Yes, you can sell cakes from home, but you must register as a food business with your local authority (like the Environmental Health Department) at least 28 days before starting, undergo inspections, follow strict food hygiene and allergen laws, and potentially get food hygiene training, treating it like any other commercial food venture to ensure safety and legality.
And YES, you need a specific license from your local authorities before you can bake and sell LEGALLY from your home kitchen. BUT don't let that put you off! It's actually really simple to get your Home Bakery business license (or certificate) and other official documents.
What are the legal requirements for selling cakes from home UK?
Your home will need to be registered with the Council as a food business. This is free, and there is only one simple form to fill in, but it is a legal requirement and you can be prosecuted if you do not register before starting.
Do I need a food hygiene rating to sell cakes from home?
Do I need a food hygiene certificate? While a food hygiene certificate isn't compulsory it is strongly recommended by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other official bodies. Under EU law, anyone working with food must have appropriate training for their role.
The idea for 4 Day Cake rule, is that you are not doing any decorating on the delivery day. This is leaving time for any 'what if's' or 'just in case'.
Starting a Home baking business in 2021| Checklist of 12 steps!
Can I sell cakes as a hobby?
Can I Sell Cakes from Home as a Hobby? Whilst your cake baking and decorating may begin as a hobby, if you plan on progressing this to a stage where you sell your sweet treats to customers, you will need to register your company and gain the relevant food hygiene certificate.
From chewy cookies to lemon bars and ice cream cone cupcakes, these bake sale ideas are sweet, shareable and perfect for school events or community fundraisers. There's a reason bake sales are timeless; they bring people together over sweets that spark smiles.
If you wish to sell anything from a front garden of a property to customers on the footpath you need a licence; or from a piece of land that is within 7 metres of the public highway and not enclosed, you will need a Street Trading (Private land) licence.
If you sell, cook, store, handle, prepare or distribute, you may be considered a food business and will need to register with your local authority (Opens in a new window). This includes food businesses trading: from physical customer-facing premises. from home.
Do I need insurance to sell cakes from home in the UK?
Working from home or out of a dedicated bakehouse, you'll need some form of insurance to protect your equipment, fixtures and fittings. If you don't have insurance, you stand to lose a lot more than the cost of a claim. For example; Downtime in getting orders fulfilled.
How to sell baked goods from home without a license?
If you're planning a one-off bake sale for a charity or good cause, you don't need to register as a business or plan for an EHO inspection. However, the Food Standards Agency still advises home bakers to learn about food safety, even if you only sell cakes occasionally and not to profit as a business.
The Two Cakes Rule asserts that while the artist may judge themselves against the best in the field, the audience is usually glad to see an increased number of offerings. It is an expression of how audiences appreciate art, even when it seems less fancy than other art.
Yes, you can. It's best practice to decorate the cake as close to the day of serving as possible, but it will also store well in the fridge. If the icing or frosting has any perishable ingredients, we recommend storing the cake in the fridge to keep it as fresh as possible.
Dry Goods: Granola, trail mix, popcorn, dry pasta, spice blends, and baking mixes. These are long‑lasting and easy to label. Honey & Syrups: Naturally shelf‑stable and often exempt from stricter regulations. Coffee & Tea: Whole beans, ground coffee, and dried tea blends are often permitted.
