The Taylor Made Blog
If there is an answer you are after or something you need to know, the chances are that I have covered it at some point in a blog. Have a scroll through and see if you can find the help you needed.
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Seasonal Helpful Blogs
Streamlining your cake business
ADVICE | BAKING BLOG | BUSINESS If you have purchased one of my wrapping videos or one of my 3 bundle packages, you...
Preparing for Christmas
ADVICE | ORDERS | BUSINESS SUGGESTIONS Christmas is a busy time of year as it is let alone preparing your orders to...
Baking Myths
How much do you need to start up?
BAKING MYTHS | SMALL BUSINESS ADVISE This is such a myth.. It really doesn’t need to cost a lot at all. I invested a lot at the beginning because I went completely overboard.. My husband thought I had a bit of a cellophane obsession. I must of had 15 rolls of...
Don’t compare your work
BAKING MYTHS | SMALL BUSINESS ADVISE This sentence will be on my headstone on the day I die hahahaha One of my lovely followers Marianne made such a perfect analogy of this statement. "We are all taught how to write, but everyones handwriting is completely...
Healthy Competition
BAKING MYTHS | BUSINESS ADVISE I think this is probably the most common question I’m asked!!! There is a baker who’s just started up down the road from me? And….. Eventually you will see over time that competition is good. As long as they are not completely...
Baking Myths
BAKING MYTHS | RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS | CONFIDENCE There are so many common misconceptions about starting a cake business.. After receiving so many messages from bakers and students panicking about starting a business and not feeling like they know enough? Take you...
Business Blogs by Jane Taylor
Cake and Bake Show
Have you heard of Olbaa Cake Boxes yet? I hadn't until 2 years ago when I came across their cupcake boxes in 2021 via Instagram. They are a game changer for us buttercream flower cupcakers! They offer tall cupcake boxes which allow our tall flowers to fit without...
How to Design Your Cupcake Bouquets
Right from the word go, when I first started piping buttercream flowers my aim was to make my floral cupcakes look as realistic as possible. I set myself a goal! to fool my customers into thinking they were real flowers! This happened quite early on for me as I am...
How to set up a Cake Business
It may seem quite daunting the thought of setting up a cake business but it really isn’t hard and does not take as long as you may think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c2oDwgkM_o There are a few things you need to do beforehand so that you are ready for the...
Storing your cupcakes and buttercream
This is one question I am asked on a daily basis. I will explain to you what I do and what works for me. I set aside Mondays as my prep day. I bake all of my cupcakes, 100’s sometimes depending on what orders I have already booked in, and allowing at least...
2023 is a year of taking each day as it comes…
2023 is a year of taking each day as it comes… I think we spend too much time coming up with New Year’s resolutions and within a week, not being able to fulfil them. The outcome is you feeling like you’ve failed! How’s that good for our minds? I always believe you...
5 things to get started with your side business
If you’re working part time or full time and are looking for extra income? Then running a side line cake business is the way to go. There are a few things you need to put in place but it’s not time consuming! • You will need to register your business as a sole trader...
Preparing orders
BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR | BUSINESS ADVICE | LEARN HOW TO This was something that took me sometime to streamline and perfect! Sounds crazy as you’d think ‘well just write it in your diary?’ Yes it is as simple as that if you are at home and you have your diary to hand!...
Top Tips for Piping in the Heat
BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR | TOP TIPS | BAKING ADVICE If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok you will see that I have been talking a little bit about the heat! Here are my top tips for piping in the heat - It’s scorching 🥵 in the UK and it’s a nightmare to pipe...
Top tips for Buttercream Roses 🌹
BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR | TOP TIPS | HOW TO | BUSINESS HELP Buttercream roses are likely to be the most common flower you’ll be asked to pipe! As I’m sure you are aware by now there are so many different varieties of roses but for the most part, all piped with the same...
Pricing Structures
PRICING | BUSINESS ADVICE | BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR Believe it or not having pricing structures can help up your customers spend. Now if you’re about to buy a gift for a friend you will consciously or subconsciously have a budget in mind. For me I’d spend around £25...
