I run a cake business from home. AMA

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

Thought this might be interesting.

[HollyBollyBooBoo]

Is it very profitable?

[Onecutefox]

1.When did you start the business and how long did it take for it to become successful?

2.Can I just make a cake and sell it or do I need to have certificates? Thank you.

[Bishybarnybee]

Ooh yes .....

How easy was it to decide to do it? How much do you have to turnover to make it profitable? Do you have a USP?

And probably loads more.....

[PoisonousSmurf]

Don't you have to spend £££ on getting set up in the first place with lots of courses and getting the 'kit'.
Sorry, but I can't see how anyone can make a living from it, unless it's 'pin money' and you have a second or third job.

[VelociraptorRex]

Do you have to have hygiene certificates and everything? Do you just sell locally, or online mail order as well?

[PandaPieForTea]

What’s the cheekiest request you’ve had?

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

Sorry, had to feed the kids. I didn’t know if people would be very interested in this given some of the topics on here.

So. I set up in 2014 when I was working p/t for a cupcake coffee shop. It came about accidentally when the “lady” I was working for offered to sell me her business. I said yes but turns out she wasn’t as above board as she’d made out and ended up doing a moonlight flit owing lots of people money.

The seed had been sown so my Dh gave me some of his late mums inheritance to set up a shop. Naive? Absolutely.

2 months later we closed our doors when it turned out that the landlord had failed to mention that he hadn’t paid the mortgage and the building was repossessed.

It can be very profitable but to do that you need to provide high end wedding cakes and or corporate orders. I don’t have this market although I have had a couple of good corporate orders that are very well paid. Problem is they tend to be short notice and high volume. It’s not unheard of for me to work straight through the night.

I don’t have another job. I’m a Sahm.

I don’t have a USP although I’m trying to make a name for myself providing highly decorated cookies.

[TisConfusion]

Has anyone ever let you down last minute when you've already made the cake?

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

You can’t just decide to bake and sell. You need to register with your local council 28 days before you can trade.

You need to have a level 2 hygiene certificate and preferably allergy training too.

You should have public liability insurance of 2 million, I have 5 as I do street trading too.

Your kitchen and premises needs to be inspected by the local EHO and you will be given a score out of 5.

[HappyHedgehog247]

How do you stop yourself eating all the time?!

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

poisonoussmurf you don’t necessarily have to spend £££’s but you will need a good mixer preferably with a bowl that can take a 10 egg mix. The other bits of kit you can buy as you go along.

Good fondant is bloody expensive. £8 for a kg

[beela]

Do you ever get bored of baking?

I've thought about doing this because I love baking, but don't want it to become a chore and lose the enjoyment.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

pandapiefortea cheekiest request was a penis cake and cupcakes. I declined because my kids see my work. There are bakers that will do those cakes, I’m not one of them.

CF requests are always “oh I’ve overspent on my budget so I only have 25pence left for the 3 tier all singing and dancing cake that I want. I’ll put your business card next to it on the table”

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

tisconfusion No. I always take a deposit of half the cost so if anyone does do that I’m not out of pocket. This seems to put people off. Deposit is always non refundable except in very extraordinary circumstances.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

happyhedgehod247 you soon get fed up of vanilla cake, which is what most people seem to want.

I freeze off cuts and make cake pops for the kids.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

beela no, I love baking. Lots of cake makers hate baking. Quite a lot buy in cake and just decorate them.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

onecutefox unless you’re very lucky, it’ll take a good few years to see a profit. Sadly the cake market is saturated with “hobby bakers” that charge peanuts, leading people to think that those of us that charge realistic prices are ripping people off.

[beela]

Have you got a massive kitchen?

[Royallypissedoff1]

This is such a fab idea for an AMA!
How do you sell your cakes? Is it online or to people you know?
How did you learn to bake and decorate?
Thanks!

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

beela no I don’t have a big kitchen. We have a big house but the actual kitchen is tiny. I have a small utility where I have my mixers and I’ve stolen a front room to do my decorating and store equipment - cutters, ribbon, boards, colours, etc

We are building our own house in 18 months and I’m having an annex for my business. I am ridiculously excited.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

Beela lots of bakers that I know don’t have huge spaces. You just have to be creative about storage.

[Skisunsnow]

I'm also a cake baker! How do you advertise?

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

royallypissedoff1 I taught myself to bake. I used to take recipe books to bed as my bedtime reading in my teens and 20’s. I’ve never had a class. Lots of trial and error. Lots of error 😂

I sell through FB, Insta and word of mouth. This year I’ve seen lots of new customers that I was recommended to. That’s always a nice feeling.

[JamesDelayneysTattoos]

skisunandsnow hi there fellow baker.

I have a FB page and my Insta and Twitter is my business name. I don’t advertise outside of here. I don’t pay to sponsor posts or anything, lots of people say it doesn’t make much difference. I am on Google search as my business.

[TheVicarOfNibbleswicke]

Oh what's the good fondant and what's the difference? I dabble.