2026 barometer — as of 12 août 2026
Wedding cake, croquembouche, number cake, catering buffet: the price ranges seen across France — and the real figures from orders placed through Patissio.
Patissio data 2026: 120 custom orders paid through the platform, aggregated and anonymized.
| Service | Typical range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding cake (per slice) | 7 – 15 € | From simple to highly elaborate designs; showpiece cakes go well beyond this ceiling |
| Croquembouche (per guest) | 3,50 – 6 € | Based on 2 to 3 choux per guest, nougatine and decoration included |
| Number / letter cake | 40 – 90 € | For 6 to 10 slices depending on the figure and topping (fruit, flowers, macarons) |
| Personalized birthday cake | 45 – 120 € | Depending on the number of slices and how intricate the decoration is (fondant, figurines…) |
| Cocktail / catering buffet (per person) | 25 – 50 € | Savory and sweet bites, drinks and service not included |
| Plated wedding catering menu (per person) | 60 – 120 € | Starter-main-dessert plated, venue rental and staff not included, depending on the provider |
| Pastry workshop (per person) | 60 – 180 € | Half-day class; median of €170 across Patissio cake-design workshops |
Indicative ranges surveyed on 12 août 2026 from French artisans (excluding high-end Paris, where prices can exceed these ceilings). Every pastry chef sets their own prices: always ask for a detailed quote.
A croquembouche (pièce montée) is priced per choux — usually 3 per person, i.e. €3.50 to €6 per guest depending on filling, nougatine and assembly complexity. Observed ranges:
| Number of guests | Observed range |
|---|---|
| 20 guests | 70 – 120 € |
| 25 guests | 90 – 150 € |
| 30 guests | 105 – 180 € |
| 40 guests | 140 – 240 € |
| 50 guests | 175 – 300 € |
Expect the top of the range for a decorated assembly (flowers, sculpted nougatine) or same-day delivery. Patissio's real data (€474 median across all custom orders) includes more ambitious wedding pieces.
A wedding cake is priced per slice: €7 to €15 depending on tiers, sugar paste and decoration work. The ranges below include a custom design, excluding long-distance delivery:
| Number of guests | Observed range |
|---|---|
| 30 guests | 210 – 450 € |
| 50 guests | 350 – 750 € |
| 80 guests | 560 – 1 200 € |
Highly sculpted custom work (semi-naked tiers, fresh flowers, structures) commonly exceeds these ranges — hence the value of a detailed quote over a flat price.
A single-digit number cake (8 to 10 servings) usually sells for €40 to €90 depending on filling and decoration. For two digits — 18th, 20th or 30th birthdays — expect double: €80 to €180.
Price varies mostly with decoration (flowers, macarons, personalised chocolates) and lead time: a number cake ordered for the next day costs more than one planned ahead.
Between €105 and €180 for a classic piece of about 90 choux (3 per person), depending on filling and decoration. A decorated wedding piece (nougatine, flowers) sits at the top of the range, delivery included.
From €350 to €750 (€7 to €15 per slice) depending on tiers and decoration work. Highly sculpted creations can exceed €1,000.
€40 to €90 for a single digit (8 to 10 servings) and €80 to €180 for two digits, depending on filling and decoration.
Because they're made one at a time: fresh ingredients, hours of skilled work (often 5 to 15), equipment, fragile delivery — and the margin that keeps the artisan in business. The real median on Patissio is €474 per custom order (N=120).
These ranges don't replace YOUR own math: your cost price (ingredients, hours, overheads) plus your margin. Our free calculator does it in two minutes — and Patissio then automates it for every creation, quotes included.
The “typical ranges” are orders of magnitude surveyed on 12 août 2026 from the public price lists of French pastry chefs, cake designers and caterers; they will be updated regularly. The “Patissio data” is calculated from custom orders actually paid through the platform (120 orders, 2026) — anonymized aggregates, median and quartiles, with no individual data whatsoever. The sample grows as the platform grows.