Well, people WILL turn in "suspected" unlicensed bakers. I started in my home baking and quickly learned I needed to become licensed so my husband built a seperate kitchen in our garage to have licensed. Well when it was pretty much complete, someone turned me in. I revieved a note in my mailbox to call the Dept. of Ag. about my cake business. When I got home and saw that I was so scared. I called and she said she wanted to come see where I was baking.

So we went online to see if we needed any other things to pass inspection and did them that night. Thank goodness all we needed were very minor things to make it legal, so when she came to inspect, I PASSED! So it was a HUGE relief and I guess I should thank the competition that "turned me in". I really was trying to do what I needed to become legal though.

Anyway, it is frustrating when people make comments about "home bakers" and don't clarify that some are licsensed and some are not.

I personally won't ever turn anyone in. I focus on my own business and thankfully am busier than I can even handle. Someday, when my kids are older, I would like to maybe open a storefront but for now my set up is perfect for me.

I can't begin to explain how completely depressed all this has made me. Having been encouraged by my instructor, my friends, my husband, etc.. to "go for it" and start doing cakes more seriously and finally after two years making that final decision having the hopes that when I have a 2nd child and choose to take a couple of years off of work that I could somehow sustain myself financially, and perhaps longer, only to find that this whole thing is illegal. Now I have to weigh and determine the risk/benefit. Well, I have a lady who lives in my same tiny city saying that if she finds out about anyone baking illegally out of their home that she would report them. I'm off to a great start! I've done one paid cake for a friend and I documented everything. I fully and completely intend to pay my taxes. I've taken care of all of those little details. I've learned the lessons about needing to keep everything separate to avoid any chance of contamination so I have separate everything from spoons and forks to spatulas, bowls, and containers that will only touch cake. I don't want to go on forever, but I'm being pulled in different directions. My husband who says do it, and my heart that wants to be legal. And my brain that knows there's no way I can build a commercial kitchen in my home and I could never afford to have a bakery (although I maintain that's my dream). It doesn't seem like having all the overhead of a bakery would net enough profit to make it worth it for me to do.
Just needed to vent. Please don't attack. I've read enough attacks here to last long enough.

sweet1122, there's a thread somewhere about Texas bakers working on their state govt to get home-based biz legal. You might pop over there and join their efforts! As the song says, Don't Stop .... Believing!!

Baking from your home kitchen in Cali is out of the question.. they are strict.

Here we go again about the unlicensed thing. Every time it comes up, those baking unlicensed get offended and defensive at the advice they don't want to hear from the licensed bakers here. TOUGH!

I would like to retire by the age of 50 and move to Belize and drink Margaritas every day, that's a dream/luxury I can't afford right now. The stupid me would do it anyway and be in debt up to my eyeballs in 6 months, the mature intellectual me knows I need to keep plugging, and save for this dream/luxury.

This younger generation today is sickening with their feelings of "entitlement". You are not "entitled" to have it just because it's your dream. Not all of you in this generation act this way, but I'm sorry to say that most do. I have a 20 yr. old daughter with the same sense of entitlement. Is it the environment you are all growing up in? You want it now and you'll get it now even if you break the law? The laws don't apply to you? You don't have to work and save like the rest of us did? You don't have to take out small business loans and go into debt like the rest of us did?

I'm going to tell you what I told my DD when she asked me for a $600 Coach bag like mine..........."Dear little daughter, when you own 2 businesses like I do, when you work 65hrs on average every week, and when you have a savings account that has more than $100 in it, you'll own a $600 Coach bag. I was 42 before I owned one, you've got 22 yrs to go, so live with it."

To those of you "who just LOVE to bake cakes and need to do it", if you cannot afford that "luxury" at this moment, work for someone else and bake and decorate til your hearts content. Save your money, take out a business loan when you can, and live your dream. Until than, stop whining that you can't afford the "luxury" of being licensed. That's an argument that we don't care to hear. You won't earn our sympathy or respect with that attitude.

Am I tough?.......damn right I am. Nobody handed me anything in my life. Now humor me, blast away..........

I have no idea where some of you are coming from.

Just ripping and taking out your frustrations on others.

It's not entitlement to be able to conduct business in the same manner as others. It's fortunate. (Referencing the fickleness of the authorities across the country.)

It's morbidly frustrating to be unable to be licensed in a way that will allow you to pursue your desire to produce beautiful cakes and be legal like other folks can be in other states. It's much more frustrating than some folks realize.

It's personally devastating.

It's broken dreams. It was described upthread as 'completely depressing'. You think?

How 'bout when your fellow cakers decide that licensed home cakers can be in the club but unlicensed cakers are gleeful producers of toxic waste, misery and disease out of roach infested kitchens.

Sure I exagerated a bit but you do the math.

Don't make me go pull quotes.

How about another distinction. How about "not allowed by law to become legal in their home".

Sure of course they need to go out and get commercial property and do it right. That's kinda hard to swallow.

Nobody in this whole entire thread is asking for a hand out.

