Why Did You Start Doing Cakes?!?!?!?!

Decorating By lillykaci1 Updated 9 Jul 2007 , 9:38pm by abslu

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lillykaci1 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:13pm
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I started doing cakes for my kids. I knew it was something I wanted to do because it was something my mom did for my sister and me when we were kids. Those cakes ment more to me than any store bought thing could have. I wanted my kids to be able to say hey my mommy did that for me.

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lillykaci1 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:13pm
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dolfin Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:22pm
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I started making cakes cause it had to be cheaper than buying them at the store right? BOY was I wrong, but it is alot more fun and meaningful to my family and every now and then some one actually pays me.

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DoniB Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:24pm
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I started doing them many years ago, when I was a kid, because I found my first Yearbook and fell in love. Mom and I took a Wilton 1 course for my birthday that year, and I did a few over the years, as I got older. Skip ahead about ten years, and I was asked to do some mini cakes for a bridal shower (in my photo album), and I got the bug again. Life interrupted until recently, when I picked it up yet again, and have been doing a lot of cakes in the last few months. Hopefully will be doing even more! icon_smile.gif I didn't start doing it for money, but I'm really hoping it turns into a career... I'm trying to take Robert Redford's advice... "Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." icon_smile.gif

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mamacc Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:24pm
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I started doing cakes after having my 2nd baby to be able to stay at home and make a little extra money. I had always loved baking desserts and art so it all kind of came together!

Courtney

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Kiddiekakes Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:29pm
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I started doing cakes right after my son was born..for his first birthday I wanted to try and do an Elmo cake as the stores wouldn't doing anything like a shaped cake...The rest is History!!!

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heavenscent Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:29pm
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I did it for my daughter so she can look back one of these days & say wow my mom did that. Plus I do orders every now & then for extra cash so I can stay at home with her.

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kcw551 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:29pm
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I started doing cakes after I took my first wilton class. I had always wanted to learn how to make such beautiful cakes that I have seen in magazines, etc. I waited alot of years to get to it though. My ex-husband made fun of the idea of me actually doing anything talented. So, I got rid of him, finished raising my girls alone, met a wonder man who supports me in every way. He said go for it and I have been having the time of my life...If it wasn't for this stupid full time job I have to work, I could practice more and really make something of it! In the mean time, its a hobby and I love it!

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Bev55 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:32pm
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The reason I started to decorate cake is, because I didn't want a Walmart special cake for my daughter's sweet sixteen party. I started to look at some local bakeries and on the internet. I did some research and found the cake I wanted would be more than I was willing to spend. I decided to start experimenting with baking different flavors of cake and using different fillings. I have taken 2 of the Wilton's courses, and I feel like I have learned a lot about decorating. I still have a long way to go, but I feel that I can produce cakes that I can be proud of. This website has been an inspiration for me. My idea for my daughter's cake has evolved since I originally planned it 4 months ago. My cake is in my photos. My daughter was so proud to show her friends the final luau cake.

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pumpkinroses Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:34pm
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I started doing cakes for my 2 kids birthdays. As I was planning for my DD's 2nd bday I found this site and really found my passion. I'm not great at it but I really enjoy it and I am starting to sell some on occasion also.

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lillykaci1 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:35pm
post #11 of 76

I understand the job thing...have to pay the bills and feed the kids....lol

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Tartacadabra Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:39pm
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When I was a kid my grandmother had a special decorated birthday cake from the Patissier (special bakery for decorating cakes), with marzipan roses and everything, and I just thought that was absolutely magic. A year ago I was looking for things at the internet, found a Dutch decorating forum accidentally and just started doing it, and YES I loved it!! I also put this memory of the granny's cake on my website, that the cakedecorating gives me the same magical feeling as I felt then.
And now I make cakes for all the birthday's of my family, friends, their kids etc icon_biggrin.gif I even have a beste cakefriend now icon_wink.gif and since recently a cake penpale on this forum icon_smile.gif and yeah.... you can't really call it a hobby, more an addiction but I prefer the word PASSION icon_biggrin.gif
And that means I am a passionat (cake) girl!! icon_lol.gif

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Elizabeth19 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:41pm
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I started doing cakes 15 years ago as a creative outlet. I did cakes for my family and friends only (their bdays and special events).
A few months ago (with the birth of our 3rd child) I decided to turn it into a full fledged business so I could work from home. The hours are horrible, I work from 7am-midnight on most days, 7 days a week, but there are major breaks through out the day when I am spending time with the kids, cleaning, basically mom duties. In the end it is definitely worth it. icon_biggrin.gif

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clsilvus Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:42pm
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My sons 1st b-day cake (from Costco) said "happy 7st birthday", they said the 1 lookes like a 7 but then wouldn't I have put a th instead of st. And the next 2 grocery store cakes just sucked so I decided to put an end to it and start decorating. It's been slow for me (not much family around, so nowhere to dump practice cakes) but one day I hope to be as great as all the wonderful and talented people here at cc!

