Published 7 May 2026 · By Paulina · 7 min read

How Much Does a Birthday Cake
Cost in London?

Real prices from a real London baker. Everything you need to know about birthday cake costs, sizing and what to expect when you order a custom cake.

Whether you are ordering a cake for your child's first birthday, your best friend's 30th or your mum's milestone celebration, the first question is always the same: how much is this going to cost? The answer depends on several factors, but we believe in complete transparency. Here is an honest breakdown of what birthday cakes actually cost in London.

Birthday Cake Prices in London: The Real Numbers

Cake TypeServesTypical Price
Cupcake box (12 cupcakes)12 people£30 to £55
6 inch single tier10 to 15 people£60 to £100
8 inch single tier20 to 25 people£80 to £130
Two tier cake30 to 50 people£120 to £250
Three tier showstopper60 to 80 people£250 to £450
Number cake (single digit)10 to 15 people£70 to £100
Number cake (double digit)20 to 30 people£120 to £180

These prices are for bespoke, handcrafted cakes made from premium ingredients. Every cake is designed specifically for you, baked fresh and decorated by hand.

What Makes Custom Birthday Cakes More Expensive?

A supermarket birthday cake costs £10 to £30. A custom cake from an independent baker costs £60 to £300 or more. Why the difference? Because they are completely different products.

A supermarket cake is mass produced in a factory, frozen, shipped and defrosted in store. The decorations are machine applied and the flavours are limited.

A custom birthday cake is made from scratch by a real person. The sponge is baked fresh the day before delivery. The buttercream is whipped by hand. Every decoration is created specifically for your celebration. A single tier birthday cake takes 3 to 5 hours to make. A multi tier showstopper can take 10 to 15 hours.

You are not just paying for a cake. You are paying for someone's time, skill, creativity and years of experience.

Birthday Cake Prices by Style

Drip Cakes

Drip cakes are one of the most popular birthday cake styles. A single tier drip cake with ganache drip and simple decorations starts from around £80. Loaded drip cakes with macarons, meringues and chocolate shards typically cost £100 to £150.

Number and Letter Cakes

Number cakes are perfect for milestone birthdays. A single digit number cake starts from £70. Double digit cakes for milestones like 18th, 30th or 50th birthdays start from £120.

Photo Cakes

Photo cakes with an edible image print start from £70 for a 6 inch cake. The photo is printed using food safe ink on edible icing paper and tastes completely neutral.

Themed and Character Cakes

Children's themed cakes featuring characters, animals or specific designs start from £90. The more complex the design, the higher the cost. Sculpted 3D cakes are at the premium end, starting from £150 to £200.

Floral Cakes

Floral cakes with fresh flowers start from £90. Cakes with handmade sugar flowers start from £120 due to the intensive craftsmanship involved.

Cakes for Him vs Cakes for Her

We get asked about this a lot. Cakes for men often feature themes like whisky bottles, sports, cars or gaming controllers. These sculptural elements tend to cost a bit more because of the modelling work involved.

Cakes for women often feature floral designs, rose gold accents and elegant buttercream finishes. These are typically in the mid range unless you add sugar flowers, which push the price higher.

How to Get the Best Value

  1. Be upfront about your budget. A good baker will work with whatever you have and suggest the best design for that amount
  2. Choose buttercream over fondant. It looks beautiful, tastes better and costs less
  3. Consider cupcakes. A box of 12 beautifully decorated cupcakes costs £30 to £55 and is a brilliant alternative for smaller gatherings
  4. Keep the design simple. A clean, modern cake with one or two standout features often looks better than a cake crammed with decorations
  5. Order with enough lead time. Rush orders sometimes carry a surcharge. Giving your baker 2 to 3 weeks is ideal

What Is Included in the Price?

When you order from Bake You Happy, the price includes:

There are no hidden costs. The price we quote is the price you pay. See our full ordering process for more details.

Get a Quote for Your Birthday Cake

Tell Paulina about the birthday person, the theme and your budget. She will design something perfect.

Chat on WhatsApp
Chat with us!