24/08/2025
✨ Why Do Custom Cakes Cost What They Do? ✨
I recently made this 6” 4-layer cake for a baby shower, and it really got me reflecting on how people often react to cake pricing with, “That’s so expensive!”
The truth is, when you order a custom cake, you’re not just paying for flour, eggs, and sugar. You’re paying for time, skill, creativity, and the behind-the-scenes costs that most people don’t see. Let me break it down for you:
Time & Labour
Mixing the cake, preparing tins, baking, stacking, filling, crumb coating, decorating, and securely boxing a cake takes at least 3 hours of hands-on work (not including chilling, setting, or all the design discussions with customers beforehand). At the national minimum wage of £12.21/hr, that’s £36.63 just for labour.
Ingredients & Materials
• £18.23 – Ingredients
• £4.78 – Cake box
• £1.50 – Cake board
• £12 – Polystyrene balls
• £2 – Bows & sprinkles
• £5 – Bear figure
• £8 – Cake charm (topper)
• £2 – Florals
Utilities & Extras
• £3.50 – Electricity (baking, chilling, mixing)
• £5 – Delivery & set-up (though this is often undervalued)
That brings the total cost to £98.64.
And how much did I charge for this cake, with delivery included?
👉 £95.00.
This doesn’t even cover profit – it simply reflects the basic costs of making the cake.
So next time you consider ordering a custom cake, I hope this gives you some perspective on what goes into it. When you choose a small business baker, you’re not just paying for cake – you’re supporting craftsmanship, care, and countless hidden hours of work.
💛 Thank you to everyone who values and supports my cakes – your appreciation means the world
