I've read lots of posts on here about people who do cake orders and accept money for cakes they make. I wondering, for those of you who make and sell cakes to others, are you legal (meaning that you have your own store front or bake your cakes in a licensed kitchen) or do you make your cakes without any licenses?

The reason that I ask is because I would really like to accept money for my cakes (even as a side business), but legally I can't do so unless I have my own store front or do my baking in a legal kitchen. Doing so would cost more money then I am able to spend at the moment. I know I could still sell cakes without a license, but the risks seem too high, especially if someone were to get sick or someone wanted to blow the whislte on me. Just curious how many of you that sell cakes are indeed legalized to do so. Thanks.

Legal - It's like they say in jail, "I'm not guilty, I've been framed!"

I declare the 5th!

Dont ask, dont tell right?

SHHHH....

You got it Erinkalins

I'm in Ohio, and as long as it doesn't need to be kept in the fridge, and I label correctly, I don't need a license.

SHHH...NO ONE SAW ANYTHING

I have heard that you can use a church kitchen to make cakes, I have had a few offers from friends but I do not advertise or publicly promote my cakes. A few may be ok but if you are doing more I would look in to talking to the restaurants in your area about leasing space from time to time when you get an order or even offering to combine your skills with a company that caters but does not do cakes for space to work in and a small profit. That is all I can think of, hope it helps.

...legal? what is that?!!!

Unfortunately I can not afford rent on a commercial kitchen right now and I can not build one as an addition to my house because of my HOA!!! Soooooo, all my cakes are done by word of mouth. I DO NOT advertise!!!!!!!!! I made a cake for free a few years ago for someone at my husband's work and they liked it so much that they wanted another one for another occasion and insisted on paying me for it because I obviously put a lot of work into it!!!!! Sooooo, since then I have been recommended by word of mouth! My in-laws have also asked for me to make cakes for their work and that has also spawned word of mouth orders! Everyone that inquires about cakes knows up front that I am NOT A BUSINESS!!!!! No one has been bothered by it at all and I have never had an issue of any kind.

It's all in who you know and it can take off from there!!! How else do you get a clientele to even spawn a business!



Good luck!


Amy

Haha...I'm glad this is a cake forum. If it was anything else, and someone asked how many users were legal on a site, I'd think something else...lol.

I'm 100% legal and it was hard work to get that way!

Don't look at it as selling cakes...look at it as being reimbursed for the supplies.

Seriously, though, if you're worried about food safety, you could take a sanitation class and get your certificate. At least you'd feel more comfortable about the steps you take to ensure no one gets sick. I got my certificate last fall and learned a whole lot I didn't know about running a safe kitchen.

Mickig

lol I did think something else

You are kidding arent you..What kind of question is that to ask?

I am just now cracking open what seems like Pandora's Box to find out about getting legal here in Texas.

A friend of mine owns a dance studio and is constantly urging me to have some business cards made and make a copy of my cake album to display in her studio so all the parents can see it and maybe it would generate some orders for me. She also urges me to run an add in the local paper but I'm way too afraid to do something like that. I know my friend's heart is in the right place for wanting to help me out (she and my mother are my biggest fans of course) but I tell her all the time that as soon as I advertise and get an order it would be from the wrong customer who is having a bad day.

Most of the time I just do cakes for cost. People like to just give me the $ to take care of the cake and take a load off their minds. I figure it's a way of practicing for when I do become legal and take the cake world by storm!!

Bakingupastorm....it is hard to get legal in TX and costly!! U r right to be careful because all it does take is 1 bad customer or an angry competitor. I would be scared to death.

When I spoke to the folks at the health dept, they said you can't make anything for money not even for cost of supplies. Accepting money or compensation makes them consider you a business whether you call yourself one or not.

There are a few different ones that could be thought; I think we should leave what to your imagination.

Yikes!! Thanks for the heads up KakesandKids!! Looks like my work will continue to be for close family and friends only!! My lips will be sealed even tighter from now on!!

I wish I could afford to do all of my cakes as "gifts" but I simply can't.

tnx cake mommy...actually i am legal, in my dreams! lol..in reality, next question please!!!

I agree that it would probably be better to have a licencse and put the money into it, but until that is my sole source of income and I am making enough to afford that, I guess it is just going to have to be for friends and family as well because there is no way I could afford to put that kind of money into a sidejob.

Here you can sell cakes all you want but all the good money is being licensed. Also you cannot do cakes for a venue that requires a licensed cakes.
It is an exclusion--------
to those not regularly engaged in the business of manufacturing and selling food and who prepare food only on order of and for sale directly to the ultimate consumer

It is also my side income. It would be so hard to have to rely on cake income to pay they bills!! Work is too unpredictable, and all the fun and enjoyment would be gone if the stress of having to make cakes was there.

I thought I was going to be legal when they were trying to put a bill through here in GA for bakers who sell at festivals and such, no such luck. Now, I just hope and pray...

I thought in Georgia you could bake from home if you sold under $10,000 per year? Let me see if I can find the link where I read that.

Ummmm. Uhhhhh. Whoa! Beavis! She said, "legal!"

I've been with the dep't for 18 years, and I've never heard of anyone getting "busted" for decorating/selling their cakes.

--Knox--

It is so wrong, most people need to be legal to sell cakes (even for cost) but you need money to be legal. Not a lot of people have money coming out of there and have to ability to jump in like that from the beginning. I miss the old days.... I know I never lived in them but I still miss them.

I am currently looking into renting (or partial bartering) with a bagel shop here in florida. although i doubt i can afford to pay "rent", perhaps we can work out where I make cakes that she can sell in her shop and keep the money, as part of my "rent".
My other option is checking with some of the larger churches. They have huge kitchens, and in Florida, its legal to do that. And perhaps work out a trade to legally hang my license there, offer cakes for a good many of their functions as "rent", etc.
I understand the fear factor. I'm nervous about it myself, so I'm looking for a less expensive route to legality!