"Failing to plan is planning to Fail"

"Is cake decorating your passion?Maybe it's cupcakes... If you love
baking as I do, you get as much pleasure from the creative process
as you do from seeing the final "work of art"

But, what about running a business?

Most people think their commitment to their craft will
see them through the tough times and certainly that dedication is
so important. Without the passion this would be just another job.

In reality though, having a guide -- a clear plan for starting and
running a business is the most important thing you need to be
successful. While strategic planning is often thought of as
something reserved for big businesses, it is even more critical for
small businesses.

Do you have a plan...a blueprint for your business? Whether you use my book
as a guide or other resources, I urge you to write down your business
strategies in a notebook to which you can refer at any time.

Unlike bigger companies that can afford to make a strategic error,
a mistake at a small business can put it right out of business. I'm
not talking about the kind of plan you take to a bank for a loan.
Rather, the day to day planning, knowing exactly how you'll handle things like
cranky brides, how to approach marketing partners, how to organize your
week for maximum efficiency or how to organize a legal agreement with your
customers... what legal business structure serves you best, and so much more.
You can minimize the unexpected surprises with a good plan.

Most bakers I know always use recipes because they're looking for
consistent results. My book is a recipe for running your business.

Make your plan now, Order: Starting a Cake Business Today
http://www.cake-business.com

The Cake and Cupcake Business Series

Hello zam

Thank you for subscribing to my Cake and Cupcake Business series.
In this series I will share some of the things I'm thinking
about in regards to starting a cake business. I've worked with many
cake and cupcake bakers just like you, starting and expanding
businesses.


One of the big changes I've seen take place over the last few years
is the growth of social networks and community websites for sharing
information and ideas about the sugar arts. I'm so happy these
communities are growing and making us all better at what we do.

Do you have a website? I will be writing more about how to set one up
inexpensively as I think this is a key to marketing your business
successfully.

Today however, I wanted to share with you the issue of photography --
documenting your work.

The internet has become the primary way brides (and consumers in
general) are reviewing vendors. Big, clear photos - including
multiple views- are probably the most important element in
determining whether a potential customer goes to the next step with
you, whether that is a call, a consultation or a purchase. Even if
you're not in business yet or if you don't have a website,
documenting your work with photographs is a skill you should always
strive to improve.

When photographing your cakes or cupcakes, shoot a tight closeup at
an angle that emphasizes the top, but includes the side of the cake
as well. Then shoot second and third shots, slightly varying the
distance between the cake surface and the camera with each shot.


Your photos have to take the place of your customer seeing the cake
in person, so make sure they can see it well enough on their computer
screen.

Try to frame the shot so nothing else is visible in the frame. If
you're shooting at home, look for neutral backgrounds. Avoid
situations where there is something in the background such as a
child's toy, a dishwasher, dirty pans, etc.

The best way to improve your photography skills is to look at the
photographs of others. I'm often reviewing the cake images at
flickr.com to see the total range of photographic skill.

You do not have to be an accomplished photographer to produce photos
for your portfolio. The important thing is that your clients will be
able to see a clear representation of your work. If your business
does not have a web presence yet, or if you're still thinking about
starting a business, photographic documentation is easy enough to
maintain digitally until you're ready. You'll be so glad you have
this when you ARE ready to go online.

Take a look at photos you've recently taken of your cakes. How do
they look? Do they show the necessary detail? Are they clear? Are
there any distractions in the frame?

The more photos you have of a cake, and the better they look,
the more likely you will have a new client when she looks at your
portfolio.


To your success,

Paula

128 Parkwood Lane, Decatur, GA 30030, USA

Piece of Cake....?

source : email

CAKE ! a long history

Cake is a term with a long history (the word is of Viking origin, from the Old Norse kaka) and denotes a baked flour confection sweetened with sugar or honey; it is mixed with eggs and often, but not invariably, with milk and fat; and it has a porous texture from the mixture rising during cooking. It is not surprising that the frontiers between cake and bread, biscuit and bun are indistinct. The progenitor of all is bread in its simplest form. As techniques for baking and leavening developed, and eating patterns changed, what were originally regarded as froms of bread came to be seen as categories of their own and named accordingly. Certain Roman breads, enriched with eggs and butter, must have achieved a cakelike consistency and thus approached one of these indistinct frontiers.

Europe and places such as North America where European influence is strong have always been the center of cakes. One might even draw a line more tightly, fourn English-speaking areas. No other language has a word that means exactly the same as the English 'cake.' The continental European gateau and torte often contain higher proportions of butter, eggs and enriching ingredients such as chocolate, and often lean towaars pastry rathern than cake. Central and East European items such as baba and the Easter kulich are likewise different.

The western tradition of cakes applies little in Asia. In some countries western-style cakes have been adopted on a small scale, for example the small sponge cakes called kasutera in Japan. But the 'cakes' which are important in Asian are quite different from anything occidental for examples, see mooncakes and rice cakes of the Philippines.

The history of cakes, goes a long way back. Among the remains found in Swiss lake villages were crude cakes make from roughly crushed gains, moistened, compacted and cooked on a hot stone. Such cakes can be regarded as a form of unleavened bread, as the precursor of all modern European baked products. Some modern survivors of these mixtures still go by the name 'cake', for instance oatcakes, although these are now considered to be more closely related to biscuits by virtue of their flat, thin shape and brittle texture.

Ancient Egypt was the first culture to show evidence of true skill in baking, making many kinds of bread including some sweetened with hone. The Greeks had a form of cheesecake and the Romans developed early versions of fruitcakes with raisins, nuts and other fruits. These ended up in 14th century Britain. Chaucer mentions immense cakes made for special occasions. One was made with 13 kilograms of flour and contained butter, cream, eggs, spices, currants and honey.

Moulds, in the form of cake hoops or pans have been used for forming cakes since at least the mid-17th century. Most cakes were eaten accompanied by a glass of sweet wine or tea. At large banquets, elaborately decorated cakes might form part of the display, but would probably not be eaten. By the mid-19th century the French were including a separate "sweet" course at the end of the meal which might include 'gateau.'

During the 19th century, technology made the cake-baker's life much easier. The chemical raising agent bicarbonate of soda, introduced in the 1840's, followed by baking powder ( a dry mixture of bicarbonate of soda with a mild acid), replaced yeast, providing a greater leavening power with less effort. Another technology breakthrough was more accuate temperature controlled ovens.

In most of NW Europe and North America a well-developed tradition of home baking survives, with a huge repertoire of cake recipes developed from the basic methods. The abililty to bake a good cake was a prized skill among housewives in the early to mid-20th century, when many households could produce a simple robust, filling 'cut and come again' cake, implying abundance and hospitality.

Although the popularity of home baking and the role of cakes in the diet have both changed during the 20th century, cakes remain almost ubiquitous in the western world. They have kept their image as 'treats' and maintain their ceremonial importance at weddings and birthdays.

Source: The Penguin Companion to Food by Alan Davidson

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake suria

Biskut Peanut Butter

Samperit

Samperit resepi kak nab wmc.