So, yesterday after searching for a cake decorating tip, it occured to me that I could simply ask on CC! I had seen the forum section and have always been the type to read but never post. Well after posting my question, I spent the rest of the afternoon reading thread after thread! Yes, CC is THAT addictive. However, I didn't come across a thread about how people got into the business, so i decided to start one! I really, really, reaaaaally want to read you story! =D

Here is mine:

Summer of 2010 I started planning my son's first birthday. Boy, was I going crazy! I wanted it to be the BEST birthday anyone had ever attended. I grew up in a very rural town in Puerto Rico, so party planning was new to me. I decided two months before the party to 'shop' around for cake prices. I wanted a 3 tier cake (12-10-8) with an edible planet on top. The theme was Toy Story. I wanted each tier to be a different flavor too. I started looking online for the fancy dandy top-of-the-line cake studios and, well, they were quoting me at $600 -$700. I was like "are they insane!", "are they going to sprinkle gold on the cake" "it's just a darn cake!". SO i decided I would make the cake myself. Afterall, it couldn't be THAT hard, right?

I spent $200+ on supplies. A week before the party, I made the planet out of rice crispies treat and refrigirated it. The day before the party I started baking the cakes and cooling them. PSHH, easy peasy. THEN came the fondant decorating part. At that point I would have paid a Zillion dollars for anyone to take this task off my hands. I had my husband coloring fondant, my dad rolling fondant, my sister in another corner covering all the rips and holes on the fondant covered tiers. I cried, screamed, sat in a corner for minutes at a time and rocked myself back and forth. Who knew this was so hard? This actually took skill? and talent? and patience? In less than 24 hours my family and I gained a complete new perspective on cake decorators and that industry. The end result was really good for our lack of experience. But it took an army to get that result. The high of seeing the cake at the table and everyone commeting on how amazing it was, is what sparked that interest in me to give it another try. And then another try....

I always loved art, especially painting and drawing, so cake is my new canvas. =D

PS. I am a hobby baker. I want to read everyone's story, but mostly those who quit eveything else to start a cake decorating business. That takes a lot of guts!

Here is a picture of the cake!

Great cake for your first try, your family did a great job lol!

My start was much more humble, 25 years ago it drove me crazy that you could only buy mass produced frozen/thawed cheesecakes at any cafes in my area.  I wanted the real deal, baked from scratch with all butter, quality cream cheese, fresh eggs etc authentic baked cheesecake.  I sold my first cake to a local café 25 years ago.  I now own my own factory, employ great staff and raised both my children (now adults and left home) completely on my business with no other income - and I'm not finished yet, still learning, trying out new techniques, still coming up with new recipes!

Awesome looking toy story cake. I bet your son was thrilled. I only bake and decorate for fun so I really do not have a story, Sad to say that there are many people out there that have the attitude that it's only a cake and "how hard could it be"?  It takes years of practice to perfect and gets easier but still takes a whole lot of work. I have never tackled fondant cakes and only do butter cream. No one in my family likes fondant and would only peel it off the cake.

I have to say you and your family did a fantastic job on the cake!!! You also have a deeper appreciation for those in the cake field who work very hard making beautiful cakes. It definitely is not as simple as it looks especially with using fondant!!!  My hat goes off to all those here on CC because I have seen prettier cakes on this site than in some of my Cake books!!! I enjoy looking at everyone's cakes!!! All of you ROCK!!!!!