Baking for Profit

Money.  Can it buy happiness, no, but it can buy something very tasty.  Whenever I go out for food, or shopping and I notice that someone is selling cupcakes, I am intrigued.  For one thing, they always look beautiful, for another they can range from $3-$5, and finally, sometimes, the flavor isn't all that great.  I have frequently bought a cupcake because it looked fabulous, only to be disappointed by the taste.  I have also frequently in those situations thought "I could make this so much better at home," or "Whomever baked this used too much or not enough of X or Y."  Or, I taste cupcakes to see if I can reproduce the flavors I like in my own recipe.  I have been told by friends, family and coworkers alike that I should sell my cupcakes, or as one friend told me "Buy a food truck, I'll drive it around Albany, profit!"

Ever since I started this blog, I have been thinking more and more into baking more professionally.  Actually, to be fair, before I moved to Albany, I considered going back to school not for my current professional path (teaching), but for pastry.  I have never baked anything for money, except for bake sales.  However, in this industry, cupcakes seem to be a popular medium, and it's something that's easy to decorate and deliver.

I already work full time, and I certainly can't afford to open a bakery, nor can I buy a food truck for the purposes of a cupcake delivery system.  But lately I've been thinking of adding a section to this blog so my readers could place an order if they wanted to.  And with the vegan baking I've been doing, I could even provide tasty treats to those with dietary restrictions as well!

There's just one problem...my kitchen.

It's small.  There isn't a lot of counter space, and I don't need an inspection to know it's not up to code for food service.  However, there's also the option of renting a space for the purposes of baking.

Churches and community centers are an option, as well as non-profit groups who might have a home base for food prep.  I asked a friend of mine if one of the kitchens where she is staying is up to code for the purposes of baking as food service.  Hopefully I could rent this space for whenever I have an order, and then I could have a part time baking business.  Let's see if anyone is interested in acquiring baked goodies from me first, then I guess it's time to think of a business plan.