The cake looks incredible!!!! As I was reading about it I wondered if you’d end up making any money after all the labor involved. However, it’s always important to remember that all businesses have start-up investments and this experience is part of yours. I think it’s well worth it and perhaps at some point as your business grows (and it will) you’ll have a standard procedure for projects like this and the investment of time for research will have already paid off. The first of any project (from cupcakes to a cake for someone with allergies) is always an investment in future projects. Thank you for sharing that you didn’t make a dime…it was honest and your honesty is part of what makes reading your blog so interesting.

What an interesting experience–no? Having a gluten-free girl (Shauna) as a good friend, I’m more aware of the hazzards of cross-contamination and of the need to be very careful with cooking and cleaning. I’ve had more than one occasion where I’ve feared that I might have accidently poisoned her! It’s humbling to realize how careful some people have to be every day, with every single thing they eat. It’s such a struggle, and such a gift when they can enjoy something beautiful, delicious, and safe. I am sure your cake was a delight in that respect.

PS. As a self-employeed person, I can tell you–regardless of industry, setting rates and fees is one of the biggest challenges!

Well done! stepping up to the challenges and overcoming them too. This cake looks delicious and I’m sure everyone at the party enjoyed it!

Congratulations on your first paid cake-job! I can totally understand you freaking out about the nut-allergy as it is a very serious condition. Well done, your cake looks great! Maybe your next job should be for someone without allergies….should be a more relaxing job

One of our nieces is allergic to peanuts, too, and when she came to visit for a weekend I went into panic mode, sanitizing everything in the kitchen the way you did. It made me realize that allergies need not be a limitation — they just require a different way of life. Your other option, as a professional baker who doesn’t (yet) have the luxury of a commercial kitchen where you could designate a space, fridge, and equipment that are nut-free, is to turn down those jobs until you do have the capacity to bake nut-free without turning your entire kitchen upside down. That’s one of the tough things for new businesses — knowing when to say “no.”

Wow, great job! Your cake looks marvelous! You’ve overcome that challenge very well…

The cake looks very nice firstly, not amateur at all. Secondly, it is extremely scary when you try to turn a hobby into a business. Everything becomes so much more serious and you have to take cost into account. I just started my own small small business too, and seeing all your effort go into things where you still make a lost financially is very worrying. However, I have to keep reminding myself that I shouldn’t expect miracles immediately and to be successful takes hard work and some risk.

Beautiful work Ivonne!
And I’m sure your co-worker really appreciated the effort you put into her sons cake for her!

Wow, that is quite an incredible cake, and the effort of making sure there was no nut-contamination- Absolutely amazing! And trust me, this is the farthest thing from “amateurish” decorating!

What a lovely cake and an interesting post about cooking for people with allergies.

Ivonne, I have to give you 110% for effort and a job well done. This cake is stunning, original, and it’s obvious that a lot of care went into it. Having done some catering myself, I could have told you that one has to charge A LOT to actually make any money, especially for hand-crafted, made-from-scratch products. Sad, but true!

The cake looks gorgeous , Ivonne!Congratulations on completing this job. A correction though , don’t forget the butter! A livelihood based on flour,sugar,eggs and butter!

WOOOWWWWW!!! What a beautiful cake! Job well done!!!
Congrats

I am a new reader of your blog, and have fallen in love! It is a pleasure to read and I too think your cake looks lovely. Plus a good friend of mine will appreciate your story & recipe as she too has a very serious allergy to peanuts (simply the smell or touch can send her to hospital!) Looking forward to reading about your next cooking adventure

Congratulations on a job well done! Yes indeedy, the road to success is a long one, but feeding people is always a happy thing. My first endeavors into the wolrd of baking for money were equally as rewarding - and completely profitless! I loved it anyway because the compliments were all the pay I needed - at the time!

Keep working at it, it will take a while but you’ll get there!

That was very nice of you to go to all that trouble…I am sure they appreciated it! The cake is beautiful.