Run your business with your head NOT your heart
Being creative and producing beautiful photographs is a proud moment for all bakers! When I first started piping buttercream flowers I would never of thought that other bakers would steal my photographs. When it first happened I was so angry and outraged that someone...
How to manage Weddings
Such a joyous occasion! 🤣 Unless you are the cake maker… I’m only kidding! I’ve only ever had wonderful brides, not a bridezilla in sight! I’m sure I’ve just been very lucky but I also love making floral cupcakes for weddings. So many of my students and other bakers...
10 things I wish I’d known before I started my cake business!
BUSINESS ADVISE | TIPS & TRICKS TOP TIPS Batch cook your cupcakes. This is a game changer and saves so much time and stress. I triple my cupcake recipe which yields 48-50 cupcakes. Wait until they are stone cold and then put them in large freezer...
Putting Out the Right Energy for your Business
BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR | BUSINESS ADVICE | There’s a lot to be said for positive mental attitude. You’ve probably already experienced this in your lifetime, where you feel negative and then in turn negative things start happening to you. This is actually down to...
Pros and cons of Social Media
It’s hard to remember a time where there was no social media! We all used to communicate via the telephone or actually meeting up with people to have a chat, I miss those days…. I was 24 when I got my first mobile phone and that was only because I needed a phone...
Keep Calm it’s Mother’s Day
You will find out of all of the big calendar events of the year Mother’s Day is by far the busiest! Well it most certainly has been for me over the past 6 years. A bouquet of beautiful blooms that you can eat has always been that unique and bespoke gift. So...
Pricing Your Cupcake Bouquets
BUSINESS ADVISE | PRICING | HOW TO RUN YOUR SMALL BUSINESS It’s so important that you get your pricing right when you first start selling your beautiful cupcake bouquets. At the beginning it will take you some time to pipe and get into system. This is...
Don’t discount your work
ABOUT JANE TAYLOR | ABOUT TAYLOR MADE CAKE COURSES I’m often asked why I don’t offer sales or discounts? There are quite a few reasons for this! First and foremost its because I value my product and my business. I have worked so hard over the past 6 years getting it...
Work/life balance
ABOUT JANE TAYLOR | BUSINESS BLOG When I first started my business it wasn’t a problem dealing with both work and children….. but then I got busy! Certainly when I started the bouquets it just rocketed which is wonderful but also meant my time was taken up more! The...
Time is Precious – Being strict with collection times
BUSINESS ADVISE | TAYLOR MADE LIFE Time’s precious! Isn’t it? I’ve been wanting to write this for the past 2 years but my ‘just don’t say anything’ brain hasn’t allowed me too! When you go to the hairdressers and make an appointment to get your hair done or the...
Streamlining your cake business
ADVICE | BAKING BLOG | BUSINESS If you have purchased one of my wrapping videos or one of my 3 bundle packages, you will be eligible to join my Facebook community page. You will know that I spend a lot my time giving tips and tuition on streamlining your cake...
Preparing for Christmas
ADVICE | ORDERS | BUSINESS SUGGESTIONS Christmas is a busy time of year as it is let alone preparing your orders to get out before Christmas Eve 😱 I’m hoping to make this a bit easier for you by giving you a breakdown of how to prepare for big events. I made so many...
You can’t please everyone 🤷🏻♀️
Customers | Orders | Business Suggestions Having received a message from one of my lovely students very upset it prompted me to write this blog... My student had piped a beautiful bouquet for a customer but the customer wasn’t happy with the colour? Queue that...
Where to find inspiration
Customers | Design Suggestions | Business Suggestions With us entering Summer it’s the perfect time to get your own inspiration for piping buttercream flowers 🌷 When I first started piping flowers I used to watch a lot of YouTube videos but they were all the same...
How to be sensible with your purchasing
Supplies | Orders | Business Suggestions When I look back at when I first set up my business I cannot believe the amount of products I bought. You can get easily sucked into compulsive spending. I have 20 rolls of cellophane, all different brands of colouring,...
