Selling and marketing
How to Sell Cakes Online: 5 Steps and First Costs (2026)
A step by step path from first cake order to a price that pays you, plus the state rule check and $20 monthly cost.
On this page
What to remember
- Check your state cottage food rules before you take a paid order.
- Price each cake with ingredients, your time, and the $20 Brevl fee.
- Use your own Stripe or Square account to take cards.
- Keep pickup local; shipping across state lines brings federal rules into play.
- Start with one cake and one pickup day.
The fastest way to learn how to sell cakes online is to run one paid order from start to finish. You will see the real cost of a cake, the time it takes, and the questions customers ask before they buy. Then you can fix your price and your pickup plan before the next order.
What do you need before you sell your first cake online?
You need a way to take orders, a price, a pickup plan, and a payment method. You do not need a full bakery. Start with one cake you can bake well and one pickup window you can keep.
Check your state rules
Call your state agriculture or health department and ask what cottage food rules apply to cakes. Confirm your sales limit and where you can sell before you advertise.
Set your first price
Add ingredients, packaging, your labor, and the $20 monthly Brevl fee. Then add a margin. Write the price down before you take an order.
Build a simple order page
Add your cake photos, your pickup area, and your order form. Brevl gives you a shop with your own web address and works on your phone.
Take a deposit
Ask for a deposit before you buy ingredients. Use your own Stripe or Square account, Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, or cash.
Review the numbers
After pickup, compare your price to your receipts and your hours. Raise the price or simplify the cake if the margin is thin.
Your first order does not need a printed menu. A photo, a size, a price, and a pickup date are enough. Keep the choices small so you can shop once and bake on time.
A simple shop with your photos and your own web address helps customers trust you. Brevl gives you a shop you can customize, and it works on a computer and on a phone. You can set it up with a real person if you get stuck.
Which state rules apply to selling cakes online?
Before you take money, check your state cottage food rules. According to wiki-licious.com, selling baked goods from home is legal in every U.S. state, but each state sets its own sales limit and rules on what you can sell and where you can sell it.
Your state may limit how much you can sell from home. The same guide says rules vary by state, so do not copy a friend in another state. Call your state agriculture department or health department and ask what applies to cakes. You can also read how to sell cakes from home legally before you advertise.
How do you take cake orders and get paid?
Use one order form and one payment method. Ask for the cake size, flavor, pickup date, and a phone number. Take a deposit before you buy ingredients.
Brevl lets you take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. You keep 100% of your sales because Brevl takes 0% commission. The flat fee is $20 a month after the 14 day free trial.
A deposit covers your ingredients and protects your time. A simple rule is to ask for half when the order is placed and the rest at pickup. Write that rule on your order page so customers see it before they pay. Read how to sell cakes from home online for the first steps.
Ask for the pickup date and a phone number on every order. Confirm the order in writing before you buy ingredients. That one step prevents missed pickups and wrong flavors.
How do you price a cake so you make money?
Price from the whole cost, not just the flour. Add ingredients, packaging, your labor, and overhead. Overhead includes the $20 monthly Brevl fee and any gas or electricity you use for baking.
Set an hourly rate for yourself and count the hours you actually work. If you skip your labor, a cake can look profitable and still leave you with nothing for your time.
For example, say one month you take 8 cake orders at $90 each. Sales are $720. Ingredients and packaging are $22 per cake, or $176. You pay yourself $15 an hour for 3 hours per cake, or $360. Brevl is $20 for the month and takes 0%. Total costs are $556. Your margin is $164 for the month, or about $20.50 per cake. Use your own receipts and hours in place of these numbers.
Try the free cake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
Use the cake pricing calculator to check your numbers before you set a price. Then read how to price cakes for the full cost breakdown.
What mistakes cost home bakers money?
The first mistake is taking a large order before you know your cost per cake. The second is promising a pickup time you cannot keep. The third is paying for a shop before you have a single order.
Shipping across state lines without checking the federal rules is another costly mistake. That can turn your home kitchen into a federally regulated food facility. Keep your first orders local.
Check your packaging cost before you buy in bulk. A cake box, a board, and a bag can add up over a month. Add that cost to your price, not to your own pay.
How do you start small and grow?
Start with one cake, one price, and one pickup day. After five orders, look at your margin and your hours. Raise the price or cut the work if the margin is thin.
Brevl has a 14 day free trial. You can set up your shop, add your photos, and take a first order before you pay the $20 monthly fee.
Do not wait for a perfect shop. Take one order, take photos, and ask the customer what was easy and what was confusing. Use that feedback to fix your order page before the next order.
Ask every customer how they found you and what almost stopped them from ordering. Their answer tells you what to fix on your order page. It also tells you where to share your next cake.
Common questions
Do I need a license to sell cakes online?
Your state decides. According to wiki-licious.com, home baking is legal in every U.S. state, but each state sets its own sales limit and rules on what you can sell and where. Ask your state agriculture or health department what applies to cakes before you take a paid order.
Can I ship cakes to another state?
Shipping a baked good across state lines brings federal law into play, according to soccash.com, and turns your home kitchen into a federally regulated food facility. Local pickup or delivery is the simpler first step for a home kitchen. Check the federal rules before you ship.
How do I take payment for cake orders?
Use a method you can track. Brevl lets you take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. Get a deposit before you buy ingredients, and keep a record of every order and payment for your taxes.
What should I charge for a cake?
Start with your ingredient receipts, add your labor at an hourly rate you set, and add your overhead, including the $20 monthly Brevl fee. Then add a margin. If the price feels high, shrink the cake or simplify the design before you cut your own pay.
How many cakes should I sell in my first month?
Start with one or two paid orders so you can test your price, your pickup time, and your packaging. Brevl has a 14 day free trial, so you can set up your shop and take a first order without a monthly fee. Add more orders when the first ones feel easy.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Check your state cottage food rules and talk to a tax professional about sales tax and income tax.