So I got this invite from my lovely friend to share my story through the world of cake. I remember one of her highlight being ' how you found greatness in making cake' this actually made me smile because, though i was flattered, I don't consider myself great YET. Some may disagree *smiles*.
What I'll say, with confident and without sounding too arrogant is, 'I'm good at what I do - "caking". However, I am of the knowledge that there are lots of cake decorators far better than me, and some I look up to in awe. But with what I have going on around me and balancing it with family life - I'm quite grateful.
I've told this story to few people that's asked, so how did you start baking or what made you become a cake decorator?
Cake making was not entirely new to me. I remember finishing my O levels (secondary school) and living with my older sister then through year 2000-2002 in Lagos, Nigeria. She was a cake decorator and she would spend nights after nights decorating and when she finishes, I'll always be amazed by what she would have designed.
Also many times we would fight as she would have me help her outside of my freewill, and I would grumble and moan (smiling). Then I was young and just want to do my 'own thing'. I never thought or desired to be a cake decorator.
Rough and Thunderous Moments
In 2007, I was getting married and so looking forward to the cake my sister was going to make for me. But, then disaster struck, she fell sick for a little while and died. My world came crashing but I was quickly comforted through my faith - being a Christian.
I got married, and returned to the UK (sorry, failed to have said I had traveled to Nigeria where I'm from to get married). Some months after my return, I began to feel the desire to bake. I remember then, I would bake cupcakes regularly to the local Church I attended then. I later thought to myself to start making decorated cakes, but no one will trust me then to make their celebration cake, and I don't blame them.
Having watched and helped my sister decorate cakes through the years, I said to myself; well how hard can it be' hahaha, how wrong was I. I decided to make my family a Christmas cake, bought all I thought i needed and with no research or tutorial I embarked on it. Successfully baked the fruit cake, then it took another 9 hours to cover and attempt to decorate it with royal icing, and the result? Well not something I'm proud to share.
I got married, and returned to the UK (sorry, failed to have said I had traveled to Nigeria where I'm from to get married). Some months after my return, I began to feel the desire to bake. I remember then, I would bake cupcakes regularly to the local Church I attended then. I later thought to myself to start making decorated cakes, but no one will trust me then to make their celebration cake, and I don't blame them.
Having watched and helped my sister decorate cakes through the years, I said to myself; well how hard can it be' hahaha, how wrong was I. I decided to make my family a Christmas cake, bought all I thought i needed and with no research or tutorial I embarked on it. Successfully baked the fruit cake, then it took another 9 hours to cover and attempt to decorate it with royal icing, and the result? Well not something I'm proud to share.
I took the cake along with me to share with some family friends on Christmas day. To me, I was impressed with what I had made, though I knew it was not very appealing but a particular derogatory comment, made as a joke, at the gathering gave me the determination to pursue cake decorating and baking as a career. I was equipped with some books later by the same wife of the person who made the joke, to encourage me and that's how it all started.
Persistence and Courage
As a way of practising all I've read from my cake books, I began volunteering to make cake for family and friends for free. My skills got better and better, then, I decided it was time to start charging for my services.
This was where I faced lots of different challenges, from pricing to finding people willing to pay my ridiculously low prices.
Consistence, Branding and Assertiveness
I quickly realised, that friends and family would not necessarily support by patronising you except its for free. A good friend also in the same business then adviced me to stick to my pricing policy and keep practising in order to gain confidence and necessary skills. so, I did.
I began to gain my footing in the cake business, through hard work and my fantastic friend and husband's encouragement, as in the past, I had thought I could never make it.
Looking Ahead With Head Held High
Still some way to go, and height to climb, but as they say, 'you only fail when you stop trying'. God's willing, I will be great, and be call great! in the cake business.
To conclude, I'll say to anyone still struggling or attempting to go into cake business:
Surround yourself with good people who believes in you;
Believe in yourself, even if it's all not going right at first;
Be ready to put in hard work of practice, practice, practice;
And something someone told me and I still do, pray for your competitors and the industry, it's success is your success. Someone's downfall only shows you the exit you also are likely to go through.
Happy caking x
Ps: More cake pictures on www.facebook.com/DVCpastry
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