How Did YOU Get Started?

I started baking with my best friend in HS. Every weekend we would find cool recipes to try out. Then I went off to college to study graphic design (my other passion). After years of being a graphic designer my career took a shift to being a programmer. I always watched Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, Food Network Challenge cause I loved to bake and it just fascinated me to see what they could do.

About 2 years ago I decided to take the Wilton decorating classes. I absolutely loved these classes. Whenever I had a chance to make a cake I would. I still continued to bake every chance I got. Then about a few months ago all my coworkers said I need to start a business… so off I did and now I have combined my 2 passions. Baking and Graphic Design. :)

I made my first cake when my son was 1 year old, 25 years ago, it was awful, covered with glace icing (icing sugar & water) and coconut, looked dreadful, I was determined not to give up so by his 2nd birthday had bought some books & read up on how to do it properly, his 2nd cake was so much better, got so many compliments then I got the bug, everyone got a cake for their birthday! everyone got christmas cakes as gifts, then people started asking me to make cakes for thm, so I began to advertise & it became a business, I worked from home wwhen my son was young making around 5 or 6 a week. Then decided I wanted a qualification, so went to college once a week for 2 years, I didnt learn anything I didnt know, in fact a lot of it was very old school, royal icing etc, but I got that qualification I wanted!
When my son was 10, I had my daughter, then 2 years later my youngest son, didnt have time for cakes, and started working as a home based child minder, of course I still made family cakes, and got the odd order but I was way too busy for any more than that.
I moved from London to east sussex 8 years ago & no one here knew I made cakes, so apart from the odd cake for my kids I had done nothing for almost 8 years, then last year I posted my daughters cath kidston style birthday cake on ebay & that was it, suddenly everyone knew, but I didnt have much time as I was now working 8-6 shifts in a nursery, but I had to have a hysterectomy last december, and was desperate not to go back to work, which I hated, so I didnt! I got registered again as a home based child carer (child minder) and am now doing that and making cakes in my spare time!! I love it, so much has changed whilst I have been away!!!

I began at age 6 when I watched my mother bake cakes and decorate them when guests came over. It wasn’t until one day when I decided to take matters into my own hands and tried to bake a cake by myself when no one was around, decorating it with coolwhip (LOL) while it was still hot out of the oven! Although the results were far from amazing, I kept going over the years! I learned everything I know from Youtube, books and my own experience! :) And the best part is that I still continue to learn everyday! With every new cake project I take on, I feel like I’m teaching myself something new! That, and it’s a great way to pay off my tuition since I’m only just finishing a Bachelor’s degree :D

Great & interesting stories y’all! I love reading them. I think I’m going to try to find the photo my mom took of my first cake and post it on here.

I have always had a flare for making things look pretty. I have always known how to bake….but one day I came across a recipe for red velvet cupcakes and I made them. I took them to work with me and people loved them. I decided to take a cake decorating course at Michael’s and I married my flare and my baking skills. I have learned so much from the internet and from fellow cakers like you. I love putting smiles on people’s faces. CAKE IS LOVE!

I took the complete Wilton cake decorating course with my friend. I wasn’t too keen on it, but I wanted to support her. So we went to a couple of classes and before I knew it we had completed the course and I was hooked! I quickly realized I really enjoyed decorating cupcakes and making the entire thing edible was the best part!! (And they tasted so much better than the ones bought from the local grocery store.)

My background as a creative director really helped get me inspired and I’m constantly finding videos and other resources to learn even more cake decorating skills.

Now we are taking orders from friends and family!! Just goes to show that you should try everything at least once :)

My Grandma (who is now 93 years old) was a very successful cake decorator for about 40 years. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t around cake decorating. Grandma taught me a lot, but she sent me to my first “official” class when I was 14 years old. For 28 years I did it as a hobby, just once in a while for family and friends, while I got married, had kids, was a military wife and mother, etc etc…..until this year, when two of my girlfriends sat me down, looked me in the eye and said, “Look, you have an awesome talent, you need to be sharing it more, God has blessed you, you need to start a business.” So…..the rest is history, and in April, my business was born! I’m making preparations to move to a storefront, hire employees and see what happens…it’s grown in 8 months to more than I can handle by myself. :) God’s AMAZING blessings. :)

Wow. Good stories! I think its so neat that some of you have moms and grandmas that passed on their talent to you and inspired you! I hope someday I can do the same for a little girl.

cupcakeluv: Just goes to show that you should try everything at least once :)

Ditto!

cakesbykim:God’s AMAZING blessings.

Amen! Thanks for giving Him the glory!

I got into making cakes/cupcakes because as we were approaching my son’s 2nd birthday – I was talking to a friend at work and told her I wanted something different than your average store bought cake. She told me I should make his cake! I had probably a million questions for her, but I ordered my Wilton pan of Blue’s Clues on e-bay, read the directions a million times, and bought all of the icing colors, tips, and bags I needed and I was on my way. I made my own frosting, made the cake using a box mix and took on the task. I LOVED it! I even decided to make cupcakes and freehanded paw prints with buttercream on top. The cake was the hit of the party and I was elated. I had another friend at work who saw pictures asked if I made them and I told her that it was my first one and she asked if I would try making her nephew one. I was dying to try it again so I agreed and again was WOW’d with how awesome my spiderman came out and my freehanded matching spider cupcakes. It honestly took off from there. I wanted to try more and more and then wanted to try fondant because I loved the look. I was hooked!

I was always artsy & crafty and loved working with my hands. I wanted to learn more, but really wasn’t interested in the classes offered in my area (plus I had no one to go with me!) I decided to do some research on the internet and to my surprise – there is tons of information out there! I have learned so much just from doing my own research, reading tutorials, and watching how to videos on youtube.

I still love to this day going back and looking through my pictures from when I first started out and seeing how far I’ve come and how much I learned through this amazing cake journey! :)

I always liked baking, I did my first “fancy” cake for my 2nd daughters baptism just because I had seen nice cakes and tv and wanted to try. I was off on mat leave so I had more time to do it. It was the first time I had used or made fondant and also the first time I had made a tiered cake.

This is it. I have only been able to do it in my spare time which is usually from 11pm-2am when then my eyes are to tired to see straight lol. Three kids under 5 full time mom, wife and nurse (48 hours a week) doesn’t leave much time, hopefully I will be able to learn and improve over this maternity leave.