Baby shower cake?

readyornot12345 · August 2013

A close family member is throwing my baby shower. She wants a nice cake with a custom ish design and asked me to call around a few places and get prices while she calls around other places. All these places are quoting around $400! Which I think is super high for a baby shower cake. Is it better to just do a flat sheet cake or cupcakes or are you getting a custom 3 tier type cake and spending the money?

readyornot12345 · August 2013

She asked if I could call around a few places just to help out to get quotes while she calls around a few other places. I had no idea cakes were so expensive that's why I was asking what the norm was.

KELLILOVESJOSH · August 2013

That seems way high. My wedding cake was 400. Maybe you can do a small round or square layer cake with whatever design you like and also do cupcakes. That might be cheaper.

ladameperdue · August 2013

Cupcakes all the way.

aundrea1225 · August 2013

Do a smaller cake with other desserts like cookies or chocolates, not everyone likes cake and will have a slice.

2010weddinggal · August 2013

My neighbor makes beautiful yummy cakes, my friends are the ones that are throwing the shower are going to buy the ingredients for her to make the cake. So the cake will cost the amount of the ingredients so like 50 bucks for a cake that will feed 40. Can your friends maybe see if someone who is very talented make the cake?

haliepell · August 2013

SAMs club does 30 cupcakes for $14, perfect solution to staying in budget. they yummy too!

notthecheat · August 2013

Wow, you should not have to be worrying about your own shower! That is pretty expensive for most baby showers I think. Most grocery/supermarket stores do a decent enough job. It wont be the ones you see on pinterest with the pregnant belly, but its just a cake! They can buy pacifiers to decorate on top and then you can use them later or something.

Eggerkr · August 2013

Way way way too much! Put that money towards things for the baby!

Mrbatesisinnocent · August 2013

Grocery stores with bakeries make cakes too. And the ones in my area do a very nice job. All $50 and under depending on size.

74dragonfly · August 2013

I suggest checking Costco. You don't need a super fancy cake. Costco has awesome cake.

amgreiman · August 2013

Cupcakes with a stand would be super cute and a lot less expensive.

gcama85 · August 2013

I've had a small shower already and we had cupcakes and a yummy fruit tart - it was great!

Rindecella · August 2013

I work in a bakery, a custom
Cake has lots of details that go into it that decide a price. If it is a tiered cake, you are going to pay wedding cake prices regardless because it takes the same time and process to make it. If it has fondant and fondant details, add more to your total. If you are looking for a cake like this and don't want to spend bakery prices, look for someone that does them out of their house, you're more likely to get a better deal. That being said - you also risk professionalism. It MIGHT not come out exactly how you're expecting.

MelAnnDi · August 2013

How custom are you wanting it and how large are the tiers?

I used to bake cakes for people from my home as a side job/hobby. While I still think 400 is really high, it depends on your area and what you asked for...

ScarlettV · August 2013

Grocery store.

Just sayin'.

readyornot12345 · August 2013

The cake needs to feed around 80 people. We have a huge family.

starskit1283 · August 2013

Nrg2020 said:
Depending on how many people you are inviting that may be too much cake. Maybe just do a tiered cake with the bottom tier being the cake and the other layers being fake. Some people do that for their wedding cake. Or the whole tiered cake is fake and they just have a sheet cake that's prepared and kept cool.

I did this for my wedding! For us it was the best option bc we did everything as cheap as possible for the wedding and no one knew the difference

MEP923 · August 2013

I understand needing a big cake but I'm not quite sure if a bakery cake would be that much bigger than a Costco cake. I think you are paying more for the decoration, filling, etc. If it is going to be that big I would just do 2 Costco cakes or a Costco cake and pick up some cupcakes and cookies and do a dessert table. For my sisters we did all cupcakes and it worked out fine. We did one for each guest and about 10 extra for her to take home.

kaiteygrl · August 2013

Holy shit! Do you know how much stuff I could buy for LO for $400? Call me cheap but you can get cake mix for a dollar. I would never put out money like that for a shower. My wedding we went all out but we didn't have to prepare for another person in the family right afterwards. To each their own I guess.

cammyisagirlsname · August 2013

I had a custom 3 tier cake with all the fancy fondant and 3 dozen matching cupcakes around it for my BFFs baby shower in 2010 and it was $200. It was gorgeous though. And it fed more than 100 guests.

hnharden · August 2013

lol I'd go the cake mix route like someone said . Just buy a bunch of those. Maybe have a bakery write Congrats it's a boy/girl or something. Call me cheap but there is NOOO way I'd expect a fancy cake that cost that much. :0 Not saying you're expecting that or anything I just don't think a cake like that is necessary for a baby shower. But yeah to each their own.