Do you like baking? Are you good at decorating your baked goods? If so, you could be earning money by starting a cake decorating business! Custom baked cakes are a big part of most events so with the right clients you could easily make a full-time income right from your home.
To start, you’ll want to double check your state and local laws. You’ll need to check whether you have to have a license, an inspection or pay any fees. Some cities or states require a health department inspection and permit before you can sell things baked at home.
Next, gather your best recipes. You may have tasted them before, but you’ll need to taste test them again. This time do it with a mind on whether you would pay someone for it or not. If not, don’t try to use it in your business. If you wouldn’t pay for it, your customers won’t either. If you need a few great ideas, Cake Central (cakecentral.com) has some great (and free!) cake, icing and fondant recipes available.
A cake decorator also needs to have awesome decorating skills. If yours aren’t at their best, take a cake decorating class to brush up on them. Be sure that you focus on different styles of decorations. People pay for cakes for just about every occasion and to maximize your profits, you’ll want to be able to deliver more than one to meet demand.
Once you’ve got your recipes and decorating skills set, it’s time to figure out your costs and menu! Be sure that you keep your costs low enough that you can compete with other bakers in your area, but high enough that you are making a profit. When pricing your items, understand that most bakers don’t make huge profits per item. If you can make $3-$5 per item profit, you’ll be doing great!
After everything is set up and ready to go, start advertising! Use photos of cakes you have baked, customer testimonials and anything else you may have that touts how awesome your cakes taste and look! Print out flyers announcing that your business is now open (be sure you’ve thought of an awesome name!), business cards and more! You won’t have customers if you don’t advertise!
Word of mouth is a huge advertising tactic. Once you get a few happy paying customers under your belt, the word will spread. Pretty soon, you’ll have your very own booming cake decorating business!