What'sa matter with some of you?

How about when a relatively new person comes knocking we pause before slamming them up against the keyboard. How about we extend the benefit of the doubt, ask some questions, check our understanding so threads don't spin out of control and people aren't trashed out.

We need to uphold each other, each one of us.

I think everyone is entitled to a certain degree of compassion in light of learning their dream is shattered. Don't you?

Metrocakes,

I don't need to "let it go". I am not holding on to anything. I just am saying that when people refer to home bakers in general they should clarify licensed or unlicensed. Or maybe just say unlicensed bakers.

I have the phiolosophy of live and let live.

And because I started out as most everyone else did as unlicensed, I don't judge.

While it's been noted by many experts and studies that "this" generation suffers from entitlement issues, it's also been noted that they have succeeded where their parents have not. They don't settle for jobs and keep them for years because "it's a job." They have no problem quitting and searching for something new. More young people are starting their own businesses than ever. For the ones that work for others - they demand more from their employers, schools, etc. Yes, some of those are silly things like longer breaks & being able to keep their cell phone on during work hours. They've also shown this generation is enjoying life more on paid vacation time and enjoying company "perks" not previously offered. They're spending MORE time with their families because they demand it. Their sense of entitlement is not all lost.
Since I'm sure you're wondering, I'm on the upper (older) edge of this generation. I was taught by my mother & father strong work ethics & family values, though some of that may be the Mexican heritage. I owned my own business (not cake) & got out of it to spend time with my kid.

Kate thanks so much for articulating my thoughts exactly!

My father is the first of my family to have a retirement fund of any sort. There are a lot of folks that just stay in the job for the paycheck, with no regards to the future. They don't make enough now to save for the future.

Well all it takes is one helth dept worker to "place" a cake order, show up and your busted if you arent legit.

I once asked my inspector when she came for the 6 month inspection how the ones that arent legit get caught. She said there are ways but wouldnt elaborate. Mostly by a phone call of a cake deal gone wrong.

I think part of the problem lays at the feet of wilton. I know that my instructor had told us that it was ok to bake from home, completely legal. However, I found this site and was quickly taught otherwise. I had started the classes both due to my love of baking and the thought of a little extra cash. Now, I'm planning on a part time job at my daughter's preschool for the extra money and my love of baking will be shared with family and friends. However, my hubby and I have long term plans for a cake business that we are dutifully saving for.

dkelley, that is great what you were able to accomplish for your kids. I listen to Dave Ramsey and I'm hearing a pattern of so many people who get behind the financial-eight-ball and their biggest debt/problem is a big student loan. Makes me wonder if a college degree can actually pay for itself or not? I'd hate for my kids to start out with that kind of debt.

I'm very thankful they both have the G.I. Bill and their college is covered!!

Being able to switch from a job that you don't like the minute that you get out of college is NOT a luxury or an advantage - sticking it out is a learning experience, and it teaches you to have goals. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't look too great on your resume if you've been changing jobs every year when you find a job you actually want.

Sometimes you have to go through a lot of crap to get what you want, and I think that's what a lot of people have been trying to say on this post. I had to keep a job for almost five years that I didn't really like to pay off my and my husband's student loans, but it taught me alot and I did alot of growing up. Now, I have a job I love, and it was worth it. Ironically, my current job wouldn't have required the college degree that I went into debt for in the first place.

dkelly27, I really, really hope that you taught your kids money management skills while you were paying for their college education.

Umm CakeForte...not meaning to play devil's advocate here, cuz I really like you, but in your own words at the end of your post...

"Let the flames begin!"

Isn't that you challenging other posters to directly flame you, so why are you getting angry about it...you expected it didn't you?

Actually I was being facetious ...as in "let the games begin!"...of course you cannot tell tone via internet. Anytime someone asks a question on a "hot topic" this forum has a way of getting mean/ personally attacking people and their views instead of presenting information that people could actually use to help them.

Yes, I know, I have been attacked personally on this very thread...and on others, even when just giving a great tip to others, a tip that has given me great success.

go figure.

Ok, I have read through this whole post and holy cow!
I live in Michigan and before I came to Cake Central I did not know that home baking here was a no no. I believe it was jkalman who told me this. Thankfully, I had just started making cakes for others and since then have stopped. The only cakes I do now are for my own family and once in a while I make something for my husband to take to work and share. I really do hope that someday I will have the finances to start up my own cake store but until then, I will take my time and spend it with my 3 lovely children. Which is what I enjoy doing most anyway. Cakes are just a bonus!
This being said, do any of you know what departments or licences I need to have before starting a business. Where should I start? I have the time to research all of these things while my kids are growing. I figure about another 8-10 years, that also gives me time to practice my cakes and save money.

Thank you all for posting and giving your opinions.
Kim

Linking low priced cakers with food poison potential at a cake consult embarasses me.

I don't need pointing to someone else's possible food poison to get orders.

It's not nice to (literally) talk poison about fellow cakers.