new client demographics. However, there's a difference between growth-oriented challenges and projects that fundamentally clash with your artistic vision.
3. Immerse Yourself in Industry Networking Events
In-person networking remains one of the most effective ways to secure styled shoot opportunities. In Denver, I discovered numerous industry events specifically designed for wedding professionals to connect and collaborate.
These gatherings—whether formal networking events, educational workshops, or social mixers—create organic opportunities to meet potential collaborators. When attending these events:
Bring business cards with images of your best work
Prepare a concise description of your design style and specialties
Ask thoughtful questions about others' businesses
Follow up with new connections within 48 hours
Specifically mention your interest in styled shoot collaborations
Consistency matters in networking. Becoming a familiar face at industry events establishes you as an active, engaged professional committed to the local wedding community. This visibility significantly increases the likelihood of shoot invitations.
Additionally, consider joining professional associations related to weddings or cake design. These memberships often provide exclusive networking opportunities and sometimes organize member-only styled shoots.
If you are still struggling to book more cake orders in your cake business, I’m here to help! I have a FREE eBook, My Top 4 Strategies to Double your Cake Orders in your Cake Biz. Click here to download, it’s located inside the Cake Business Library.
4. Create Space for Opportunities
I’m an energy girly and totally believe in woo-woo aspects with how the world works. But, this strategy might seem less concrete, but it's surprisingly powerful. When your schedule is perpetually overbooked with orders and personal commitments, you unconsciously signal unavailability to potential collaborators.
To welcome new opportunities:
Block specific days each month for potential styled shoots
Implement efficient systems and workflows to handle your regular business
Consider hiring help for production or administrative tasks if you're consistently overwhelmed
Create boundaries around your time to prevent burnout
Communicate your availability to your network
When I reorganized my schedule to create deliberate space for collaborative projects, I noticed an immediate increase in styled shoot invitations. People are naturally drawn to those who appear receptive and available for new opportunities.
This approach isn't merely practical—it's energetic. When you operate from a place of abundance rather than scarcity, you open yourself to possibilities that might otherwise pass you by.
5. Showcase Your Versatility and Reliability
Once you've secured your first few styled shoots, leverage these experiences to book more. Document your process, highlight your adaptability, and demonstrate your reliability as a collaborator.
After each shoot:
Thank all participants personally
Share behind-the-scenes content on social media. Need more content ideas for social media? I have 20+ ideas for you! Click here to download my FREE Social Media Planner + 20+ Content Ideas Guide. It’s located inside the Cake Business Library.
Tag and credit all vendors when posting final images
Create a blog post about your experience and design process
Add the images to your portfolio with proper credit
These actions show potential collaborators that you're professional, appreciative, and promotional—all desirable qualities in a styled shoot participant.
Ready to Book more Styled Shoots? Let’s Go!
Styled shoots have been transformative for my cake business, providing professional imagery, expanding my network, diversifying my portfolio, and increasing my industry visibility. While they require an investment of time and resources, the returns far exceed the costs when approached strategically.
Remember that every successful cake designer began as an unknown. With proactive relationship-building, strategic selection, consistent networking, intentional scheduling, and professional follow-through, you can create a steady stream of styled shoot opportunities that elevate your business to new heights.
The next time you create a "free" cake for a styled shoot, remember that you're not giving away your work—you're investing in your business's future success and visibility. That perspective shift alone can transform how you approach these valuable opportunities.
Do you like to book styled shoots in your cake business? Love it or pass?
Comment down below, I’d love to know!
