So I just stumbled into cake decorating in February and I absolutely love everything about it...well except cleaning...Anyway currently I am a stay at home mom of 3 boys, aged 5 and under, so I plan to stay home for awhile. My husband keeps asking me when all of the kids go off to school, what do I plan to do? I am an occupational therapist, but I had previously thought about going back to school for nursing. But now that I have found cake decorating, I just really want to do that. Can I really make some money at it in the future? I know i just started, but I think I have some potential to be pretty good at it if I keep practicing. I am just wondering what the income potential is. Also if you could please take a look at my photos and give me an honest opinion of my skills (I dont know if everyone is just being nice when they give compliments)

i saw your pics, your skills are amazing

you can definately make money...but you really have to set your prices properly...a lot of home bakers bake for next to nothing...

you don't have to think, ok, i can do a 9x13, cover costs and make $20 if i charge $35...NO- you have to think, ok, where are these people going to get personalized service, a home backed cake, home made icing, and a design specific for their needs...9x13 starts at $50

and then you don't do orders for people who are not willing to pay for your cakes, and believe me their will be some...pricing is always a struggle, but don't undercharge, or it's not worth it...

if you're doing it for a hobby, that's one thing, but if you want to make money from it, then it's a business, and a business is about making profits...set a target market, check the demographics, and price accordingly...

I don't live in USA so I can't tell you if you can make money, but one thing is for sure, you are really good at cake decorating.

For someone who just started in February, your cakes are really beautiful. The cakes you make look very professional and your ideas very original. Much better than some that I have seen in cake decorating books. Just my honest opinion.

hi..yes u can makemoney..and looking at your cakes you willdo awesome...i am still new at this myself . i have only been doing this for 12months..and really selling cakes for the past 3 months. i still have a very long way to go..but i am getting betterandbetter...so far i have been selling 5cakes a week...and making 200-250 a week...so good look andwelcome...

Your cakes are wonderful.
I have been making cakes for 15 years and believe me you have talent.
Some people love to do this and just don't have what it takes but it is a great hobby and others have talent.

keep up the good work check your market don't underprice but don't over price either. Pricing can be tricky you just have to do a little research.
Also if this is something you really want to do start checking around to see what your local rules are about having a home based business everywhere is differet.

Good luck

saw your pics...and they are fabulous. you really do have a talent. you could be as busy as you wanted to be. that pooh cake was too cute.
i'm running in to the same fork in the road right now. being the at home mother of 5, the youngest only at 2.
here in MI, no we're not supposed to sell from our homes at all, but i did consult with a health inspector in my sanitation class and she said it's very hard to regulate the "cake ladies" besides most people know they're buying from someone's home. you still have to be careful. i only do word of mouth and don't sell to any businesses.
your cakes look great and you should definately go for it if you're having fun!

honey, you have got talent.

OMG!! Please don't doubt your talent!! The cakes are amazing. I sometimes think about that also. But then I remember God's promise that good things come to those who wait. My home business has slowly and I do mean slowly been picking up again. My cakes had slowed down since the beginning of the year, I was in middle of fixing up my house to sell it....and buying a new house. They slowed down for about 8 months which is fine with me, we redid our kitchen and living area, painting and things like that so there was really no time to do cakes... So now that all that is said and done, my cakes are starting to pickup again, my new house has a big kitchen with plenty of counter space for plenty of cakes.....and I know that my cakes will continue to grow...have patience and believe in yourself, in your talent, have faith!!!

You go girl!!! Keep on baking!!!

Cindy

Beautiful cakes !! You are very talented. Use your gifts !! I am looking forward to doing the Wilton Class I so I can really learn to do well with flowers and other things. Best of luck to you!! Suzanne

Your cakes are beautiful along with your talent. Take the plunge!

Your cakes are beautiful! I absolutely love the Winnie the Pooh cake,great work!

