Why are custom cakes so expensive??

Today, I decided to take on a subject that is talked about often: the cost of a custom cake.

I get this question in one form or another all the time, and I know that for many people, a dollar mix in the baking isle of the grocery store comes to mind when they hear "cake".

As a baker, I don't take this personally. I know that people have no idea what goes into making a custom cake- so I thought I'd share a few thoughts.

First of all- the actual cake. Why doesn't your "box" cake at home turn out like one of mine? Several reasons...
Custom bakers use quality ingredients which cost more money! Sure, sugar is cheap, but butter, chocolate, even milk and eggs have sky -rocketed in price recently.

Most of my cakes use between 2-4 lbs of butter. Not meant to be healthy, just meant to taste delish!

Custom bakers have put time into learning the craft. You don't go to a Dr who hasn't had training, and you understand that the cost of your medical care has to do with the extensive amount of schooling that they had to pay for. Your baker isn't much different! Whether they have trained with the best in the world, or taught themselves with books... their time and money has gone into learning the skills to make you a wonderful cake- you can't create the same at home without the skills!

Supplies. You can't make custom cakes without having the proper supplies. You hire a person who has the proper skills and supplies to frame your photos, do the exterior work on your home, etc. because you can't possibly attain the same quality without the supplies.
As silly as it sounds, for amazing cakes, the supplies are extensive and expensive. From cutters, to sheeters, to slicers, to mixers, ovens and refrigerators (which run hundreds to thousands of dollars!)... not to mention molds and tools that can range from $10- $100+ dollars! And since every cake is different, every cake needs different supplies.

Time. You know you pay for people's time because it is precious. A baker is spending hours of their time on your cake. Some bakers do it as a side job. For me, my time would be spent with my family, and doing things for them. My cakes (even the smallest ones) take me a minimum of 4-6 to complete! That's a lot of time!

Energy/Clean up. We all love to eat out because it is easier. No mess to clean up. No kitchen to clean. No floors to sweep. When you order a custom cake, someone else is using their electricity, gas, and water to create your cake! They are also dirtying their pans, mixers, floors, counters-- you walk away with a beautiful cake, and they get the mess to clean up. This is part of the job but also part of the cost!

I hope that I given some new insight as to why your custom cake may not be as cheap as the sheet cake that is ready made at your local grocery store. Remember, you are paying not only for a much better tasting cake with much more quality ingredients, but also for the skills, the time, the supplies, the mess, the energy... A lot more then you think goes into a cake!