In my opinion, YES.  The majority of folks who’ve had any type of food made with fresh, quality ingredients can taste the difference.  Particularly if their taste buds have become accustomed to top-drawer cuisine.

There is a noticeable difference in the taste of a dessert/pastry made with:  pure butter vs. margarine or shortening, pure vanilla extract vs. imitation vanilla and fresh eggs vs. frozen or powdered.  The hang-up for most bakers is the difference in cost.  Pure butter, pure vanilla extract, fresh eggs, quality chocolates, etc. almost always cost more than imitations or inferior products.

I think most of us, including our customers, would agree that there’s no substitute for quality. This goes for ingredients and workmanship.  By the way, when you produce a top notch product, it’s expected that the price will be comparable to the quality.

So, if at all possible, position your products in the marketplace as:  freshly made from scratch with high quality ingredients.  It’s worth the extra cost.  You’ll be rewarded with happy, repeat customers.

Happy Baking!

Quincella Geiger

Can’t say exactly when it happened, but cupcakes have made a comeback.  The once upon a time primarily, children’s dessert is now a favorite of all ages and for all occasions.

Many businesses are cashing in on this relatively simple to make, easy to frost and decorate dessert.  If not as a specialty business, they’re adding cupcakes to their current product line.

Just how versatile can a cupcake be?  Well, you can use almost any cake batter that’s appropriate for a larger cake.  Size-wise there’s everything from a mini to a king size that’s so large it’s baked in two parts (Super Duper Cupcake Pan).  There are hundreds of ways to decorate.  There is a complete wardrobe of accessories to give each cupcake a well-dressed polished presentation.  Items like:  cupcake baking liners, cupcake wrappers,  (in many colors and designs), bakery boxes (in white and pink) and special inserts for the bakery boxes all help to give your products and business a professional look.  You’re limited only to your imagination and creativity.

Who’s interested in buying cupcakes and for what reasons?  Cupcakes are in demand for both business and personal.  There’s a cupcake market for:  theme parties and events, holidays, special occasions, weddings, Sunday dinner, just because and treat yourself.  Hard to think of any occasion that’s not covered.

Specialty bakeries like CamiCakes www.CamiCakes.com (Atlanta and Jacksonville, FL), Sweet Carolina Cupcakes www.SweetCarolinaCupcakes.com (Hilton Head, SC), George Town Cupcakes GeorgetownCupcakes.com (Washington, DC), Molly’s Cupcakes www.MollysCupcakes.com (Chicago, IL) and  The Atlanta Cupcake Factory www.The AtlantaCupcakeFactory.com (Atlanta) are just a few of the many cupcake specialists around the country.  Got a minute?  Checkout the online comments from their customers.  Definitely food for thought if you’re planning to offer cupcakes in your product line.

To add to the cupcake excitement, the Food Network Channel FoodNetwork.com has a tv show, “CupCake Wars”, that’s all about cupcakes.  Want more?  There’s also a website dedicated to chatting about cupcakes, CupcakeBlog.com.

If the baking and selling of these sweet little desserts interest you, I suggest you get in while it’s HOT.  Just choose your most popular cake flavors and frostings.  Create a few kicked-up designs.  Choose the proper packing, so that your cupcakes are not squashed when the box is closed.  Do a little research to find out the going prices.  Decide price(s) best for you.   Create a good marketing strategy.  And you’re ready to bake and sell cupcakes.  Tip:  Don’t forget quality.  Quality is always KEY in the food business.

Happy Cupcake Baking!

Quincella C. Geiger

In addition to preparing your home-bakery work space, acquiring your business license and

health permit, and attending to other start-up tasks, there is something equally deserving of your

attention…your product line.

Judging from conversations that I’ve had with my students, responses from people who attend the

Information Sessions and e-mails received, I’m going to assume that your product line includes,

or will include, products that you’ve made many times and you feel you’ve mastered or

perfected them. If this is the case, please allow me to make a suggestion…If you haven’t done so

already, sample your product(s) outside of your circle of familiar folks like…family, friends,

neighbors, coworkers, etc. My reason for this suggestion? Sometimes people who are closest to us are less likely to say something they feel might offend us. Even if it’s true.

Give a sample to someone in the food business like a restaurant owner/manger, someone that

operates a catering business, someone that purchases pastries for hotels or an upscale

delicatessen. Ask for honest feedback. In addition to giving samples, give the

price(s) you’re planning to ask for the product(s). Ask what they think of the product

and price. Feedback from these types of business can be helpful, particularly if you’re

planning to sell products to them.

Nervous about asking someone to critique your products? Don’t be. It’s a normal part of the marketing process. While anticipating compliments from your sampling, you

should also expect and welcome constructive criticism. Maybe there’s something small and

relatively simple that you can change to bring about a difference in the way your products are

received by customers. Time spent on this will account for a part of your much needed

marketing research.

Until next time!

Quincella C. Geiger

Which do you currently have?

Which are you interested in pursuing?

Did you know that there’s a BIG difference in operating a licensed home baking business and baking for fun or as a hobby? I know lots of people who bake because they enjoy baking. They bake for family, friends, church events, office get-to-gethers and the like. Not as much as in past years, but occasionally people bake for fund raisers.

Don’t be confused. The above mentioned situations, in most cases, are not licensed businesses with the required health permits. Simply because a person bakes and sells their products does not mean they have approval to do so. My mention of this is intended only to be thought provoking. I simply want you to ask yourself what your interest and goals are. Do you want to establish a licensed business or do you want to bake for fun/hobby? While my book and website are dedicated to the business of baking, all baking enthusiasts are Welcome!

Quincella C. Geiger