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Cakery Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:43pm
post #15 of 76

I took a cake decorating class 29 years ago so I could make my daughter's 1st Birthday cake for her. My cake business grew from friends and family to now having a small home-based kitchen that we built from a one car garage about 15 years ago. I'm like many others who found a way to be able to bring some extra income in and still be at home with my kids as they grew up. I have 3 grown children and they love to still talk about all the many birthday cakes I made special for them. I just recently came full circle and made my oldest daughter's wedding cake for her. She hugged me and told me...."Mom, you made my first birthday cake and now you've made me the most beautiful wedding cake....isn't that the neatest thing!" And believe me....it was!!! I wouldn't have traded that special memory for anything...even if I did have a hundred other things to do as the mother of the bride....LOL

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lanibird Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:46pm
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I've always loved cooking and baking. Back in HS, if I wasn't out with my friends I was working on something in the kitchen. In college, I made a horrid looking male genitalia cake for the bachelorette party my room mate threw for a classmate. It was fun though, so when my Grandparents 50th anniversary rolled around, I decided I would make them a cake. THAT one was worse! It was 3 8" chocolate layers, separated by pillars, with gold leaves, gold rings, gold fabric roses, and the 50th Wilton topper. I iced it while the cake were warm and had no clue about crumb coating, so there were crumbs EVERYWHERE! I couldn't pipe worth a da tapedshut.giftapedshut.gif , so DH (who was then BF) did that for me icon_redface.gif , and I had NO clue about using dowels, so the poor cake was leaning something crazy! icon_lol.gificon_eek.gificon_lol.gif Sure tasted good though! thumbs_up.gif But after that I was inspired to get my first Wilton yearbook and started learning. I have yet to take any classes (no time), and I'm still not that great since I only do a handful of decorated cakes a year, but this year I plan on doing more practice ones in hopes of reaching my goal of selling cakes one day, because I really enjoy that look on someones face when you present them with a cake they really love. icon_biggrin.gif

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Nickii Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 8:52pm
post #17 of 76

Funny this ? came up. My mom made cakes for us when we were kids, she took wilton classes when they were taught at sears years ago. When I was a teenager she tied to get me to take them I was NOT interested...guess tooooo many other things going on icon_rolleyes.gif ...I go married and started making pound cakes, caramel, german choc, etc. The store I went to buy my supples taught decorating and I thought..hey y not. The "practice" cakes were taken to work...lord knows I didn't need them at the house and the orders started coming in. When I moved back to GA I went through cake withdrawl...nobody here knew what I could do....started to some cakes and taking them to work and friends...and the ball has started rolling again..and now I found this sight and all the ideas, inspiration, and talent....WATCH OUT!!!!! icon_biggrin.gif

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mekaclayton Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 9:05pm
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I quit my job to take care of my special needs daughter (long story). Struggling with all of that emotionally and mentally, I received a Woman's Day magazine one day with THE cutest cupcakes on it. After research, found out, cupcakeries were actually popular, just not in the south. I set out to do cupcakes...extraordinarily. How hard could that be right?? Took the Wilton classes so that I could learn flowers, how to work the bags etc. Soon after, my cousins asked me to do a cake for their birthday party. Being the alcoholics that they were, I did a beer bottle cake. As ugly as it was, got rave reviews, other orders and as of now, rarely any cupcakes out of this biz. Ha ha ha...
Had my daughter not been born with extra special needs , I'd still be at my office job clicking away at the computer. My children and family really inspire me within this business.

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winjobit77 Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 9:24pm
post #19 of 76

well i started a few months before my now two year old turned one... i was browsing through pics of myself when i was a kid and saw all the cool cakes my grandmother had made for us (she is a florist now), and thought "I want my son to be able to look back at a bunch of cool cakes too!" So, thats why i started and it is now my passion! He has gotten two really great birthday cakes, and so have all of his friends! LOL!

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apclassicwed Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 10:01pm
post #20 of 76

Took Wilton classes back in 1982 when I was 19. I had always liked to bake and decorate cakes even as child (I used to use fruit slices, candies whatever went with my cake). College, dating, marriage and all the life you live as a young adult intervened. For my kid's 5th(199icon_cool.gif birthday, I searched high and low for a cake that tasted as good as it looked--with NO results. I dusted off my old talent and with a grocery store piping set, baked and decorated their cake. I've been back at it ever since.

