How to quote for celebration and wedding cakes
Cake makers undercharge more consistently than almost any other trade, because the hours disappear into evenings and the ingredients feel cheap. But a three-tier wedding cake with sugar flowers is 15–25 hours of skilled work, and it should be priced like it. Here is how.
Quote cakes by serving, decoration hours and delivery — and get the deposit agreed in writing.
Accepted in one tap, invoiced in one click. Free trial, no card needed.
How to price a celebration or wedding cake
Price per serving as your base, then add decoration time as a separate line. Per-serving alone cannot tell the difference between a smooth buttercream tier and one covered in hand-made sugar peonies.
1. Cost ingredients and packaging per cake
Butter, eggs, flour, sugar, chocolate, fillings, fondant or ganache, sugarpaste, dowels, boards, boxes and ribbon. Add your energy cost for hours of oven time. Ingredient cost is usually 15–25% of a well-priced cake, and knowing the number tells you immediately when a quote is too low.
2. Set a base price per serving
Work out your servings per tier accurately using standard portion guides, then apply a base per-serving price — commonly £3.50–£8 for buttercream and £5–£12 for a fondant-covered wedding cake in 2026. This covers bake, fill, crumb coat and a clean finish, and nothing more.
3. Price decoration by the hour, separately
Sugar flowers, hand-painting, piping, wafer paper work, modelled figures, isomalt and intricate stencilling are billed on top at £15–£30 an hour. Say how many hours a design needs. It is the single most effective way to explain why two cakes of the same size have very different prices.
4. Add delivery, setup and stacking
Wedding cakes are usually stacked on site. That is a careful drive, a setup slot at the venue, and the risk of carrying an irreplaceable item. Charge mileage plus a setup fee, and state that stacking on site is included only where you deliver.
5. Handle stands, deposits and allergens in writing
Charge a hire fee and a refundable deposit for cake stands and separators. Take a non-refundable booking deposit to hold the date, set a final design confirmation deadline, and state allergen information and that your kitchen handles nuts, gluten and dairy — this is a legal and reputational necessity, not a formality.
What to put on a cake maker quote
- Number of tiers, sizes and total servings
- Flavours and fillings per tier
- Covering: buttercream, ganache or fondant
- Decoration detail and the hours allowed for it
- Sugar flowers, toppers and any hand-painted work
- Delivery distance, setup and on-site stacking
- Cake stand hire, deposit and replacement value
- Allergen statement and kitchen cross-contamination notice
- Booking deposit, balance date and design confirmation deadline
- Cancellation terms and what happens if numbers change
Realistic UK price ranges for cake makers
Indicative UK figures for 2026. Highly detailed sugar work, London delivery and luxury venues sit above these ranges.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Buttercream, per serving | £3.50 – £8 |
| Fondant wedding cake, per serving | £5 – £12 |
| Two-tier celebration cake | £180 – £450 |
| Three-tier wedding cake | £400 – £900 |
| Sugar flowers, per stem | £8 – £30 |
| Delivery & on-site setup | £40 – £150 |
Run your own numbers in the free quote calculator or check your margin with the markup & margin calculator.
Common quoting mistakes for cake makers
- Pricing per serving only, so intricate decoration is effectively done for free.
- Ignoring your own decorating hours because they happen in the evening.
- Delivering and stacking a wedding cake for nothing.
- No booking deposit, so a cancelled date cannot be resold.
- Lending stands without a deposit or a stated replacement value.
- Agreeing design changes after the confirmation deadline without repricing the extra hours.
Pricing FAQs
How much should a wedding cake cost in the UK?
In 2026, fondant-covered wedding cakes typically work out at £5–£12 per serving, putting a three-tier cake around £400–£900 before elaborate sugar work. Decoration hours and delivery should be priced on top of the per-serving base.
How do cake makers price decoration?
Separately, by the hour — commonly £15–£30. Estimate the hours the design needs for sugar flowers, painting, piping or modelling and show them as their own line, so the customer can see exactly what the detail costs.
Should I charge for delivery and setup?
Yes. A wedding cake delivery is a slow, careful drive plus a venue setup slot and on-site stacking. Charge mileage and a setup fee of roughly £40–£150 depending on distance and complexity.
What deposit should I take for a wedding cake?
A non-refundable booking deposit of 20–30% to hold the date, with the balance due two to four weeks before. Also set a final design confirmation deadline, after which changes are repriced.
Quote cakes by serving, decoration hours and delivery — and get the deposit agreed in writing.
Accepted in one tap, invoiced in one click. Free trial, no card needed.
More reading
Want the long-form version with a worked example? How much to charge for a wedding cake →