Baker Invoice Template — Custom, Wedding
Custom cakes by tier or per-serving, wedding cake packages with deposit + final, wholesale orders, allergen-specific surcharges. The template handles single orders and recurring café accounts.
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What to itemize on a custom-cake invoice
●Custom cake (by tier / serving / size). State servings, design notes.
●Wedding cake package. Including consultation, tasting, delivery.
●Cupcakes / dozen pricing. Bulk discount possible.
●Specialty desserts (macarons, tarts, custom). Per piece or per dozen.
●Allergen-specific surcharge (gluten-free, vegan). Premium ingredients.
●Delivery / setup. Often a flat fee within radius.
●Booking deposit (non-refundable). 25-50% for custom orders.
How custom bakers usually bill
Custom orders: deposit on order to confirm, balance on pickup or delivery.
Wedding cakes: deposit on booking + balance ~30 days before event.
Wholesale (cafés, restaurants): weekly invoice listing all deliveries.
Tax notes
Baked goods are typically taxable in some jurisdictions (often as 'prepared food') and exempt in others (as 'groceries'). Cottage food laws in many US states have specific labelling and invoicing requirements. Check local rules — bakery is one of the most state-dependent categories.
Frequently asked questions
How do I lock in a custom cake order?
Deposit invoice on order confirmation — typically 25-50%, non-refundable. Without a deposit, custom cake bakers regularly get cancelled on at the last minute.
How do I bill for cake tastings?
Most custom bakers include 1 tasting in the wedding cake package. Additional tastings invoiced separately as 'Additional tasting session'.
Should I charge for allergen-specific bakes?
Yes — gluten-free, vegan, and other allergen-friendly bakes use specialty ingredients that cost 2-3× standard. Premium per-serving or per-cake fee is industry standard.
How do I invoice wholesale café accounts?
Weekly delivery invoice listing each delivery (date, products, quantity, price). 14- or 30-day terms standard. Reference the café's PO if they use one.
What a custom-cake invoice looks like
Realistic, copy-and-paste-ready line items custom bakers typically use. What you charge depends heavily on your local market, so treat these as a reference point and set your own prices.
●Wedding cake — 3-tier (12+10+8"), buttercream finish, gold-leaf detail (serves ~80, $7/serving): $560
●Wedding cake delivery + on-site setup at venue $95
●Cupcakes — bridal-shower order, 60 cupcakes mixed flavour (per dozen $42, 5 dozen): $210
●Custom cookie order — 24 hand-decorated logo cookies (per cookie $4.50): $108
●Tasting box — 6 mini-cakes for couple's tasting appointment (if booked, applied as credit; if not, $45): $45
●Dietary accommodations — gluten-free tier, 10" round (GF surcharge $35): $35
●Rental — cake stand and serving utensil set (returned post-event) $45
Notes: 50% deposit due on order acceptance; balance due 14 days pre-event for events $500+. Custom orders cannot be cancelled within 7 days of pickup/delivery (work has begun). Allergens: tree nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten present in kitchen. Cottage food law / commercial kitchen status on file. Sales tax applied per state schedule (NY: most retail baked goods taxable).
When bakers actually see payment
Custom baking is project-based. Wedding cakes pay 50% on order acceptance (often 3-6 months out), balance 14 days pre-event. Smaller custom orders (birthday cakes, cookie boxes, dessert tables) pay 50% deposit at order, balance on pickup. Walk-in retail (if you have a storefront) pays at counter via card. Cake-pop and custom-cookie orders for corporate events pay Net 30 from invoice; wedding deposits are nonrefundable to cover early ingredient sourcing.
Wholesale to coffee shops, restaurants, or grocery stores is its own model: weekly/bi-weekly deliveries, Net 14-30 billing, lower per-unit margins but consistent volume. Most successful bakers blend retail/custom (high margin, irregular) with wholesale (low margin, regular) for stable cash flow. Wedding-cake season (May-Oct in most US markets) is the cash crush; off-season requires aggressive retail and custom-order acquisition.