Your cakes are lovely. You certainly have a talent!! I think how well your business does depends a lot on the area you live in. I am from a small town, but recently we got a Hobby Lobby. Well I love the store and it is great to have the Wilton classes available here now too. But the classes are booming with men and women. A lot of them are now starting to decorate out of their homes. I think Food Network and the Wilton classes have caused a huge interest in cake decorating and now we have more people around here doing cakes than needing cakes!! You would first need to do research to find out about the demand for cakes in your area. I absolutely think you are gifted and need to pursue your love of decorating

Thank you all for your encouraging replies. I just really love decorating and I sort of day dream about being able to do it and make a little money on the side. I only have one customer now and i have been selling her an 8 inch cake for $15. I know it is cheap, but I told her it was okay as long as she recommended me to others!

cakes are amazing!!!! You can make money.
Good Luck.

Your have talent! : ) Yes you can make money but only if you charge enough for your work. Otherwise you are going to get burned out and not want to do cakes anymore, not even for yourself.

Even though you are just starting out you should charge more. It will be sooo hard to raise your price later and believe me they notice. Also, if she does recommend your cake she will tell them she only paid $15 and they will all expect that price. so tell her normally it would be a $__ cake but for her for xx reason it's only $15. But she should tell people she paid the other!

I have made cakes only for family and friends, sold a few and traded for a few. And still burnt out some. But I am moving soon and will be able to have a legal kitchen and plan on going for it. and you know what? If I don't make that many cakes because I am more expensive I am ok with that. I have already been burned out and just found my way back to enjoying cakes again so not going to risk it.

Best wishes!

I believe you obviously have a natural talent!!! Your work work is truly good. But that said, I would encourage you to go to nursing school if you have a desire to. I'm a nurse & love it. I feel very fortunate because I have a 2 & 4 y/o and only work 1-2 days each week and make excellent money. This allows to be at home w/the kids and also allows to pursue my new found passion...cake decorating! I'm starting to get a few orders and thought it might be beneficial to have a home bakery as a tax write off. I don't think I could make as much baking/decorating as I doing working part-time as a nurse.

I have been doing cakes for only about 2 months to sale. I took the classes...and I loved it! I did not intend to start a business,,,it has truly just happened. I am currently making between $200 and $300 a weekend...just making cakes! I never would have thought it! Here are a couple of things that I have learned these last 2 months...DO NOT do a cake for less than $25...it is just not worth your time. I do give discounts for referrals...so people do actually refer me to their friends/family. Tell them up front what they are getting for the price...From me they get the cake decorated to their specs, filling of their choice, a personalized sign for the receiver of the cake, for wedding cakes they get a printed sheet of instructions for freezing along with the box for the topper, and I do deliver locally for no additional charge. You have to set your limits and decide what you will offer for your price. I have done a little "tweaking" from the beginning to now, but I think I am finally in a "comfort zone" where both me and my clients are happy.
I have been so very successful without any effort at all, that my husband has drawn up the plans to have my own "shop" built in my front yard...purchased me a vulcan oven, chest cooler,professional mixer, and many stands and pans from HL during a recent sale. I am on my way to being legal...and am truly getting busier by the week. I am completely booked for Sept, half booked for Oct...almost complete for Dec, and a few for Nov. Oh...and I also am a stay at home mom of 5. It is something that I can do around school functions, sports, picnics, etc. I would say GO FOR IT...I do think it is worth it...and you do have TALENT!

Okay I am getting excited about the idea of making a little money at this. Now I just need to figure out how to"advertise" without "advertising" (I just do this from home obviously) and if I do get the business, how I find the time to do them! I do FINALLY have one child off to Kindergarten and my 3 year old will go to preschool this year. Any tips on advertising helpful...I just read where someone had donated a certificate for a door prize or raffle or something...great idea. I guess when my son needs snack for school...guess what he is bringing...

Oh I am not worried at all. That is my point exactly! : ) I agree 100%.