My son also has a serious peanut allergy which isn’t a hardship for me (in regards to baking) since our home is peanut-free.

Learning about food allergies and how to bake around them and avoid cross-contamination might actually be a good thing for you. Food allergies are becoming more common and a niche market for allergen-free baking is growing.

Your co-worker put a tremendous amount of trust in you so I commend you for taking it so seriously. I’m not sure that I cleaned out my kitchen that well after my son was diagnosed!

Good for you, Ivonne! The cake looks positively delectable.

About the nut bit, after I learned about what would be involved professionally (and, more importantly, legally) when I started my tiny chocolate business, I made the decision that until I had a dedicated nut-free facility, I couldn’t offer nor advertise nut-free varieties to my clients or anyone who stopped by the web site. The calculations showed that it would become cost-prohibitive very quickly, and the liability/insurance estimates quickly mounted.

However, my business plan does call for such a divided facility in the future when profits provide the capital.

Additionally, like you, I always communicate very clearly to my clients that my facility is one that processes foods made with nuts and other potential allergens (wheat, etc.).

Good luck with your venture. I’m sure that you’ll do amazingly well, especially given your fount of talent. Still hoping to hear when you land a book deal for your lovely writing, beautiful photos and great story.

That cake looks amazing! I’m sure I would have turned down the offer - but I’m glad to see that you went for it! It’s all a learning experience, and now if you have the same issue come up again, you will know that you can tackle it!

What a challenge for someone not used to allergies!
The cake turned out beautifully, but I can understand your exhaustion: worrying about accidentally triggering a serious reaction is horrid. Well Done for accepting the challenge!

Ivonne, thanks for sharing this experience. I always left out the nuts in any baking I made for my daughters to bring to school in case they would trade or share with other children but I now realize that wasn’t enough.
I also appreciate your honesty in admitting you did not make any profit from baking this cake. This also has happened to me (although I didn’t have to worry about allergies) but I find the experience was worthwhile.
Congratulations on baking such a beautiful cake. I am sure your efforts were much appreciated.

You did an AMAZING job, sweetie! But boy do I feel for you.. I don’t think I would have taken the job, to be honest.

This does make me wonder.. are there actual nut-free bakeries out there? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of one.

Beautiful cake - and I love the soft colors of it. No dye needed.

xoxo

I found it so nice that you went out of your way like that to be ABSOLUTELY sure you would have a peanut free cake. Most people would be neglectful - not reading so much about it, not buying a new pan, - so I wanted to give you the recognition you deserve for being so considerate!

So scary! A friend gave her son peanut butter for the first time in their pediatrician’s office just in case! But you’re so conscientious and lovely - probably the best coworker ever! And I have to tell you that I think the cake is stunning - simplicity and extravagance rolled up into one.

The cake looks beautiful! You are so thoughtful and thorough in cleaning everything! I’m sure your coworker and her son really appreciated your efforts.

Well that cake is just gorgeous. And congrats of braving the the Nut-Free world!

You went above and beyond on this one. I’m sure I would have accidentally killed someone.
The cake looks fabulous and I am sure it taste fabulous.

Beautiful-looking cake and I’m sure delicious.

Paz

An amazing cake & post!

I would have been just as worried about the nut contamination as you were. The cake turned out so well! I think it’s adorable and perfect for a kid’s birthday. I agree, the logistics of baking for a living are no simple matter.
Julie

Sorry, amateurish and Cream Puff just does not compute dear girl. The cake is lovely, as someone said - simple and elegant at once.
A nut allergy is not to be played lightly with, I’m really proud of you.

