I'd venture to guess that, based on the picture in the article, that she is working out of her home. I hope for her sake that she's started this business on the up and up because this spotlight on her will certainly bring the attention of HD officials or other grumpy souls (aka competing bakers in her area)who may question her legitimacy as a business and in turn alert the "cake police" (or the IRS!!!) to check her out.
Although, if her venture is truely "under the radar", I highly doubt she would've consented to being featured in an article or have a web site- but then again people have done stupider things in life.
At the end of the day though, I wish her the best and continued success. As we all know she will likely only get better with time and experience and I admire that instead of wallowing in the horror of supporting a family in these tough economic times- she's made the effort to do something constructive to get them by.

There are plenty of people who were featured in media with unlicensed businesses who then were busted by the health department the next day. I can think of a few off the top of my head, in the town I'm in now and in Boston where I used to live. I think that people who don't know that they need to be licensed think that it would be great to be in the paper for publicity, but they don't know that it will open them up to scrutiny from more than potential customers.

Not to say that this woman is operating illegally, I don't know anything about her.I'm just saying that people advertising illegal businesses have been busted before.

Remember this?

http://www.northjersey.com/bergen/Cake_baker_will_meet_her_mortgage.html

I think she ended up selling her original recipe to some big bakery and making a huge profit. Hilton Hotel helped her by allowing her to bake in their kitchens. Someone might do that for this other person.

She's fighting back in a terrible economy. And it's not up to me to critize her for it, but instead I commend her for pushing forward. Do other people make better cakes? Yes, but I can say that about most people, pro and amateur alike. All that matters is that she has people who want her cakes and are paying for them. Good for her and I hope she's very successful and finds happiness in her new found career. As for the publicity, hell yeah, take it where you can get it. Those who don't like her cakes won't buy from her, but there will be those who do want them and she then has more customers.

I really feel bad for these people who are just trying to keep a roof over their families head and they end up in more trouble. I understand that rules are rules, but it's a shame they were turned it. That doesn't mean I agree with them being illegal, it just simply means I feel sorry for them.

PattiCakes- I stand by my "petty" opinion. In the grand scheme of things, I believe it is petty for turning in a woman baking apple cakes from her home. It's not like she was dealing pot, prostituting or robbing homes and mugging people to suplement her mortgage.
I honor your opinion that it isn't fair for you to have to pay the expense of being legal and she tried not to (I'm pretty certain she had to pay up all around by the end of this). At the same time though it's not like she was starting a lifelong career in the bakery business- the article clearly stated she did what she did with the specific goal in mind of paying her mortgage.
Fact of the matter is, is that some people play by the book while others don't (whether out of ignorance or malice). Probably the more Christian thing to do would have been to contact the woman personally and said, "hey I know times are tight and you're trying to earn some extra cash, but you should know X Y and Z, so you don't get in trouble...." at least give her a chance to correct her ignorance before doing the petty thing by turning her in to the city.

Just want to say I'm not trying to start a "Snark-Fest"
So have a happy New Year Everone

I second that "petty" opinion.

I would just like to add my 2 cents worth. I love to bake, make cakes, decorate and I love to work with gum paste. I make cakes for family and everyone said I should go into business. I heard in Michigan that you can bake in your own kitchen, but you can only make up to $600.00 dollars a year?? I don't know if that is right or wrong, but hell I have a hell of alot of expensive baking, dec. things, and 600 isn't a spit in the bucket. My hat is off to the lady trying to make ends meet. It's bad enough that the goverment and the IRS wants every penny everyone makes as it is. Sorry , but had to vent. Happy New Years everyone and hope this is a better one than the last.

Here's my 2 cents....I can't believe how outspoken and judgmental people can be on this site..it's really quite sad. What if this woman was a CC member and is reading some of this garbage right now....sometimes I come to the forums for advice and to chat amongst people who have the same passion for baking as I do, but honestly, sometimes, it seems there's more negativity and judging and cat fighting going on - I have read more than enough threads about infringement rights and who is baking out of their home illegally and God forbid someone uses a Wilton pan and star tips for decorating - guess what? Some people like those kinds of cakes! Not everyone is in the market for fancy fondant $10 a slice pieces of cake for every occasion... I read the story about the woman and I thought it was awesome - she has a dream and she is going for it and everyone has to start somewhere.

That's exackly right. Oh, I know everyone has an opion but everyone started in the same place ( at the beginning ). Everyone has there speciality, and I love this site with everyone helping with their ideas, and everyone has helped me out alot. Let's just keep baking and have a good time.

I still use foil so I guess I better step it up a little. I do want to start covering the board with fondant but I haven't been brave enough to try it.

A comment from someone who seems to know the aforementioned baker. I guess, after all, we're all assuming she's baking illegally, but she's not, and it looks like she has two bakeries now...star tips, foil-covered boards, and all. If that's true, good for her.


"Suzanne Lucas just can't write. She leads the reader to believe Patti just started baking cakes at home and continues to bake from her home. Patti needed start up money, an insurance underwriter, had to pass public health inspections of her facilities, proper training for employees, purchasing very expensive ovens, rent for the two bakeries, not mention renovation of two buildings to accommodate bakeries, finding suppliers, a very very very good line of credit so the aforementioned suppliers would start supplying her with the various materials required to bake cakes."

-K8memphis : Well said! Amen!!! Are we seriously comparing apples to apples? Or apples to oranges?

I don't see a sob story in the article about a woman struggling to put food on the table. The way it reads is that she received a severance package and used it to start her dream cake business. Am I missing something here? Is she legal? Not sure...don't personally care. But it appears that rather than searching for another corporate job, she used this as an opportunity to start her own business and spend more time with her family on her terms. The article doesn't read as a woman down and out, but rather an entrenpeneur using her severance package to start a business. Again, maybe I'm missing something, but I just don't see what you're all talking about.

Wow. Just wow.

Ever think this lady could be a member here???? Even if she's not, she could pretty easily find this thread using a Google search.

I think its unfair that people are tearing down her cakes, and unfair that people are automatically assuming she's illegal. Its her OWN business if she's legal. (And I can tell you, being in PA, the Dept of Ag is so backed up its gonna be a long time before they even give her a second look....even if she happens to be unlicensed....just sayin'.....)

I live in PA. I'm legal. And know what? I could NOT care LESS what this lady does. She doesn't live too far from me, maybe 50 minutes. And if I don't care...why should anyone else here? I hope she was able to earn enough for Christmas.

Be glad YOU still have YOUR job.

Next topic please?

my opinion is that the cakes are very amateur and probably wouldn't bring a competitive price.