I have made only 2 cakes for family and I am not licensed. I know it is risky and I want to get licensed.
My church would let me use their kitchen for very little money (just would I would use in electricity), but I thought I heard that they could lose their tax exemption if they do that. Can you help me figure this out?

I doubt that they could lose their tax exemption for that. Lots of bakers on this forum rent from churches, and I doubt that they would if that was a risk. However, you can contact a few people to find out. Or better yet, have the church ask their tax attorney. He should know.

I don't want to be a nay sayer, but if you've only made 2 cakes---are you really sure you're ready to start a business?

Spend some time researching this site (especially the cake business forum), test recipes, practice decorating, take the wilton classes, make a bunch of cakes and give them to friends and family and ask for thier opinions. Ask questions here--we don't care how many you ask-fire away!

A lot of professional, experienced bakers on here have taught us that actually decorating the cakes is a very small part of their job. If you have your own business, you are chief baker, cleaning woman, dish washer, accountant, shopper, delivery person, maintenance worker, plumber, electrician, secretary, telephone operator, etc... and then finally, a cake decorator.

I don't want to discourage you-especially if you are lucky enough to have a licensed kitchen available to you...just look before you leap and keep in touch with how you're coming along!

Please let me know what you find out! I just had a church in my area offer to let me use their licensed kitchen FOR FREE and am very excited about the possibility! Of course, I need to find a regular job first so that I can have "extra" money to pour into the supplies. I think I'd rather use the opportunity for candy and cookies because it seems like almost a hassle to do it for just a cake here and there.
Good Luck!!

I use the church that I work for part time. They have a marvelous commercial kitchen and 3 ovens, and 2 freezers, 2 refrigerators. And because I work for them I get to use the kitchen free of charge. I give 10% of my profit margin each month to the church, eventhough they didn't request it. It is my way of saying thank you for the use of such a wonderful kitchen. My gallery is in my office at home. I use this room specifically for consultations by appointment only. I am in the process of building my own shop but the development that I will be going into won't be finished until April of 09. So I am able to save for the build out expenses by having a very low overhead at the moment. If you can find a church with a great kitchen go for it. They won't loose their tax exemption.

Many churches rent their facilities out for special events to help generate revenue

I have made more than 2 cakes. I have only sold 2 and peoplle keep asking for them.

what about facilities other than churches in which you can rent space from (ie. another bakery, small restruant, etc) that the kitchen space is not available except for "odd" times when their kitchen is closed? if the times it is available fits your time schedule to do the work, but they don't have the extra space to house your product. (frozen layers, etc.) can you take them back and forth from home and keep in the freezer over night, 2 days, whatever. or does everything have to stay in the commercial kitchen space such as ingredients. if you're only using the commercial space at "non-business working hours" do you have to set up times to meet with the inspectors, prove that you're actually doing your business from there, etc???


first of the year i'm going to be checking with the authorities for the county guidelines. just wanted to have an idea of what i'm looking at.