To take the plunge into baking as a career?

Last year around this time, a friend of mine asked me to make her wedding cake. "You decorated cakes at Baskin Robbins; I'm sure you could do it!" She had been my friend since I was five years old... how was I supposed to say no? One day soon I'll post the recipe and photos of this cake!

Since then, my little at-home business has been helping to supplement my income, but it seems like people like me are popping up everywhere. This makes me hesistant to start my own business, and I keep telling myself that when I'm on maternity leave with my future children, I can dedicate more time to baking for clients. And now I hear that cupcakes are on the way out? Are cupcakes really losing popularity to treats like French macarons, whoopie pies and cake pops, and if that's the case, then does this mean consumers are looking for small, mess-free, one-to-two bite treats? Because, really, who honestly thinks that two bites are enough? I'm certainly not satisfied with two bites; I mean, those two-bite brownies become one bite, times multiple brownies, for people with a sweet tooth (like me).

So, I went on the hunt to find out of cupcakes were on their way out, and if my future career may be fizzling before it even really starts to spark. The consensus? No, cupcakes are here to stay - *sigh of relief*.

Lesley Mattina, owner of OMG Baked Goodness in Toronto says that cupcakes are "classic, easy and approachable." I have to agree; something about a cupcake just delights children, the elderly, and everyone in between. Teenie, tiny cakes that you could (in my opinion, SHOULD) eat every single day if you really wanted to. It's just a small indulgence, right?

However, apparently I should be looking into doughnuts as well. It seems like Canadian desserts are a step behind American desserts, don't you think? Right now, in the States, donuts are starting to become all the rage. Check out Dynamo Donuts in San Francisco, California or Voodoo Donut in Portland, Maine.

So, if I'm in Canada, and I want to be a bit ahead of the game, it looks like I should start a gourmet doughnut shop, but I just have one question: would Canadians come to me instead of to Tims? Canadian loyalty is pretty darn strong. Just look at all those Leafs fans.

Check out the rest of the article from the Toronto Star, Cupcakes days' numbered? here.

i'm the one who makes the cake and eats it too!

I am the Sugared Spatula, a baking enthusiast and connoisseur; I measure, scoop, blend, frost and drizzle to get away from the stresses of the everyday. I'm here to share the good, to forget the bad and the ugly, and to add a little sweetness to brighten my day (and by extension, yours too!)

My recipes come from a collection of the written and the wonderous. I am an artist by education, a gallerina by employment, and a baker by passion. My practice has evolved from the studio to the kitchen, and this is where I spend my time with a pug at my side, and a spoonful of freshly beaten cake batter in my mouth. This is what I love, and what I gravitate to; it is how I relax and how I show others that I care. I need baking.

Join me to develop this little spot into somewhere that we can share our sweet eats together and continue to develop our skills as hobby bakers. If you love baking just as much as I do, or you're simply a lover of all things sugar, then take a seat (and a spoon) and stay for a while. ~SS