For those of you who have ventured out and opened up your own cake business, do you just sell cakes or do you sell other things like candy, pies, cookies, brownies, etc.? Just curious.
I sell everything cakes, candy, cookies, cupcakes, pies, brownies and bars. In my area pies sell more than cakes sometimes. Are you thinking of opening your own shop?
I would love to open my own business one day, but I've only been doing cake decorating for a few months. I have always loved to bake and make desserts of all kinds! I'm sort of known as the dessert person at family gatherings and on holidays. I like to cook other things too, but none as much as desserts. I know there will be a lot of 'business stuff' involved in opening my own place and I think that will be the only thing that holds me back.
I have to give a little chuckle, I too am the family dessert goto. But yes I cook everything. I started my own restaurant back in 2001, with the financing from a family member. We started and ran on a shoestring but it wasn't enough to keep going. Now I have an empty building full of equipment that only gets used for "family" dinners. So here's my word of wisdom for you. Start studying......study study study!! Take classes on starting a small business and getting grants and loans. I was told before I ever started that you need to have at least enough $$ to pay everything for 4 years. And when you start figuring everything you need that's alot of greenbacks. Good luck! Watch your local and health codes and start small but be warned this is a very addictive habit and hard to get out of your blood.
I am in my 15th year with a storefront and I only sell cakes....not even candles, cake tops, balloons, cookies. etc.
I think it depends on your area, your expertise, etc.
I am in a large metro area, and I get more than enough traffic with just cakes. I personally like the idea that cakes are all I do...I use it as part of my marketing....we are the "cake specialists."
You also need to think about what to do with the products if they do not sell. Are you going to do custom orders only, or are you going to offer things on a walk-in basis.
Lots of decisions to make!
in my 8th year with a storefront, i only sell cakes as well...i don't even sell cupcakes.
I do cakes and cupcakes (once in a while). If you do it all you can stretch yourself thin. Do one thing and do it better than anyone else. I love to cook everything, but as a business I don't want to take on too much.
in my 8th year with a storefront, i only sell cakes as well...i don't even sell cupcakes.
I get talked into cupcakes every once in awhile. But you know what I neeeeever get talked into?? 
What?? Tell us, tell us!
((hugs)) 
Do one thing and do it better than anyone else.
I love this. It was actually my FB status update a few weeks ago when I did just that, stretched myself too thin. It is also why I am slowly cutting down on what I offer. I know what I'm good at, what sells, and what I'm slow as molasses in doing. 
Now if I had a storefront it might be a different story (legal home biz)...and I would have some help, but right now I love doing custom decorated cookies and that will be my focus.....and of course from scratch!
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