The saying goes if you love your job you’ll never work a day in your life. For home bakers who have moved their talents from hobby to business that couldn’t be more true. There’s a rising number of home chefs who have turned their passion for baking into a money-making business.
And they couldn’t be happier.
“I love this,” says Lisette Sacchetti, owner and baker of Sugared Lei, a baking business she runs out of her Galloway Township home. “I love making cookies for people for their events. I love knowing that I’m a part of somebody’s event. That it makes everyone excited and happy. If it didn’t make me happy I wouldn’t be doing it.”
New rules in New Jersey creating a cottage food operator (home baker) permit became effective Oct. 4, 2021, according to the NJ Department of Health. Historically, the sale of home baked goods was prohibited in the state, which has now joined other states in allowing cottage food operators. In fact, New Jersey was the last state to permit home baking for profit and the number of operators is closing in on 1,500 as of this writing, and increasing almost daily.
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A love and passion for baking seems paramount for home bakers we interviewed. And the money’s not bad either. If you focus on custom work in your bakery, such as cakes for big events, you can make about $1,000 or more per month, according to Whisk Warrior, a website dedicated to assisting home bakers. If you simply do a few individual custom orders a week, you can expect to make approximately $300 a month, on average.
Johnson’s cake designs are often accented with beautiful floral decorations.
The background of bakers who have made the leap to business owner seems to run from those that have owned their own bakeries to the self taught who mastered their craft watching YouTube videos. And what each focuses on seems a mixture of what they enjoy making and what they can make well. You can find a home baker who specializes in cookies, decorated cakes for special events, cupcakes, artisan breads or muffins.
Sacchetti had no experience in baking and, like many self-taught bakers, found the time during the pandemic to learn and perfect her skills. Her most popular items are her cookies and macarons. She says what sets her apart from the other bakers who make cookies is her style, which is distinctive in its flair and visually graphic look. They taste great also.
Lisa Edson, baker/owner of Whisk Baking Company, in Egg Harbor City, is a seasoned chef who worked as executive chef at restaurants, like the Deauville Inn in Strathmere, and owned her own brick and motor bakery and cafe in Mays Landing before moving her business to her home. A former art student, she says 80% of her baking is decorated cookies. Her art background is clearly visible in the intricate flowers and designs she flutes on her cookies.
Lisa Edson, baker and owner of Whisk Baking Company, of Egg Harbor City, makes a cake for a baby shower for a woman who like butterflies. The cake is a strawberry shortcake with fresh whipped cream, buttercream icing, and decorated with real flowers.
Bri Kelsey Johnson, of Pleasantville, baker/owner of Kelsey’s Kupcakes, was a former make-up artist who specialized in wedding events and is crafting her business in that direction. Her background is reflected in her cake designs, with very clean lines, often accented with beautiful floral decorations. She says she avoids a cluttered look, opting instead for a balanced presentation with cohesive elements working together. Many of her cake designs are works of art.
Niki Pennington, of Newfield, baker/owner of Sweet as Sugar Bakeshop, is also a self-taught baker who specializes in custom cakes and cupcakes. She also makes a “bronut,” her creation which is a brownie shaped like a doughnut that she believes sets her apart from the many, many home bakers. But, she says, custom cakes are where it’s at because they require the most time, which translates into more revenue.
The majority of our bakers reported that getting a Cottage Food Operator permit was not that difficult. There’s a $100 fee, completion of a safe food management course and test, and clean water certification. For those with a culinary background the course test may be a little easier, Edson says. But Pennington, with no commercial or culinary training, said she thought it was “extremely easy.”
Probably the most attractive aspect of a home baking business is the ability to set your own hours, especially for those bakers with children in their care or those with health issues.
“I can stay home with my kids,” says Pennington. “Since I work for myself I don’t have to take every order. Which is hard for me because I want to please everybody. But you can do whatever you’re comfortable doing.”
For Johnson, having her own business, being her own boss, is the most attractive aspect.
On the flip side, it’s not all buttercream with a cherry on top.
“One of the negatives is cleaning,” adds Sacchetti. “I wear all the hats. And me wearing all the hats is a pro and a con. Cleaning isn’t so much fun. Not sleeping isn’t so much fun. It may sound like a cliche, but I never know when to stop.”
Edson says she averages about 8 to 12 hours a week, mostly with weekend work and a spike in business on holidays, which she says worked well with her health limitations. “I can really control my schedule,” she says. “If I need to lie down because of my back, I can do that. When I was working in my bakery I was on my feet for like 14 hours a day. And it was just insane. This is better for me.”
Edson spends about eight to 12 hours per week creating custom orders of her baked goods.
How about the cost of purchasing from a home baker? All our bakers agreed a home baker may be a bit more expensive than some commercial bakeries but you get a product that is handcrafted, from scratch, and customized to the clients request.
“I think a lot of people undercharge for their work,” says Pennington. “They don’t think about paying themselves for the gas and the electric they use, and the time they’re putting in. They’re just whipping it up and putting it out there. But they’re really undercharging and they’re not making the money that they’re supposed to.”
“I don’t want to be known as the cheap baker because that attracts the wrong clientele than I’m looking for,” adds Johnson. “But since I’m not a mass producer, everything is made to order. Definitely what I make you, you will not find in a grocery store. A lot more time and customization is put into it.”
All of our bakers agreed running their home baking business has many demands, but overall is a positive experience they would recommend to others.
Bri Kelsey Johnson, of Pleasantville, baker/owner of Kelsey’s Kupcakes, was a former make-up artist who specialized in wedding events and crafted her home bakery business in that direction.
“It does take a lot,” says Sacchetti. “And knowing that is step one. I would want people to know you have to have a passion. It’s like anything. You have to have a passion for it to make this part of your life.”
“It can be very rewarding working for yourself,” adds Johnson, “creating your own schedule, and having the creative freedom to do what’s best for you and your business. But you also have to keep in mind that you are doing everything to keep your business running — the baking, the admin work, shopping for supplies, social media manager, clean up crew. So knowing how to balance your time effectively is very important to not get burned out.”
Source: Home bakers turn their passion into a money-making enterprise