Amy

Girl, you got skills...go for it

Your cakes are amazing; are you sure that you just started?

Mommyof5kidz, your cakes are awesome.

Way to go in only 2 months.

Merissa - God I need you as an Occupational Therapist!! I also did pretty good cake decorating until about five years ago when I went out to dinner one night (before a shower cake was due) because I did not want to mess up my clean sanitized kitchen making dinner. I was violently attacked by someone's 150lb Rottweiler that tore open my right forearm to the bone. I have permanent muscle and nerve damage. Until this day, I have incredible "cramping" pain in my right forearm even after I had therapy. I can only describe it as worse than pregnancy leg cramps and like a hot chain saw. I have been typing alot the last few days because I joined this site, and I am really paying for it. My love is cake. My passion is cake. My art is cake. That dog attack took all that away from me. I too was looking into starting my business when all of this came to a grinding halt. Then three kids later, I am now a SAHM with three kids four and under (two are twins boys) and wrangling them is quite physically trying. As an occupational therapist, and a cake decorator, and woman who has had children you have a unique perspective that my male OT did not have. I am now checking alternative ways (edible image printing, purchasing ready made flowers, etc.) in artistic expression, but the manual dexterity to hold a piping bag for any detail work is excrutiating. But, still, I run around like the guy in that movie "16 Blocks" with a sketch book of cake ideas, and constantly dreaming of the "cake" I will one day make again in my own cake shop. I also suffer from Fibromyalgia brought on by the trauma. I sleep with a heating pad on my arm at night and I take Flexeril (only at nite) now just for a few moment's relief. I can't take "narcotic" painkillers as I am allergic. I have also tried Lidocaine patches, but the skin on my arm is numb anyway so that is useless, I can't take too many NSAID because of my BP and also bothers my stomach. As an occupational therapist, you probably understand the mechanics of the arm while undertaking cake decorating. I do not decorate anymore except small family birthday cakes that are a quarter of the detail I used to have. Any advice?

I am very sorry to read your story. Most of us really take for granted the gift of manual dexterity and movement in our hands and fingers. Most of my experience however was not in hand therapy, but rather in developmental disabilities, head injury and most recently I worked in inpatient rehab working with patients with knee and hip replacement, stroke, mutiple trauma et. But let me pm you with some ideas.

I agree merissa,
Your cakes are very nice! I have been home baking for a while. I am also a Wilton Instructor. I live in NY and there are codes where you are supposed to have a separate kitchen. I do not advertise. I have a website and only give it to people who want to see what I have done. I have one woman who is emailing it to her entire Moms group. I am a little nervous, as I do not know these people and have been doing this solely by word-of-mouth. Is anyone else a home baker in NY? I would like to make it a busines someday- when my kids are older. We are trying for a third so that will be a while!

I try not to undercharge. I know how hard it is to come up with prices, especially for friends. But my friends understand how much time goes into the cakes from the design process forward.
You just have to remember how valuable your time is!

Good luck!

I know what you mean about setting prices. When I first started, I charged for ingredients only because I just wanted the practice (usually was for family, office parties, etc). After I started to get more "professional" I started to price competitive to the bakeshops in the area. I would call and ask what they would charge for a basic buttercream cake and a basic fondant cake per slice at a local popular bakery. They would also tell you that "decoration" was extra depending on the "decoration".

With my "arm injury" I still wanted to put my own personal touch on my daughter's birthday cakes, so I would order a plain white buttercream iced rum cake from our local "famous" baker and then add my own "decoration". It helped not to have to start from scratch, and it was a real timesaver. Plus I loved the cake from that baker. It is sooooo good. I could eat the whole cake myself.

But, some of her most "easiest" designs to me she would really charge alot for. I would look at her book and see $180 and then think, I used to be able to do that and more with my eyes closed! It would really depress me. But, I would take my plain white iced cake and perk it up more without the extra expense.

Your cakes are great. You'll make money; no problems there. Good Luck.