Make money from your kitchen

From selling cakes to teaching meal planning and bread baking, these foodies found creative ways to earn serious cash. Read on so you can too!

“I earn up to $1,200 for each cake I sell!

“I work full-time, but I’ve been baking my entire life, and I’ve always loved watching cake decorating shows on the Food Network. So when my daughter got engaged, I decided to take a cake-decorating class and make her a wedding cake.

“After that, I baked for friends, entered competitions and made cakes for volunteers in my community.

Then in 2012, the cottage food law was enacted in my state, allowing me to sell wedding cakes from my home, so I launched my business, Iced and Dazzle (IcedAndDazzle.com).

“To get the business started, I learned my state’s rules for selling food out of my home and got a food-handler’s certification. I found a mentor, Mimi Fix (BakingFix.com), to show me the ropes, and I bought equipment like cutters, molds, pans and icing tips.

“I bake everything from scratch and make all types of wedding cakes including traditional, rustic and whimsical. I also make cookies, treats and create dessert tables for birthdays, engagement parties and bridal and baby showers. I do all of the work myself, but my husband helps with deliveries.

“To market the business, I network with local vendors and post on social media, but a lot of my business comes from word of mouth. I usually have two clients a month and make between $600 and $1,200 per wedding cake, less for smaller desserts. The money I make goes back into the business and pays for things like trips and entertainment. I also donate my time to Icing Smiles, a nonprofit organization that works with ‘sugar angels’ who make custom cakes for kids who are critically ill. The business really encompasses all of my passions!”