Beautiful cake Ivonne! And such time and efforts you put it…you are a wonderful co-worker and friend I also am thankful everyday that I (so far) don’t have any food allergies…it is really something we shouldn’t take for granted! I’m sure you put a smile on that little boy’s face with you cake though

The cake is very beautiful. Your hard work paid off. I agree, baking doesn’t reward you with much money but enjoying what your doing is what really counts

Oh mamma mia! La tua torta è perfetta… assolutamente una torta da pasticcera professionista!
Ti capisco quando parli delle allergie, a febbraio ho fatto un dolce al cioccolato per alcuni amici e c’era una bimba allergica alle noci-noccioline. Mi sono accorta che ci sono cioccolati che contengono residui di noci… mi sono ritrovata a leggere gli ingredienti tante volte per essere sicura e a chiedere conferma al personale del negozio. Poi per essere sicura ho pulito tutta la cucina e gli utensili (proprio come hai fatto tu), non volevo correre rischiare.
Ciao.

I would have just baked it like I normally did, got my cheque and then just called them from the car to warn them on nut traces

Hi, this is my first visit to your blog and I love it.

Congratulations on your peanut-free cake but boy, you really threw yourself in the deep-end for your first paid job. You should really be congratulated for that.

What a wonderful job you did here, Ivonne! You are such a pro, sweetie.
And your concern for the boy’s health is quite something, too.

That cake is absolutely gorgeous, Ivonne! I believe this was a valuable lesson - for all of us. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Beautiful cake Ivonne! I think your obvious dedication to ensuring not the slightest bit of nuts would get in the cake shows you would definitely be a successful full-time baker:) Being in a similar situation myself, I think you’ve got a good thing going: keep the nice paying full-time job, and eventually the baking will sort itself out - I’m sure you’ll be successful when you do go for it!

Your friend and son were clearly rewarded with a beautiful and I am sure delicious cake. I am touched with your concern/caution & also like you said, the efforts many people need to take. Great learning opportunity!

What a labor of love. It does not look amateurish at all. Quite sophisticated I think. The tone on tone look is very nice and I bet it tasted great. Lucky boy!

Ivonne, that is one gorgeous looking birthday cake. How lucky is your co-worker to have you. I bet the little boy was very excited when he saw it. Thankfully everything work out just fine, for both of you.

Ivonne, This cake looks absolutely amazing! You’re right about the challenges of professional baking - I had a long chat with a lady from work who has an online cookie and jam business, and there are so many regulatory hurdles I had never dreamed of just to get started, let alone make specialty products like this.

I’m so glad I’m not allergic to anything, I would have accidentally killed myself long ago.

So nice to see someone else whose passion for baking/cooking comes from their own kitchen. The cake is lovely. I’m looking forward to seeing what else your blog offers.
Alexandra

You did a great job with this cake! And it’s admirable how serious you were with the pre-baking prep. Thumbs up for you and your coworker really should give you a high score for all your efforts!

You did an amazing job both with the cake and with the care you took making it suitable for the little boy. I admire all the hard work!

The cake looks fantastic. As a parent of a 16y.o. who has severe food allergies–milk, eggs, nuts and peanuts, I can relate how hard it is to bake for special diets. It is awesome that you did this. I can not tell you the thrill my son has when he has a meal made by someone else that is completely safe! Kuddos to you for following though!

[…] Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice explores the world of food allergies when she agrees to bake a cake for someone with a nut allergy. After disinfecting pretty much her entire kitchen, she has second thoughts about baking for hire. […]

[…] last year I did have the experience of having to bake a nut-free cake and it changed the way that I look at specialized cuisine, especially […]

Nuts are such a hazard! I myself have a mild allergy to nuts (as well as milk, cinnamon, kiwi, pineapple, and banana) so I think often about this issue. My coworkers are often careless about contamination, which has made me more and more cautious about eating out.
I’m working on opening my own bakery in the next few years and plan on it being a nut free premise. A safe haven so to speak for my kind. Good job and taking precautions, and the cake looked lovely

[…] I’ve actually written about the particular cake in that article before. Last year, when I was hired to make a nut-free cake, I used the cake from the Gourmet article as visual inspiration. This time around, I thought I’d give the Vanilla Buttercream recipe from that article a try, as it seemed straightforward. Also, I needed a recipe that I could easily double and I felt comfortable doing so with the Gourmet recipe. […]