Hi everyone! I recently moved to the US and I've always loved baking. I want to start my own business, specially making wedding cakes. When I learn bakery and cake decorating was all right. I've been increasing the things I know by reading, and searching information and participating in interesting sites like this one, but I still want to know about what you make here in the US, Ive learn the european style cake, with the classic butter, and the genoise cakes, but here everyone uses cake mixes, which I think its great to save time and excellent results. I bought dr cake books but I still have so much question, for example, Ive heard you use mousse filling for the cakes, so is it the one made with gelatin/egg whites, or is it something else, if so, is it possible to froze the cake (which I've never done before, but I want to try it)? As you can see Im still learning because I need to adjust myself to this awesome country traditions (related with cakes)
Not everyone uses mixes, although many of your customers may be more familiar with the taste of a cake mix.
There are books with excellent recipes, such as The Cake Bible. Not everyone gets the same consistant results with the same recipe. you should pick some basic recipes for white, chocolate, and yellow cakes, and see where that takes you.
As for filling, it depends on the customer and you preference. Jams, curds, buttercream, all work fine for fillings.
as for a business, you should check the rules where you live. somes states do not allow home bakers to sell their products.
Welcome to the U.S.!!
I'm a scratch baker and I really don't think it takes any longer to bake from scratch that with mix that usually has to have things added to either stretch it or make it taste better. I have posted a couple of basic cake recipes on this site, White Cake and Super Easy Chocolate Cake.
I live in Oklahoma right now (soon to be Texas), but , mousse fillings don't work too well here. Maybe in the winter they would work, in the summer - no way! 
As for freezing cakes, it's done all the time. There are a myriad of opinions on whether this is a good idea or not. Personally, if I freeze them, it's only for a few days and I have wrapped them in plastic wrap 3 times. If you can locate a warehouse store like Costco or Sams, you can get an 18" wide roll of plastic wrap for less than $20. It lasts a long, long time and is so great for cakes.
Depending on where you are, the taste vary as well. Some parts of the country like their cakes super sweet and in others not so much. If you are in or near a large city, your European style cakes might do very well.
The hardest part (for the cakes and frosting) is getting used to the humidity levels, temperature, altitude, and even barometric pressure.
Where I live, people like basic buttercream (without eggs) on their birthday and wedding cakes. Very few like or are willing to pay for fondant. Give out a few small samples to get started. Free food works very well.
If you decide to use fondant, Pettinice, Satin Ice, and FondX, are readily available. ChocoPan is very good, but more expensive. There are others, but I can't think of the names. I make my own because I'm too cheap to buy it.
You're welcome to either e-mail me or PM me if you would like to ask any questions.
Best of luck to you.
Michele
thank you JoAnn for your help. You are right. Im used to make my own cakes from scratch, but I used to live near by the sea, so I moved to a hight altitude city and besides that, in the winter snows and in the summer it is really hot and dry!!!, so when I started to make my own recepies (my recipies, that used to work great), they came out really dry, and I didnt like them at all, so thats why Im really not confident about what I to do.
Anyway, I am looking for some info, and for now I think I can make my own business at home, I just need to habve a separate place, and a licensed kitchen. As far I know.
Thanks!
thnks Michele for your Advice. Now I live in Utah, and Ive been investigating (not cheating or copying) some wedding cakes, whenever I'm invited to attend to a wedding. I can tell for the taste theyre cake mixes (some of them doctored, to support the fondant and the stacked system), and some fillings Ive taste are not really good, some others are quite tasty. Thats why Im really confused, because probably If I want to make my name, I need to introduce myself to the market by doing what the people is used to eat, then Ill change to my european styles, to find more customers...
Anyway Im still learning and Im open to all the information I can get.
Thank you again
Try scratch cakes in your area. Love them and some cake mixes too.
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