Designing & Organisation for your business
Customers | Orders | Business Suggestions I’m often asked how I come up with my designs! The answer is go into supermarkets and look at bunch of real flowers 💐 Instagram is also amazing for following florists who have just as much passion for real flowers as I do for...
Learning how to tolerate difficult customers
Courses | Orders | Business Suggestions As you can imagine, on a daily basis I am asked 50 million questions via all of my social media platforms.. I love this because clearly people are loving my cupcake flowers and I get to interact with my wonderful followers.....
Know your worth – value your business and brand
Customers | Orders | Business Suggestions | Pricing This is a topic of conversation for many small businesses, I am very lucky in the sense that this has only happened to me three times in three years so that's not bad going really, however, when it does happen it...
To shoot or not to shoot? The importance of a good photograph…
Customers | Advice | Business Suggestions | Photography To shoot or not to shoot ? The importance of a good photograph!!! Since I have started my business and running the piping courses, I’ve been made very aware of the importance of good photographs! I have taught...
Choosing your colours…
Customers | Design | Orders | Business Suggestions I’m often asked how I achieve my colours in my cupcake bouquets? 99% of the time I use Rainbow Dust Progel colours they are fantastic for achieving all shades! For a very pale, subtle shade you use the tiniest amount...
Running a Small Business From Home
Customers | Orders | Business Suggestions | Advice I’d love to say it’s all 'rosey' (pardon the pun) running a small business by yourself but sometimes it just isn’t 🤣 I absolutely love creating new bespoke cupcake bouquets for each and every customer, working out...
Blogs by Jane Taylor
Self Promotion Hints & Tips for Buttercream Bloom Awards
Utilise Social Media Platforms: Instagram: Share high-quality photos and videos of your entries. Use engaging captions and relevant hashtags (#ButtercreamBloomAwards, #CakeArt, #BakingAtHome). Post Instagram Stories to show behind-the-scenes content and remind...
Buttercream Bloom Awards August 2024
Yes they are back AGAIN! and I am so excited. LAST YEAR: We had over 20 thousand votes cast and 240 gorgeous entries…....WOW! What incredible stats! You can enter from 1st August. Entries close on 20th August, voting closes on 31st August. Winners will be announced...
THE NEED FOR SPEED
THE NEED FOR SPEED As you probably saw last week on my Instagram stories I showed you a day in the life of piping. I made 2 x 30 cupcake bouquets and 2 x 12 cupcake bouquets. As I always say and state in all of my blogs that being organised and prepared is key 🔑 Batch...
SBS Event 2024
SBS Event 2024 If you haven’t heard of the SBS (Small Business Sunday) Event before it is amazing and every small business should enter (I think it may be UK only?!). Every Sunday at 5pm you can tweet @Theopaphitis and share your business, if you’re lucky enough to...
The DMA Awards Night – 2024
It’s been so long since I went to an awards night. Last one being Cake Masters 4 years ago or was is 5 can’t remember now...A good excuse to get your sparkly frocks out and be amongst cake royalty. Totally out of my comfort zone I have to say, but what a night it...
Farewell 2023
I don’t know about you but I’ll be glad to see the back of 2023, it’s been a very strange year. I have a really good feeling about 2024, well that’s what I keep telling myself anyway hahahaha. Firstly I’d like to say a massive congratulations to you all for the...
Cake and Bake Show
Have you heard of Olbaa Cake Boxes yet? I hadn't until 2 years ago when I came across their cupcake boxes in 2021 via Instagram. They are a game changer for us buttercream flower cupcakers! They offer tall cupcake boxes which allow our tall flowers to fit without...
Autumn/Fall
If I haven’t already said before (hahaha) Fall/Autumn is my absolute favourite time of year. I can’t tell if it’s the warm colours or just the fact that the evenings draw in earlier, cue candles and blankets. It is so cosy and makes me feel amazing. ...
Honourable Mention Award Winner – The Only Way is Up by Alex Lawrence
TRIGGER WARNING - Some readers may find this content upsetting to read. Reader discretion is advised. No idea where to start really but here goes… Hi my name is Alex and I’m 37 years old and live in West Sussex. All my late teens and adulthood I've had bad anxiety and...
