Im a grad student in Madison, WI and have been yearning so badly to get some practice for cakes. i want my cakes to be showcased and I want to be challenged to try great new things. The problem: No people. Because of the size of my school and the fact that students well rarely have children with birthday cakes, weddings to plan, etc., I find myself baking for my boyfriends lab (all men...this will never translate into a request for help) and my classes that are very very small (8-10 people). I have told everyone and anyone that I want practice and want to bake cakes, cupcakes, birthdays, weddings, anything for free and only for the cost of the ingredients. I am very discouraged at this point and have no idea what to do. A couple of weeks ago I got a wonderful opportunity through a wonderful wonderful woman on this site but that fell through. Now Im back to square one (. Thoughts? ideas? suggestions? I am looking for a job at a market bakery or something to gain speed, etc. but wanted the artistic challenges that come from individual requests. Help me get started )
Thanks!
Sus
Check with your local United Way and see if there are any charity groups who need cakes.
Places likes group homes, rest homes, and children's organizations might need help with birthday cakes and other celebration cakes.
Since you'd be doing it on a volunteer basis, you could most likely choose your designs and practice what you'd like.
And you'd know all your hard work was for a good cause!
Is there a senior center or a nursing home around that you could just leave something as a surprise for the staff? Just tell them you wanted to get a jumpstart on Make a Difference Day!
I think that the best thing that you can do right now is just bake and decorate a cake and take it to class with you. I am new to this also and what I do is I have a calendar at work that has everyones birthdays written on it. When a birthday comes up I make a cake for that person. Then I ask the person if they mind if I share their cake with the rest of the staff at the hospital. I then take the cake to each department and cut them off a chunk of it so everyone can get a little taste. So far by doing this I have generated several orders including an order for a Wedding Cake.
HTH,
Lazy_Susan
Dear Discouraged....
I had that same problem when I first started out. What I did was look through books and picked cakes that would challenge me and build on my skill level. What I did with them and still do quite often is take them to local businesses in my town such as my bank, my doctors office, etc. They all know me as the cake girl (they named me that) and you would not believe all the orders I have gotten just from that! I like to take stuff in on Mondays because Monday's are such a drag and on Fridays just as a "happy Friday". Hope this helps and don't get too discouraged, this works!!!
Just a thought, what about the teachers or staff? Is there a general meeting place for them all or even each department?
What about a local hospital? I know my cousin spent some time in one of the hospitals up there in their children's ward. Anything to help brighten the day of the staff or patients. If you are wanting to do it for the patients though I would double check if their are any special things you need to watch out for. But I am sure the staff would appreciate a big thank you cake from someone!
There is also the police dept, fire dept, emt's. Think of the places most people look over, but would also appreciate the notice of the work they do.
If you are looking for practice you may have to eat the cost of some of your practices to try to get the word out. Just make sure you send business card with your products so people know where they are coming from
Hope this gives you some ideas. Most of it just takes time, but once the word gets out you won't know what to do with all the orders coming in!!
Leily
Hi Susecita,
I'm from Madison, WI also. I find that I am in the same boat (of sorts) I love making cakes and I have just started the art of designing them. For years I have worked in a research laboratory and so I have been lucky to have co-workers eat my creations Your cakes are beautiful and I wish you luck in a search for an outlet for your talent. Right now I am baking cakes for everyone I know (not many). I find getting "dummy" cakes to practice on is a great way to practice a new techniques or ideas.
CC
Check with the activities director at a nursing home about cakes for special holidays and (maybe) once a month birthday celebrations.
How about an orphanage or child care center? Maybe they could use someone to bake cakes for kids especially if you're volunteering! You'd help disadvantaged kids & get exposure to the adults (who all probably have families, friends, weddings, showers, etc. )
HTH
Believe me, you have my total understanding and sympathy. I am new in this town and don't know a SOUL! And I'm unemployed. So, no social contacts at all. I bake anyway! I eat some of it and some of it just goes down the drain. I have wasted FAR more money doing other things! I want to get really good so that when I DO know people, I can knock 'em dead! That's what's most important to me. When I get my recipes down pat and don't need to sort out those anymore, I'll start doing dummy cakes.
