Dessert & Candy Shops: Cakes, Cupcakes, Macarons and Party Sweets

The price list

National ranges from independent shops; supermarket bakeries run 30-50% below these, and the biggest metros 30-50% above. Delivery is $25-75 or more for tiered cakes.

Why a custom cake costs $120

Ingredients in an 8-inch cake are $10-18. The rest is labor — three to five hours across baking, filling, crumb-coating, decorating and boxing — plus the shop's rent and the fact that a decorator earning $22-30 an hour is the whole product. Fondant is more expensive than buttercream because it's slower; sculpted cakes are expensive because they're sculpture. Anything with a printed image, gold leaf, sugar flowers or "like the one on Instagram" adds hours, and shops price hours.

The supermarket cake at $25 isn't a scam either. It's a mix, a machine-decorated top and a frozen base, and for a lot of parties it's fine. The price gap is real work, not markup — the same story as the bakery guide tells about bread.

Lead times, deposits and minimums

• Cupcakes, cookies, macarons: 2-5 days for standard flavors, 1-2 weeks for custom colors or designs. Minimum orders of a dozen per flavor are common.
• Custom cakes: 1-2 weeks; popular shops book out 3-4 weeks for weekends in May, June and December.
• Wedding cakes: 3-6 months, with a tasting ($25-75, usually credited) and a 50% deposit. Full detail in Wedding Cake Cost.
• Deposits: 50% on custom work, non-refundable inside 72 hours to a week. Changes to design after the deposit are often billed.
• Rush fees: 20-50% for under 48 hours, if the shop takes it at all.

Feeding a crowd: the per-guest math

For a party, stop thinking in cakes and think in pieces per guest. Two to three small pieces per person is a dessert table; one cupcake is a birthday. At $3.50 per cupcake, 40 kids is $140; at $2.50 per macaron and $3 per cake pop, a 60-guest dessert table with two pieces each is $300-360, or $5-6 per guest. Add a small "cutting cake" for the photo and the candles. The full plan, with tiers by budget, is in Dessert Table Cost.

Two habits save real money: order the display piece small and the volume in sheet cake or cupcakes, and ask the shop what it does best — a cupcake specialist's cupcakes are cheaper and better than its reluctant tiered cake.

Candy and chocolate shops

Bulk candy at $8-20 a pound sounds high until you weigh it: a pound is about 60-80 gummy bears or 30-40 wrapped chocolates, enough for 10-15 favor bags. Candy buffets for weddings or showers run $3-6 per guest if you supply the jars and scoops, double if the shop sets it up. Chocolatiers price bonbons at $2.50-4 each; a 12-piece box at $36-48 is the favor budget of a very small wedding. Kids party places often bundle a goodie bag in the package — the kids party guide covers what it's worth. And if a caterer is already on the job, ask whether dessert is included before buying it twice (see Caterers).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do cupcakes cost from a bakery?

$3-5 each, or $30-48 per dozen, in 2026. Minis run $1.50-2.50. Custom colors, fillings and toppers add $0.50-1.50 per cupcake, and most shops set a minimum of a dozen per flavor.

How much is a custom birthday cake?

An 8-inch buttercream cake serving 12-16 runs $65-150 at an independent shop; fondant or sculpted designs run $150-400 and up. Supermarket bakeries are $25-50 for a similar size with less labor in it.

How far in advance should I order a cake?

One to two weeks for a custom cake, three to four in peak months; two to five days for cupcakes and cookies; three to six months for a wedding cake. Rush orders under 48 hours cost 20-50% more if the shop accepts them.

How much dessert do I need per guest?

One full piece (a cupcake or a slice) for a birthday; two to three small pieces (macarons, cake pops, mini cupcakes) for a dessert table. Budget $5-12 per guest for the table format.