The Infamous Peony
As you probably saw last week I piped a 7 cupcake bouquet of peonies! I was actually quite nervous about uploading and posting the images as I thought that people would think they looked rough and ready! That was actually what I was aiming for, as you know I...
Buttercream Bloom Awards August 2023
Yes they are back and I am so excited. After the roaring success of last year’s Buttercream Bloom Awards I am running them again this year. It took a lot of thought as to when the best time would be to launch this year, and as August tends to be a quiet time...
NEW Courses 2023
Finally, I hear you say!! Its only taken me a year and half to come up with these new buttercream flowers but I think they were worth the wait. As you know I stopped taking on customer orders a couple of years ago so I could concentrate on my students. This was...
How to Design Your Cupcake Bouquets
Right from the word go, when I first started piping buttercream flowers my aim was to make my floral cupcakes look as realistic as possible. I set myself a goal! to fool my customers into thinking they were real flowers! This happened quite early on for me as I am...
How to set up a Cake Business
It may seem quite daunting the thought of setting up a cake business but it really isn’t hard and does not take as long as you may think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c2oDwgkM_o There are a few things you need to do beforehand so that you are ready for the...
Storing your cupcakes and buttercream
This is one question I am asked on a daily basis. I will explain to you what I do and what works for me. I set aside Mondays as my prep day. I bake all of my cupcakes, 100’s sometimes depending on what orders I have already booked in, and allowing at least...
Community pages for support and encouragement
You’ll already know all of this if you are part of any of my 3 community pages! It’s about empowering each other and being each others biggest cheerleaders 📣 I thought I would explain my groups to you so you know which ones to be part of. Of course you can be a member...
The Truth Behind Success
Do you follow people who show their homes looking immaculate (me) gorgeous family poses walking through fields of lavender, lots of smiling faces like they are the happiest family in the world and you want their life and their success? Let me tell you now it’s FAKE!...
Getting My Mojo Back
Photo credit - @Christopher.Keech I have made cakes for famous people before but this DM in my Instagram inbox was a stop breathing moment! The legend herself Alison Hammond asked me to make her birthday cupcakes for her party last Saturday🎈 I was so overwhelmed...
2023 is a year of taking each day as it comes…
2023 is a year of taking each day as it comes… I think we spend too much time coming up with New Year’s resolutions and within a week, not being able to fulfil them. The outcome is you feeling like you’ve failed! How’s that good for our minds? I always believe you...
Secret Code Competiton and More
SO! It is back! You will find through the site hidden codes which are to give you a little treat. They are set behind reveal images (example below) you can hover or click depending on devise try it out below. There are eight codes in total, with redemption...
Cake International 2022
CAKE INTERNATIONAL | BLOGS BY JANE TAYOR If you’re in the cake industry you’ll understand the excitement of this annual event! This year most certainly did not disappoint! Double the amount of tickets sold which is amazing for stand holders. Loads of top cake artists...
Cake International 2022
CAKE INTERNATIONAL | BLOGS BY JANE TAYLOR | WORKSHOPS Hi everyone, I hope you are well. Firstly I want to start by thanking you all for your kind messages about the passing of our gorgeous dog Nelly. It has devastated our family, especially my daughter Georgia....
Baking Cheerleaders Campaign – June 2022
BAKING CHEERLEADERS | EMPOWERMENT | STUDENT INFORMATION Hi all! #stillnotjanet here (for those of you that follow Jane on Instagram you will know that I am actually Frances from Rockpool Creative, one of Jane’s best friends and Jane’s marketing & admin slave 😜...
The Buttercream Bloom Awards 2022
BUTTERCREAM BLOOM AWARDS | MARKETING | BAKING CHEERLEADERS Beyond proud is how I’m feeling right now! When @Rockpoolcreative and I first discussed The Buttercream Bloom Awards we never anticipated what actually happened. We thought maybe 100ish people would enter but...