Five invoicing mistakes that hold up a baker's money
●Quoting per-cake without specifying serving count and design. '$300 for a wedding cake' is meaningless. Quote: 'Three-tier wedding cake, 12+10+8" diameter, serves ~80, buttercream finish with gold-leaf detail: $560.' Serving count and design specifics drive price. Customers compare apples to apples when you spec everything.
●Not charging for tasting boxes upfront. Tasting boxes (6 mini-cakes for the couple) cost ingredients + labour. Charge for tastings ($35-75) and apply the cost as credit when the customer books. Free tastings attract tire-kickers; paid tastings filter serious clients.
●Forgetting delivery and setup as a line item. Delivery to venue, on-site setup, cake-stand provision, and tier-stacking on arrival are 2-3 hours of work for a wedding cake. Bill it: 'Delivery + on-site setup at venue: $95.' Bundling makes it invisible labour.
●Skipping the allergen disclosure. Custom baking happens in shared kitchens. Allergen disclosure is required ('Tree nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten present in kitchen') for liability. Add it to every quote and every invoice. Failure to disclose creates allergic-reaction liability.
●Underpricing custom decorating. Hand-piped buttercream, sugar flowers, gold-leaf detail, custom toppers — these are hours of skilled labour. Time-track decorating; charge per decorated tier or per design complexity. Customers don't see the time; itemise so the price makes sense.
US tax notes for bakers (custom orders)
Baked-goods sales tax varies dramatically: New York taxes most prepared baked goods (cakes, cupcakes, cookies) but exempts breads and bagels (basic groceries). Texas taxes prepared bakery goods sold for individual consumption (single slice) but exempts whole cakes intended for off-premises consumption. California taxes most bakery products. Most states have 'cottage food laws' that allow home-baking for direct retail sale up to a revenue threshold; commercial-kitchen status changes the tax treatment. Verify your state's specific rule.
Federal: Most bakers are sole-prop, LLC, or S-corp. Baker deductibles often missed: commercial-kitchen rental or home-kitchen-business expense (if cottage food law compliant), oven and equipment depreciation (Section 179), ingredient inventory (cost of goods sold), business insurance, food-handling certifications (ServSafe, allergen training), continuing-ed (advanced cake decorating, sugar-art classes), photographer fees for portfolio (essential business development for custom bakers), and the under-claimed line — cake-stand inventory (loaner stands rented to clients, depreciable equipment).
Not tax advice — confirm specifics with your CPA or state department of revenue.
Other questions custom bakers ask
How do I price custom cakes?
Per-serving pricing is the industry norm. Buttercream cake: $6-9/serving. Fondant: $8-12/serving. Sculpted/highly decorated: $10-15/serving. Tier surcharges, dietary accommodations (gluten-free, vegan), and delivery are separate line items. State the calculation method clearly so clients understand.
Should I require a deposit on smaller custom orders?
Yes — 50% deposit for any order over $100. Smaller orders (cookies, single-tier birthday cakes) often pay full upfront. Custom orders that no-show without deposit are wasted ingredients and labour. State the policy on intake: 'Custom orders require 50% deposit at order acceptance; balance due at pickup/delivery.'
Can I refuse to make a cake that involves allergens I'm not equipped for?
Yes — and you should. Nut-free, gluten-free, vegan cakes require dedicated equipment or strict separation. If your kitchen handles all allergens, you cannot reliably produce 100% allergen-free product. State on intake form: 'Kitchen handles tree nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten. Allergen-strict customers should source from dedicated bakeries.' Protects you from anaphylaxis liability.
How do I handle a last-minute design change?
Within 7 days of pickup/delivery: change orders may be impossible (ingredients ordered, work begun). Within 14 days: minor changes accommodated, major changes are change-order line items. State the policy on the deposit invoice: 'Design changes within 7 days of event may not be possible; change orders within 14 days billed per change.'
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