Homemade Cakes thread

awesome2_2

Hi Ladies
Hope you are all having a lovely day, I need some advise please. I keep getting compliments about my baking and people are saying I should be selling my cakes and to approach local cafes/sandwich shops with a view to them buying them. I am not so keen on this idea as I would need health/hygiene regs etc. My dh has suggested maybe doing a stall at a car boot sale or one of my colleague's has also suggested a farmers market or a local garden centre runs a market day one day in each month.
I have no idea on what to charge a colleague has said she would easily pay £4.50 for a Victoria sponge as she knows what they are like and that they are fresh and home made.
What do you think any views would be welcome
Thanks

flea72

awesome2 wrote: »

Hi Ladies
Hope you are all having a lovely day, I need some advise please. I keep getting compliments about my baking and people are saying I should be selling my cakes and to approach local cafes/sandwich shops with a view to them buying them. I am not so keen on this idea as I would need health/hygiene regs etc. My dh has suggested maybe doing a stall at a car boot sale or one of my colleague's has also suggested a farmers market or a local garden centre runs a market day one day in each month.
I have no idea on what to charge a colleague has said she would easily pay £4.50 for a Victoria sponge as she knows what they are like and that they are fresh and home made.
What do you think any views would be welcome
Thanks

you will need insurance, a hygiene certificate, and a food selling license, as well as labelling all ingredients, and warning of possible allergy contaminations

as for car boots, when selling food you cant just turn up and have a go. most boot sales have regular vendors, who have made an agreement with the bootsale owner, so they can control competition. most burger vans, would deter cake vendors being allowed on their patch

also check out the local farmers markets, most already have a few cake stalls, and if not, its prob because there isnt a need in the area. ask other stall holders, why there arent any cake sellers

i personally dont think there will be much profit, if you decide to sell wholesale, to cafes/sandwich shops either

personally for home baking, you are better off sticking to word of mouth for birthday cakes, and the like. if your work colleague is prepared to pay £4.50 for a sponge, then take them up on the offer

F

RustyFlange

Hi all,

I have I think all of the ingredients for my sons cakes, I have a couple of questions, first is how do I colour the icing? It is just white icing, I have cornflour to stop it sticking to the top, secondly can I just use jam on the cake to stick the icing to it? It's going to be far from perfect but at least I'm trying!

Also when should I make a start? I want it for sat so thought about doing it tomorrow but may eineed more time?

flea72

RustyFlange wrote: »

Hi all,

I have I think all of the ingredients for my sons cakes, I have a couple of questions, first is how do I colour the icing? It is just white icing, I have cornflour to stop it sticking to the top, secondly can I just use jam on the cake to stick the icing to it? It's going to be far from perfect but at least I'm trying!

Also when should I make a start? I want it for sat so thought about doing it tomorrow but may eineed more time?

you put a tiny dab of colouring on the icing, and then kneed it in, like bread making. its best to use paste to colour the icing, rather than the liquid versions you get in the supermarkets, as these are too wet, and get very sticky

apricot jam is usually used to stick the icing to the cake. just melt in the microwave for a few seconds, and brush on a thin layer

cakes invariably take longer to ice than you think. if this is your first attempt i would prob try and start tonight, coz then if it goes wrong, you at least have an additional 24hrs to bake another cake and start again (weve all been there lol)

F

skintbint_2

hi rusty - i use a thin coating of butter icing to stick the icing if its sponge as it gives a more even finish once you've smoothed the icing over - it evens out some of the "bumps" and always turn the cake upside down so you have a proper flat surface on the top and jam if the cake is a fruit cake

awesome if selling to shops etc you have to list every last ingredient and you are entering a minefield and taking your business into a different league as far as EHO are concerned, i have joined local crafters association and that wsy i sell at their fairs and covered by their insurance too, and use it as a marketing tool as i take an album of cakes with me. hth

skint

zippybungle

RustyFlange wrote: »

Hi all,

I have I think all of the ingredients for my sons cakes, I have a couple of questions, first is how do I colour the icing? It is just white icing, I have cornflour to stop it sticking to the top, secondly can I just use jam on the cake to stick the icing to it? It's going to be far from perfect but at least I'm trying!

Also when should I make a start? I want it for sat so thought about doing it tomorrow but may eineed more time?

I would make a start now (if you haven't already) and buy some ready coloured icing (most of the supermarkets sell a pack with black, yellow, red, green and blue for about £2.00) - makes life a bit easier!
To stick the icing onto the cake, I use apricot jam mixed with a TINY bit of water, I mix it up in a cup and use a paintbrush to put it on the cake

Good Luck!
Zippy x

awesome2_2

Hi Ladies
Thanks for all the advise dont think I will adventure in to the business world just yet but I am still keen on maybe farmers markets.

Skint could you let me know where you found your local crafters assoc?

Thanks

odollybird

here's a pepa pig cake i made for a friends two twin girl grandkids

odollybird

sorry about the size of the pic i forgot to re size before uploading, and i had to make two pepa pigs because they would have been arguing like mad over one:rotfl:

skintbint_2

love the peppa cake odollybird!

awesome - i just went along to the local craft fair and found out there was an association and joined. they are having a 3 day christmas fair and i will get the 3 days for £25, will do loafs, drizzle cakes etc as well as a couple of christmas cakes and a novelty cake and wedding cake for display and hopefully get orders. did a big fair a couple of weeks ago didnt make much but was approached to do a stall at another craft fair in a town 20miles away, and think that the leads i made will be where it was worth the work