for sellersCake pricing calculator (UK): how much to charge for a cake
Price a cake from your costs, not from supermarket prices: ingredients + packaging + your hours × an hourly rate + a share of overheads, then add a profit margin and any selling fee. As a floor, pay yourself at least the National Living Wage (£12.71 an hour from April 2026). With example costs, a decorated 8-inch cake taking 5 hours comes to about £98. Use the calculator below with your own figures.
Worked example: a decorated 8-inch cake
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | £14.00 |
| Box and board | £4.00 |
| 5 hours at £12.71 | £63.55 |
| Overheads | £3.00 |
| Total cost | £84.55 |
| Plus 10% profit | £93.01 |
| Price so you keep that after Cravers Eats' 5% | £98 (about £4.90 a serving for 20) |
These example costs are illustrations; use your own receipts and a timer for a few bakes to get real figures.
What UK cakes sell for
As a rough guide from industry sources (not official figures), simple buttercream celebration cakes commonly sell for about £80–£180 or more, detailed fondant cakes £150–£400 or more, sculpted cakes £250–£800 or more, and wedding cakes from about £350 into the thousands (CakeFlix: how much to charge for a cake (May 2026)). If your calculated price is far below that, you're probably not counting all your hours.
Common pricing mistakes
- Forgetting the hours that aren't baking: shopping, messages, cleaning up and delivery all take time.
- Pricing only per serving. Servings help customers compare, but price detailed work by the time it takes.
- Leaving out fees. A 5% selling fee on a £100 cake is £5; build it into the price.
- Paying yourself less than the minimum wage. Self-employed people aren't bound by the National Living Wage (GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates), but it's a sensible floor.
Once your prices are set, put them on a menu so customers can see them before they message you. A Cravers Eats shop shows your prices, sizes and allergens and takes card payment, so fewer people ask "how much?" in your DMs.
Sell on Cravers Eats
A new local marketplace for anyone who makes and sells from home: bakers, cooks, florists, crafters and makers, opening across the UK in early 2027. Founding sellers join free now and set up before launch day. Customers order and pay by card, you keep 95%, and there are no monthly fees.
Join as a founding sellerQuestions people ask
How much should I charge for a birthday cake in the UK?
Work it out from your costs: ingredients, packaging, your hours at a fair rate (at least £12.71 an hour, the National Living Wage from April 2026), overheads and a profit margin. With example costs, a decorated 8-inch cake taking 5 hours comes to about £98.
Should I price cakes per serving?
Per-serving prices help customers compare sizes, but price decorated or sculpted work by the time it takes. Calculate the whole cake from costs first, then divide by servings.
What hourly rate should a home baker charge?
There's no legal minimum for the self-employed, but the National Living Wage (£12.71 an hour for over-21s from April 2026) is a sensible floor. Experienced decorators charge more for detailed work.
Sources (checked October 2026): GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates; CakeFlix: how much to charge for a cake (May 2026). Last reviewed 2026-11-05.