The Story Behind the Welsh Flag Inspired Bouquet
STUDENT | STORY | JANE TAYLOR THIS STORY WAS WRITTEN BY JANE'S CUSTOMER - TURNED FRIEND - TURNED STUDENT. THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A POST IN THE TAYLOR MADE CAKE COURSES ONLINE COMMUNITY ON FACEBOOK, THIS HAS BEEN ADDED AS A BLOG WITH REBEKAH RICE (AUTHOR OF THE POST)...
Cake International 2021
Wow, to say I’m overwhelmed is THE biggest understatement of the year! Myself and @rockpoolcreative have been waiting for 2 years for this huge cake event! It had been cancelled so many times due to Covid… each time gearing myself up for it, then to be cancelled! But...
Why I share my Secrets
ABOUT JANE TAYLOR | TEACHING | BUTTERCREAM FLOWER COURSES When I discussed with family and friends that I was going to start teaching my cupcake bouquets they were outraged!!!! Why on earth would you teach someone your trade secrets? You will end up giving them all...
Understanding My Bundles
Beginners Bundle I can only liken this to learning to drive a car. When you first start driving, your driving instructor teaches you the mechanics of the car how it works, changing gears, learning different manouveres, how to park, how to drive on a bypass...
Why I love my job!
ABOUT JANE TAYLOR | ABOUT TAYOR MADE CAKE COURSES How could I not love my job! Seeing my students flourishing and starting their own businesses is the biggest reward for me. When I first started my business, it was purely to make a bit of extra cash. My...
Facebook community page
ADVICE | BAKING BLOG | FACEBOOK COMMUNITY I wish I had a friendly Facebook page like my Taylor Made students have when I first started my cake business. I was part of a group which at the beginning was brilliant but ended up being traumatic with me getting upset by...
GUEST BLOG – Mental health and baking
GUEST BLOG | MENTAL HEALTH | BAKING I have always spoken openly about my mental health issues. I feel we need to continue the conversation and the more we do, the more others will understand. It also helps those of us who suffer to talk about how we feel. Sometimes...
Online is the way to go – Learning Online
NEWS | UPDATE | ONLINE TUTORIALS Covid-19 is a living nightmare for most small businesses 🙈 myself included. But what is has meant for me is time to reassess my business. It’s given me time to properly assess my students and how they learn, what is the...
My students rock
STUDENT WORK | ACHIEVEMENT | GALLERY “I’d never be able to pipe that” The most common comment on my adverts and pictures! Well I’m writing this blog today because after seeing this comment for the umpteenth time I felt it only fitting to show you, you can! Anyone can,...
Youtube Helpful Links
Cake International | #CIOnScreen | Free Tutorials YouTube is a fantastic free platform to showcase your business internationally.. I always knew there would people who couldn’t necessarily afford my tutorials, so it was only fair to add free buttercream...
Respecting my Admin Team
Online Courses | Tech Support This is something we were all taught as children and I’m sure still strive to instil in our own children. Respect and manners cost nothing.... #beKind This isn’t the nicest of blogs I’ve had to write, but out of respect to my...
🍃 Krispie marshmallow cakes – Recipe
Recipe This has been my family favourite since my babies were born 🥳 Easy no bake recipe: Large box of Rice Krispies6 oz Stork200g pack of toffees200g pack marshmallows Melt the stork and toffees in a saucepan. Take off the heat and add the marshmallows, stir until...
The Day I went Viral
Viral Post | Well, my mind is officially blown 🤯 The day I went viral. So this is how last Friday went: Filmed 5 new videos for my online students. Filmed 2 for my YouTube channel🙌🏻 Fran said to me “right Cakey Janet 🤣 (this is not my actual name but it seems to be...
Why choose a One to One
Courses | One to Ones I actually always get a little bit nervous of my One to One classes ☺ I don’t know why because 99% of the time they are just brilliant and I always go home buzzing. I suppose it’s because it’s one person you are spending 4 hours with and making 4...
Me, myself and I? Not anymore?! 💪🏻
The Taylor Family | Location Having just got back from a much needed family holiday of a lifetime it’s full steam ahead with my business again. It’s the first holiday we’ve had abroad for 15 years, and the first holiday I have ever been on where I didn’t want to come...
