Start Up Guide

Part 16 – Pricing Products Correctly

It’s not as tricky as you think! It’s essential to know your product inside and out, and that includes costs. To price up, you must include your own time, cooking time (and gas or electricity), ingredients and packaging. Fortunately, we’ve designed a handy tool to do it all for you. CakeBaker’s CakeUlator is an app […]

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Part 15 – Source your Suppliers

What’s Best? For a good cake, you need to start off with Good Quality, Fresh Ingredients. You may choose to use organic but, apart from that, there are other choices you can make that will affect the finished product in taste, appearance and texture. Ingredients Ingredients will be one of your biggest costs, so do your […]

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Part 14 – How to Network in the Cake Industry

The Benefits of Networking… The cake industry is friendly and pleasant, and networking can provide many benefits. Start reading British Baker magazine or website for information about events, and see which you might attend – perhaps at first just as a spectator. There are some big ones, notably Cake International (three times a year) and […]

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Part 13 – Make a Website in 6 Easy Steps

Wix.com. Weebly.com. Yola.com. Just three websites where you can design your own beautiful website using drag-and-click skills, no technical knowledge necessary. It’s incredibly simple these days to build a website, choosing from dozens of free templates in all kinds of styles. Sign up for a free account and start tinkering – you’ll be surprised how […]

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Part 12 – Top Tips for Social Marketing

Top Tips for Social Marketing Pick a name with key words in it. Maggie’s Creations is not very search-friendly; Maggie’s Cakes and Sugarcraft is better. Once you’ve picked a name, use it for all your accounts on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Now you have social media accounts, be sure to promote them everywhere. You […]

Part 11 – Promoting your Business Online

Want loads of free exposure? Social media (the term for sites including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram) is a fabulous place to promote your cakes. It’s free and it’s easy – once you get started. Here’s what to do… Create a Facebook page (home> pages> create a page). Perfect for posting pictures of cakes-in-progress and […]

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Part 10 – Find your Identity & Create your Brand

Your brand is a representation of your product – it should express your speciality and your style. But your brand is not just ‘you’. It must appeal to your target audience. So consider your customers. Are they busy parents who put their kids first? Are they party planners with a controlled budget? Are they affluent […]

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Part 9 – Find Your Niche & Spread the Word!

Finding Your Niche Your sugar roses could be immaculate – but will people want to buy them? Market research can help you to assess the chances of success. It all starts with a bit of brainstorming. From Lorraine Pascale’s Cupcake Bakehouse to Mich Turner’s Little Venice Cake Company, celebrity bakers are setting the trend for […]

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Part 8 – Creating Your Cake Portfolio

Creating Your Cake Portfolio Creating a cake portfolio is a great way to promote and sell your cakes. You don’t need high resolution shots – an ordinary digital camera or even your smartphone will do a good enough job. The best time to take a great snap of your latest creation is as soon as […]

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Part 7 – Find a Food Hygiene Course

Find a Food Hygiene Course To meet the requirements of EU Regulation 852/2004, you will need to pass the Basic Food Hygiene certificate Level 2. It’s available online from about £15 and will take you 2-3 hours to complete. Note: for home bakers who sell occasionally through fetes and fairs, the certificate isn’t essential – […]

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Part 6 – Get Insured

Get Insured You’ll need product liability insurance. This is essential, because you are responsible for any injuries or illness that may be caused by your product. You can be sued by anyone who suffers as a result of contamination in your baking – up to three years after purchase. You could also be closed, investigated […]

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Part 5 – Starting Your Accounts & Keeping Them In Order

Bookkeeping – A Necessary Evil Being able to handle your books is essential – this is how you keep track of all the money coming in and out of your business. Bookkeeping is also a legal obligation, so whichever way you look at it, you need the know-how. You don’t really need to be a […]

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Part 4 – Make a Realistic Financial Plan

Make a Realistic Financial Plan There can be lots of start-up costs when you are starting a cake business from home. From training for yourself to purchasing equipment, these should be worked out in advance to save you from unexpected financial problems. You will probably need some equipment straight away: stand mixers, a range of […]

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Part 3 – Set up Business Banking

Set up Business Banking Set up a small business bank account as early as you can, so that your costs can be kept separate from personal bills. Many banks offer 12 months of free business banking (then there’s an annual charge). Some also offer advice and extra services (Barclays has an online community for […]

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Part 2 – Register with HMRC

Register with HMRC You must register with HMRC within at least 3 months of becoming self-employed (even if you’ve got a job), or you could face a fine. Online registration is quick and easy, so don’t put it off! Once you’re registered, your Self Assessment tax return will be due every January. It covers the […]

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Part 1 – Register With Your Local Authority

Setting up a cake business from home Here’s all you need to know about setting up a cake business from home. From market research and building a portfolio… to registering with your local authority and promoting yourself online. We’ve compiled all the facts into one handy guide, so grab yourself a cupcake and read on. […]