Well two weeks into 2023 and I have had a nice and slow start back to the baking to ease myself back in. The “New Year” is always the same for a home baker as everyone has sickened themselves of the sweet treats or they have gone down the diet route which means that the sweet treats take a back seat. Along with the cost of living problems I can see why I have had a quiet start to the year as this is how it feels in my own house but I ain’t giving up and I am still here. I have filled my time in very productively with a post “Christmas” clear out from every bedroom so I feel like I have a very clean house upstairs but there is still the downstairs to tackle??
Not only have I been de-cluttering but I have been watching what other home bakers are doing with their business currently just to keep going. I do have a few ideas which I want to work on so that is what I am focusing on whilst everything has gone quiet. My ideas book may actually have a few lines through it when I manage to finish some of the tasks which I have written in it during 2022. It will be a nice feeling to actually finish some ideas through to the end for a change – so bring it on!!
I have a couple of birthday cakes to bake for family this month – my husband – who wants a Victoria Sandwich Cake – no chocolate in sight was the request and for my eldest daughter who has asked for Slutty Brownies. I haven’t made the Slutty Brownies for ages and I have seen so many variations that I am quite looking forward to having a go. Slutty Brownies are a cookie base with a brownie layer on top. Other ingredients can be added to bling the bake up but you get the idea. 🙂
For my husband’s cake I based it on the Victoria Sandwich Cake with a special twist. I filled it with fresh cream and strawberry jam and decorated with more cream and Jazzies (a little bit of chocolate). I think my husband had overdone the Christmas chocolate which was why he asked for a simple but very nice cake – even though I do say so myself 🙂
Baking the birthday cake got me thinking that I should add Birthday Cakes to my webshop as a product as I seem to receive a lot of requests for birthday cakes but I usually turn them down as I really don’t want the stress which birthday cakes can cause. I am thinking about it but my birthday cakes won’t be too difficult or over the top so the prices I charge will reflect that. I don’t like all the negotiation required for making birthday cakes as I know it has to be to the customer’s requirements but it is so hard to accommodate everything and actually make a profit for a birthday cake order that I take my hat off to all the home bakers out there who have the skills, patience and time to produce some amazing cakes.
Well my first order of 2023 is in for Empire Biscuits which are heading to a new customer down in the Channel Islands. First time posting to the Channel Islands so fingers crossed that the biscuits arrive safely and in good time. To say I am slightly nervous is an understatement but I am smiling as I work on my website thinking about how my Empire Biscuits are being posted all over the UK now. 🙂
Right I am off to grab a cuppa and browse on the internet in between ordering more packaging for the webshop and working on the website behind the scenes. I have a few bakes to try out next week and I really want to use up the sweet mincemeat I have in the store cupboard so I am thinking a Sweet Mincemeat and Oat Slice traybake (possibly with marzipan) if anyone would like to place an order just message me to let me know. 🙂