Respecting other bakers
Posting | Tagging | Business Suggestions I posted a question on Instagram a few weeks back, asking what other bakers thoughts were on business etiquette? ie. what were their feelings on tagging another business if they were inspired by them? The post said "Hello you...
Why choose to learn with me rather than somewhere else?
Courses | Orders | Business Suggestions When I started my cake business I never expected to be in the position I’m in now! Once I had perfected the bouquets, by this I mean lots of tears, frustration and slog the orders were rolling in and before I knew it I was...
Christmas
Preparing for Christmas
ADVICE | ORDERS | BUSINESS SUGGESTIONS Christmas is a busy time of year as it is let alone preparing your orders to get out before Christmas Eve 😱 I’m hoping to make this a bit easier for you by giving you a breakdown of how to prepare for big events. I made so many...
Guest Blog- Taylor Made Trained
GUEST BLOG – Platinum & Gold Winner Mrs Cook’s Bouqcakes
Still pinching myself! Thank you so much to everyone who voted! Shauna Cook founder of Mrs Cook's Bouqcakes I’m really excited to share the story of my journey over the past year and a half, where I've been able to finally pursue my teenage dream of becoming a...
Honourable Mention Award Winner – When life is grey, create your own beauty by Amy Watson
TRIGGER WARNING – Some readers may find this content upsetting to read. Reader discretion is advised. Jane and I went through cancer treatment together! I was the one in the chair, replenishing my armies for battle every week (aka chemo), while Jane was there teaching...
GUEST BLOG – Cakes by the Bunch wins Gold
(With big thanks to everyone who voted!) Sarah Walters - founder of Cakes by the Bunch If you’d told me a year ago that I would have been writing a blog as a Gold winner in the Buttercream Blooms awards just a year, I would have laughed in your face! And yet, here I...
The Story Behind the Welsh Flag Inspired Bouquet
STUDENT | STORY | JANE TAYLOR THIS STORY WAS WRITTEN BY JANE'S CUSTOMER - TURNED FRIEND - TURNED STUDENT. THIS WAS ORIGINALLY A POST IN THE TAYLOR MADE CAKE COURSES ONLINE COMMUNITY ON FACEBOOK, THIS HAS BEEN ADDED AS A BLOG WITH REBEKAH RICE (AUTHOR OF THE POST)...
Guest Blog – Truly inspiring
Cake & Sprinkles Cakeaway | Thank you Jane | GUEST BLOG - TAYLOR MADE TRAINED BLOG When I got furloughed from my full time job in 2020, I was starting to reflect on my life and Job, The job I am doing is demanding both physically and mentally, so when I joined...
Guest Blog – The beginning of something beautiful…!
TMT Guest Blog | Taylor Made Trained | Student Blog I feel so lucky to have come across Taylor Made cake courses! I’m in my early twenties and since I was sixteen, I’ve have been stuck in a dead-end job earning minimum wage and have been massively undecided about...
Guest Blog- How to make self-raising flour out of all-purpose flour
GUEST BLOG | STUDENT BLOG | RECIPES If you live in the states like me and want to get your hands on self-raising flour, forget it — it’s not sold in grocery stores. No, it’s not self-rising flour, I’m talking about self-raising flour but did you know that you can...
Guest Blog – Never to late to learn!
GUEST BLOG | Emma Salisbury founder of Elegant Cupcakes by Emma A year to remember ….. So my background is beauty I’m a makeup artist based in Essex who has always loved to bake ... when covid hit in 2020 the effect on my business was huge and was efficiently shut for...
Follow Your Dream
TAYLOR MADE TRAINED | GUEST BLOG | JANE TUCKER | BLOOMING MARVELLOUS CAKES How many times have we heard Jane say, ‘Go for it’, ‘You can do this’, well during lockdown I did! After being a stay at home Mum and trailing spouse for over 20 years, when we returned to the...
Guest Blog – My Inspiration
Guest Blog by The Posh Cupcake Company | Taylor Made Trained | The Posh Cupcake Company Baking is a love, a passion that I think about throughout the day and even dream about! I find myself looking into my garden and at nature and find inspiration from all of these...
