Home Baker In Wi- Looking For Ideas
Business By BellaBabyCakes Updated 25 May 2011 , 10:40am by BellaBabyCakes
Hi everyone,
I have been doing cupcakes for parties, friends etc and am considering going a little bigger with it. My daughter loves to help me and as we were doing my son's graduation cake and cupcakes this weekend, she suggested we start to sell them....
Now, I know people would pay, they've already approached me about it but I've never been comfortable. I know that I don't have the facilities....could you give me examples of what a commercial kitchen would be? We have a couple churches in my town, a community hall w/kitchen...
I've searched several sites for WI licensing but they are so hard to navigate, I haven't been able to find any information on cake businesses, cottage industry anything. Any help from other WI bakers would be appreciated, thank you!
Not sure where in WI you are located, but here is a list of a few kitchen incubators (rentals for startup food service businesses) in the state:
http://host.madison.com/article_0022aa92-0d2b-11df-bb50-001cc4c002e0.html
Your first step would be to contact the govt agency responsible for food safety and inspection, usually this is your county dept of health or agriculture.
Where in WI are you? Technically, this state is a "separate home kitchen" state I believe, but each county has its own enforcement. You need to contact the local county health department directly and ask them what their policies are regarding home based baking. Don't expect to find it online, just call them, it will save you a LOT of headache.
My county allows a separate kitchen in the home, with every piece of large equipment being NSF approved. When I built the kitchen (and the home), I actually brought the plans to the inspector, he made some corrections, and then approved the plans. It made it very easy to do, since I knew I would not be re-doing anything.
Overall, my county has been wonderful to work with. (There is a town 12 miles away from me that has its own health dept, and apparently they are terrible to work with.) My inspector even calls ahead for inspections. Which admittedly is a little weird, but I live WAY out there so he doesn't like to make the drive without knowing I will be in-studio.
It did cost quite a bit to purchase commercial appliances and get everything right, but in the end I can't imagine doing this with a household oven and fridge and counters anyway.
HTH
I thought I was the only one on here from WI. So happy I'm not.
DivaLori and SuzyNoQ, It would help if you would put your home state in your profile under location so all of us Wisconsinites can recognize each other and maybe help each other with this confusing topic! 
Happy caking, everyone!
BTW I am in the Milwaukee area.
When I did my kitchen I contacted my health inspector, he is also the inspector we have for our dairy barn. He was a great source of knowledge he sent me a packet of information as to what the kitchen would need.
This was the best thing I have ever done. Best of luck to you.
I am in Vernon County in SW WI. I do have a friend who decorates at a store and she has told me that all she thinks I need is a state certified kitchen to use, and business license.
Finally got the number for the county's food safety inspector, so he is who I'll start with. Wish me luck! I'm a single mom and have tried so many things for extra money, I should have decided to use that start up money to do what my heart loves 
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