Just wondering if you are able to do it, - totally nut-free? Do you find you lose a lot of business from those who want nuts? eg. peanut butter cakes, praline fillings, etc.

I don't, but I know of a local shop that is 100% nut free. Check out www.bellasbakery.com

I don't know what volume of biz she does, but the kitchen is always pretty busy when I go there! Her retail counter is small, but I get the impression that the bulk of her business comes from custom orders. I don't have any allergies myself, but her shop is very close, so I pop in for a treat from time to time and honestly, I don't miss not being able to get a peanut butter cupcake, since her other selections are so delicious! There's definitely a market for it, with nut allergies being so prevalent in this day and age (boy, if the scientists could only figure out how THAT happened?!?)

I'm interested too! I would love to open a cake / cookie business but I am allergic to nuts. Reading posts here at CC, I found it interesting how often almond flavoring is used (and how often non-allergic people don't consider it a nut ingredient!) Thanks for asking Motta and responding PinkZiab!

Yeah, I'll admit I'm nuts! If I'm not baking a cake every week I go into withdrawl. And I don't even sell them. Yet.

Actually, I don't believe almond flavoring is a trigger for nut allergies. My oldest son is severely allergic to nuts but he can eat Honey Nut Cheerios which uses almond flavoring as it's nut component. He's the real reason I want to see if a nut-free bakery is viable. I hate the idea of sending him off to birthday parties and telling him not to eat the cake and giving him a nut-free candy bar instead. I think I have a market (unfortunately, a growing one) for this type of allergy.

BUT, a few of the ingredients I use do come with disclaimers that they process in a facility that processes nuts eg. hi-ratio shortening. I will be researching this more on my own but was wondering if anyone was already successful in making their kitchen "nut-free" (CCer's excluded!!)

I'm a nut free bakery, due to a personal allergy to pecans and walnuts. Long story, but I have adult onset allergies to nuts, as do my sisters. Thanksgiving used to have a pecan pie as the centerpiece. NOT ANYMORE! Now, we all carry epi pens.

I don't have any nuts in my house, except for peanut butter, which truly isn't a nut. (no, i'm not nuts!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut

When people ask, I explain that I cannot bake a cake with any tree nuts, but can bake a peanut butter cake. However, my peanut butter and PB spoon are away from my cake ingredients (they are in the cupboard with the rarely used martini glasses) and are only brought out when I need to use them. So, I take every precaution that I need to, but will not promise a nut free cake. Too much liability.

If this sounds wierd, I'm halfway through a bottle of chardonnay!

I'm jealous that you get to drink chardonnay. I still have to tend to 2 kids before bedtime. Anyways.....

You mentioned there's too much liability but you do have a nut-free bakery. So you are able to offer nut-free confections?? do you have lots of insurance? maybe it was just the chardonnay talking?

I think Auntmamie means that is what is offered, nut-free products, but she is not claiming "100% nut free operation" b/c of the off chance that something happens, someone might come back and blame her. Even though people will sue for anything, you don't want to make that claim.

Did I interpret correctly?

You got it CakeForte! I'm not willing to assure anyone of anything due to the liability. I work in insurance, and am not willing to take the chance!

And Motta, I'll have a glass for you. I had a coworker stress me out 150% today, so I'm calming myself down. But a good reason is for a friend, rather than stress!

Tara - I did check out that site but I didn't see the supplier list. Thanks for the heads up. I will definitely check it out. I'm in Alberta, Canada so there's a chance she might give me some tips!

Auntmamie - Hey, I also work in insurance! Stressful days are commonplace, unfortunately, so I can relate. I was also worried about liability. I get what you mean. I was hoping to market myself as nut-free but looks like it's going to be difficult. I know people are "sue-happy" these days and even more so in recessionary times.

Thanks CakeForte for your translation skills!!

Hi Motta, from a fellow Albertan! Where are you based?

My bakery is nut-free and peanut-free, in that I do not use any products which have nuts or peanuts listed as an ingredient. I do explain to my customers that I use some ingredients, such as cocoa, which have the 'may contain traces' warning, and suggest that they may want to avoid chocolate cakes because of that. BTW I also noticed that Wilton have started putting that warning on their candy melts. Baking from scratch helps a lot with quality control.

I put the responsibility back on the customer, saying that although I do not have nuts in my kitchen, I do not guarantee anything. They are usually ok with that - I think that's life when you have allergies, isn't it?

Hey, Tubbs! I'm in Sherwood Park, just outside of Edmonton. You might also want to check out the website that Tara listed. I clicked on the links and there's a place that makes cocoa which is guaranteed nut-free. It might help you with selling more chocolate cakes!

I'd love to know more if you don't mind me asking. I'll PM you!

Ann