What Is The Average Cost Of A Cupcake?

Last Updated on February 21, 2023

There is no doubt about it that cupcakes are one of the best desserts. There are so many great flavor combinations, each as delicious as the next. If you are a baker, you will want to know what is the average cost of a cupcake.

Several different factors can influence the cost of a cupcake. Size, flavor combinations, fillings, decorations, cost of supplies, and location can all affect the price. In addition, cupcakes that a gluten-free or vegan will also play a role in the price.

Average Cost of a Cupcake

The average cost of a cupcake can range anywhere from $2 to $6. There is a lot of thought that goes into figuring out the right price to charge when selling cupcakes. Bakers need to ensure they are covering the cost of all their expenses and bringing home a profit.

In addition, bulk discounts are often given. For example, if you charge $2 per single cupcake, you can charge $175 for 100 cupcakes. That way if your expenses add up to $0.75, you will make a profit of $1.25 per individual cupcake you sell.

Most bakeries will sell individual cupcakes for about $3 on average, or more. However, home bakers often charge slightly less at close to $2. Some gourmet bakeries will charge $4+ per cupcake.

How Much Do Cupcakes Cost? Factors to Consider

Size

When it comes to cupcakes, there are different sizes. Bakeries may sell mini, regular, and jumbo-size options. Prices will vary based on size. So you may expect mini cupcakes to sell at a third of the price of jumbo cupcakes. For example, a gourmet bakery may sell mini cupcakes for $2, regular cupcakes for $4, and jumbo cupcakes for $6.

Flavor Combinations

The great thing about cupcakes is that there are so many wonderful flavor combinations. Some flavor combinations may cost more than others. For example, a chocolate or vanilla cupcake may cost $2.50 on average but a specialty flavor like strawberry cheesecake, Bailey’s Irish Cream, or peanut butter cup may cost $3.

Fillings

Many bakers choose to have the option to have fillings added to their cupcakes. Filling flavors often include bavarian cream, chocolate, strawberry, and raspberry. Fillings typically add between $0.25-$0.50 to the cost of each cupcake.

Decorations

Cupcakes with decorations will often cost an average of $3 or more. Decorations can be as simple as sprinkles or as intricate as fondant designs such as flowers or bows. Since they are an additional cost, they will add to the price of cupcakes.

Cost of Supplies

The cost of supplies will play a major role in the price of a cupcake. Bakers need to calculate the cost of flour, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, baking powder, salt, and any other ingredients for the cupcakes. Typically, supplies will cost between $0.45 to $1.00 per cupcake.

Also, the cost of frosting, cupcake liners, baking tins, mixers, bowls, measuring cups and other items you use can be added to the cost of supplies. The cost can be added up and then divided by your minimum order amount. Most minimum order amounts are between 4-12 cupcakes.

Tracking what you spend is key to managing a successful cupcake business. Knowing all the costs of supplies is vital when selling cupcakes, as this allows businesses to track their spending and profits. It is what allows companies and home bakers to have success.

Single Compartment Cupcake Carrier Holder Box

Location

Location is quite a big factor in the cost. In bigger cities, there will be more competitors, rent is more expensive and the cost of ingredients is higher. So, selling cupcakes in New York City will be more expensive than in a small town in Illinois.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Options

Specialty cupcakes like gluten-free and vegan options will be more expensive than regular cupcakes. Special dietary cupcakes require unique ingredients that can be harder to find and come at a higher cost. Since the ingredients will be more expensive, they will typically cost $4 or more.

How Much Does it Cost to Make 100 Cupcakes?

If you are planning to make 100 cupcakes using boxed cake mix you will need five boxes of cake mix, as each box typically makes 24 cupcakes. You will also need to buy the other ingredients such as eggs and vegetable oil. In addition, you will likely want to buy or make the frosting for your cupcakes.

Since cake mix is about $1.38 a box and you will need five boxes, plus an 18- count carton of eggs which will cost around $5.86, and vegetable oil at around $3.47 you can expect around $16.23 for over 100 cupcakes.

For frosting, you will need around nine store-bought jars which cost about $1.47 a tub, so this will cost you about $13.23. You can also make your frosting with powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. This will probably cost you around $35 to buy enough for 100 cupcakes.

To make your cupcakes, you will likely need to buy flour, sugar, milk, baking powder, salt, eggs, and vanilla extract. For the frosting, you will need powdered sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla extract. All of this will work out to be around 45 cents per cupcake, so you will use around $45 of the ingredients to make 100 cupcakes.

Who Makes Great Value Cupcakes?

Great Value is the brand that Walmart sells in its stores. They use companies such as Sara Lee, Bimbo, ConAgra, and Nature’s Harvest to produce their bakery items. While you can buy Great Value cupcakes in Walmart’s bakery section you can also buy cake mix at Walmart as well by Great Value.

How Much Do Walmart Cupcakes Cost?

A 24-count of cupcake from Walmart will cost $13.97. For a package of a dozen mini cupcakes, it will cost $3.98.

Walmart also sells fully customizable cupcakes where you can choose your cake flavor, frosting, filling, and sprinkles. The price will vary by the number of cupcakes you are getting and the fillings as well.

You can order cupcakes at Walmart for different events including graduations, birthdays, baby showers, weddings, holidays, and more. You can order the cupcakes online or at your local Walmart store. They also sell pre-decorated cupcakes in their bakery that you can buy daily.

How Much Do Cupcakes for a Wedding Cost?

The cost of cupcakes for a wedding can vary widely. Several factors contribute to the cost including flavor, filling, frosting, and decorations.

On average, cupcakes for a wedding will cost between $2 to $4 per cupcake or even up to $8 per cupcake if they are gourmet. Cupcakes with elaborate decorations and alcoholic fillings will cost more than cupcakes with standard flavors and fillings.

When choosing cupcakes, it is good to have some variety. You usually want to choose between two to four different flavor combinations to give your guests some variety.

When you go cake testing, the bakery will give you several different flavor combinations for you to try. They will also help you determine the right amount of cupcakes you will need for your wedding. Some people will choose to do a small cake for their wedding party and then cupcakes for the rest of their guests.

What to Expect to Pay for Cupcakes

The average cost of a cupcake can range anywhere between $2-6—factors such as size, flavor, fillings, decorations, supplies, location, and specialty options. Bakers will carefully take all these factors into play when deciding on the cost to sell their cupcakes.

It takes a lot of effort to make sure cupcakes are priced right. Bakers will thoughtfully calculate all the expenses of the supplies to make sure they are making a profit. There are many things they have to take into consideration to do it right.

Do you have any questions about the average cost of cupcakes?  If so, please ask them in the comments down below.