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mbelgard Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 10:07pm
post #21 of 76

My mom made all our birthday cakes, she'd buy the pan we wanted if she didn't have it already, and I learned from her.
I'm also cheap so I wouldn't buy a cake from the grocery store for my kids' birthdays, I'm not paying $20 for a sheet cake with 50 cents worth of plastic on it. icon_lol.gif
For several years I just made simple things for their birthdays and it never crossed my mind to sell cakes.

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springlakecake Posted 30 Jun 2007 , 11:56pm
post #22 of 76

I didnt intend to like decorating so much. I took a wilton class and was hooked when I realized I was pretty good at it. I love decorating just to decorate but I love doing it and getting paid for it more!!!

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LeslieM Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 12:08am
post #23 of 76

I started doing caked b/c my two best friends got me addicted!! I have only done four but I love to do them. I'm not that good but maybe someday I'll make them and sell them!!

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dldbrou Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 1:44am
post #24 of 76

My birthday was the day after my mother's and the day before my father's. When I was growing up my father would buy my mother a birthday cake and there was always leftover cake for my birthday and then mother would bake father a cake for his birthday. I do not ever remember having my very own birthday cake. When my son was born I told my husband that I wanted to learn how to bake and decorate cakes so that my son would always remember his birthday cakes that were specially made for him. That was 26 years ago.

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SaraO Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 1:53am
post #25 of 76

I started doing cakes partly because my boyfriend joined 2 softball teams and I needed to have my own hobby. Lol.

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brwntab Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 2:03am
post #26 of 76

mekaclayton wrote:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I quit my job to take care of my special needs daughter (long story). Struggling with all of that emotionally and mentally, I received a Woman's Day magazine one day with THE cutest cupcakes on it. After research, found out, cupcakeries were actually popular, just not in the south. I set out to do cupcakes...extraordinarily. How hard could that be right?? Took the Wilton classes so that I could learn flowers, how to work the bags etc. Soon after, my cousins asked me to do a cake for their birthday party.



I also agree with mekaclaton, because I also have a special needs child who really got sick about 4 years ago and so did my dad. I had to find something that I love doing before I drove myself crazy and it was/has been a great escape. I try to adjust myself to about anything, so I took 3 wilton classes and have been teaching myself through the help of CC. Once I realized what decorating did for me its now a real big part of my life, rather its for profit or pleasure its apart of me. Thanks CC you have been a God send. thumbs_up.gif

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SusieMcG Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 2:04am
post #27 of 76

I always watched my mother bake when I was little, and always wanted to learn. I took my 1st Wilton class and it's been L-O-V-E ever since!!! I've taken 3 classes, and luckily have the ability to learn very quickly by sight - I love to pick up new books & magazines and copy the cakes. I'm afraid that I don't have too much individual creativity, but I can sure duplicate!!!!

Of course, one of the best reasons for starting was so that I can share my talent with my own family, and stay away from all those grocery store cakes!! It's funny too - I paid $130 for a sheet cake from a fancy local bakery for my son's 1st birthday two years ago (before I started) and when I look back on the pictures - the cake was HORRIBLE - I could have done better in my sleep!!

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SILVERCAT Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 2:12am
post #28 of 76

I started doing cakes about a year ago. When my son turned one I ordered a sheet cake from walmart bc I was busy getting everything else ready for the party and I had to cook, so I didnt want to have to worry about the cake. When I picked up the cake I was totally disappointed and wanted to cry! I had balloons as a theme and well thats what I got on his cake! One thing of five balloons and his smash cak had nothing on it bc they forgot! So after that I decided to make his cakes last year (bob the builder and the construction hat) in my photos! I also thought about taking classes for about a few months after I came across someone else from here on another forum. She pointed me in the direction and I havent looked back once. I LOVE doing cakes! I hope in the future I can make a small business into it!

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slb1956 Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 2:13am
post #29 of 76

I started cake decorating late in my life..I wanted to make my youngest son's wedding cake. Well, I practiced for 2 years before recieving the honor of making his wedding cake. I took Wilton's 3 courses,during that time. Its been a year now since that wedding cake and i'm still hooked and love cake decorating.

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Yorkiemum Posted 1 Jul 2007 , 2:16am
post #30 of 76

I was going through chemo for breast cancer. Second time around. I was having a really hard time and was extremely lonesome so I took classes at Michaels. I decided that I would make a cake for anyone that I knew might be alone for their birthday. I have baked 12 this year. I do sell some but my greatest joy is in giving to the one that would never have a cake and watching them feel the joy of knowing someone cares. I am truly blessed. icon_smile.gif

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