I did some volunteer work the other day and took a cake when I reported for work. I had never met any of those people, but I suspected they liked cake. They did! I will do the same the next time I go there. It will take a while, but after a bit, people will begin to think of me as the person who makes those pretty and delicious cakes, and the phone will start ringing. It will for you, too. It just takes time. And, I believe, quite a bit of "wasted" ingredients and donated cakes.
Here's a link for you!
http://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org/
I think that's the United Way website for Madison...
Thanks so much for the great ideas guys! Oh my Oh my. I already emailed United offering my services. I love the idea of volunteering. I have been volunteering since I was 10 yrs old and was hoping to get back into it anyways so I kill two birds with one stone on that one! CC,are you still in Madtown? I thought I was the only person living here
p
-Sus
Hang in there! You've gotten some great advice here. I am relatively new to developing a business with my cakes also. I've given cakes away like a mad person....and now I'm reaping the benefits. I have SEVEN cakes to go out between Friday and Monday of next week! This week....which was slow, I took a chocolate ganache freebie to my bank drive thru girls! They went nuts...didn't know I was doing this...and wanted to know "do you take orders"? You're on the right track!
Hey, what about hospital cancer wards, especially the kids, though you might have to check with the nurses about dietary restrictions. But anyway, kids in those sad circumstances really enjoy the chance to be a normal kid & parties WITH CAKE are a real treat (especially when they can't go home).
I am not from Madison abut I am from Kenosha WI... I would definitly go to nursing homes and talk to the acivities director.... I do monthly b-day cakes for a few of them here in San Antonio( had to get away from the n=snow)
Is there any kind of bus service around you. Schools, public transport, you could always take them in a cake. Bus drivers are alsways hungry.
Everyone has given you great ideas, now just let your mind wander and you will find your customers. Good luck
Jeanne
there are several firemen in my family (including my dad) and when I want to make a cake, I just take it to one of the stations.
they're usually gone in minutes and are VERY appreciated.
This is really great!!!! I have been having the same problems getting the word out that I love doing cakes!!!! I go to a huge church where people have lots of kids, but problem is no one really wants to pay me to do their child's cake. They'd rather go to Publix or make it themselves. My husband is self-employed so I'm looking for ideas too!! Thanks for all the great ideas and it's nice to know I'm not the only one discouraged and needing avenues for business!! You all are sooo kind and helpful!!
Try a campus Welcome wagon.....
Or Freshman that are away from home....
For Kids cakes try a womans shelter, I'm sure they would really like it. Will the campus let you donate the birthday cakes to their cafetieria?
I'm from Milwaukee Area.... HELLO Madison people.
I have taken cakes to a local auction. They've sold just fine, but I'm thinking about putting one up to raffle.
Woa. Today I woke up and said, I am going to every single bakery in my area and dropping applications like there is no tomorrow. Well, the very first place I went hired me. I just went in said "I love to bake, Im a fast learner and want to get experience as a cake decorator." As I was dropping my resume the lady (who I later found out was the owner of the place!) said "Sit down and let me take a peek at your application." I was hired right on the spot, part time basis but will work fulltime during summer. She says she couldn't pay me much but when she said how much she was going to pay me I was holy sh****. Its not a lot but a lot to begin with. This is in one of Madison's better known bakeries. I am so excited. She smiled at the end of our conversation and said "Guess like today was your day." It sure was! )
-S
What great ideas...... I have had the same problem. My husband and I are going to get really fat soon if I can't get rid of these cakes! My neighbors love me but there is only sooo much cake a person can eat.!
I have made cakes and my mother took them into the nursing home she works at and I got orders from nurses, doctors, families. I wasn't looking at going into business I just enjoy doing the cakes. Everything happens for a reason I guess I will be making lots of cakes.
I've taken cakes to our local fire & Police Departments, as well as the Local Hospital Emergency room. I work at a hospital, so believe me, People there will eat anything....and appreciate it. Also, there is always some kinds of National recognition week going on.....ex.....National Laboratory professionals week, Volunteers week, Radiology week....etc, so you could donate them to whatever department is celebrating at that particular time.
Congratulations on your new job!!! !!! What a wonderful day! I am from Mauston, Wisconsin about an hour away from Madison. So hello to all of the Wisconsin people (and everyone else too )
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