The Sugar Cave
Brandy Wallace initially said her business, The Sugar Cave, first started because she and her coworkers wanted snacks while they worked.
“It was a call center and the only food was a KFC, a Captain D’s and a Dollar General [so] I started making cookies and cupcakes for my coworkers,” Wallace said. “Not long after I started to get requests for cakes for events, [so] I went to pastry school for a few years to learn more techniques and decided to get my business license and bake professionally.”
Prior to this, Wallace, whose earliest baking memory is making Christmas cookies with her mother (her first customer and number one supporter), had only baked as a hobby. She opened The Sugar Cave two years ago and said the name originates from her father’s house, which the family calls ‘the bear cave’.
Wallace is a full-time baker and depending on the size of the order, she said somedays she’s baking until 4 or 5 am, especially if it’s a wedding weekend.
“Baking is my 9 to 5. The only thing about being self employed is one week you could have a cake due everyday and the next nothing until the weekend,” Wallace said. “It keeps me humble and appreciative for each and every single order.”
Read on for Wallace’s advice for new bakers and entrepreneurs, the most challenging thing to bake and more.
1. What’s your favorite thing to bake? What’s your specialty? My favorite thing to bake is Apple Crumble. I absolutely love the smell of apples and cinnamon coming from the stove.
Personally, I thought my specialty was my Lemon Triple Berry cake with blueberry buttercream because it is truly delicious. However, lately I’ve received so many orders for Apple Crumble Cupcakes with browned butter buttercream, [so] I think my specialty may have changed.
2. Can you describe your worst baking disaster? What’s the most challenging thing to bake? Oh gosh, the very first batch of cookies I made were salty space rocks! My husband still remembers those and it was probably about 16 years ago.
In my opinion, the most challenging thing to bake is french macarons. They are so fun but so finicky. If the egg whites are under whipped, if there is grease in the mixing bowl, if the oven isn’t perfect or even if there is too much moisture in the air, they will not bake correctly.
3. Has there been a customer/sale that has had an impact on you? Honestly, they all do. I always think as I’m baking and decorating that this particular client is trusting me with their own or their friend, loved one, coworkers cake or treat. That’s special to me. I’m trusted to create something visually appealing and delicious, I don’t take it lightly.
4. Has COVID affected your business? If so/not, how? Unfortunately yes, COVID had a huge unwanted impact on my business, [but] you pick up the pieces and move forward.
In 2020, I had quite a few weddings booked. I believe any baker or vendor will agree that wedding season is a huge time for business sales for us [and] COVID completely put that at a stand still with the quarantine and shutdowns. Then when things finally did reopen, there were limitations for guest count, [which] meant that the few weddings that could still be held were changed because the couples didn’t need as much. I completely agree that safety and the health of the couple’s guests, friends and family comes first so quite a bit of readjustments were made.
5. What advice do you have for a novice baker? My advice would be keep baking. No matter what you burn, it’s always a chance to learn.
6. What was the greatest challenge you faced while starting The Sugar Cave? Do you have any advice for those looking to start a business? The greatest challenge was getting licensed. There were so many documents and things that I had no idea about. I had to figure it out kind out on my own.
Research your district to find out the rules to run your business successfully in the area you live in.
7. What is the most rewarding part of owning The Sugar Cave? Mostly it’s the fact that I’m able to run my business successfully from my home kitchen and be with my babies and husband. I’m not stuck in a shop for hours, just my own kitchen.
8. What are your plans post-pandemic for your business? How do you hope to see your business grow within the next year? What are your short/long term goals? My plans now are to do more shows and vendor events, I’m very excited for those.
I truly hope to book more weddings and just have the deliciousness of my cakes spread by word of mouth.
My personal goal always is to continue bettering my craft. There is always something to learn or perfect.
9. Is there anything else you want us to know about The Sugar Cave? Our website is www.heysugarcave.com check us out!
