Local baker follows passion for confection
Sat, 2016-03-05 14:20
News Staff
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Copperas Cove baker Chantel Hall took a bad experience with a grocery store cake along with her culinary school training and turned it into a growing cottage baking business, Sweet Cakes Plus More.
Like many home bakers across Texas, Hall has taken advantage of the benefits of SB 81, dubbed the “cottage foods” billl which was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry on June 17, 2011. The law removed restrictions from home bakers to sell non-perishable baked goods from their home kitchens.
For the past three-and-a-half years, Hall has been baking professionally, but said she has been baking “all her life.”
Hall is a 2009 alumnus of Texas State Technical Collge in Waco, where she earned her degree in savory cooking. Originally in her culinary career, she had no intentions of baking.
“If I knew this would be my career path I would have became a pastry chef instead,” Hall said. “I decided after a horrible cake experience from a grocery store, I would never have that happen again and started baking my own cakes.”
The most popular and requested cake from her repertoire is the birthday cake. Hall prepares buttercream frosted cake, but also does custom fondant work as well.
“I offer all kinds and styles of cakes like wedding, divorce, graduation, and more,” Hall said. “Other treats are cupcakes, rice crispy treats, cake jars, cake pops, cookies, and chocolate covered pretzels.”
Hence, her business’ name, Sweet Cakes Plus More.
Like many bakers, Hall offers filling for her cakes with the most popular being vanilla and white chocolate with raspberry filling. She offers wedding cake (almond), lemon, red velvet, white chocolate, strawberry and also has a very popular bacon maple for cupcakes.
Hall said she began the business after seeing family and friends so happy with what she baked for them.
“I thought, ‘Why not?!’ Also with tremendous family support I just couldn’t sit on my gift God has blessed me with,” Hall added.
The first two weeks of her March calendar are already full, a testament to word getting around. Hall said she typically asks for a two-week notice for a cake or other treats, but the earlier the better.
Price range for a cake depends on the order, details, toppers, the setup as well as labor. Hall provides resources for her customers such as a chart that shows how many servings can be cut from different size cakes.
Hall said the best way for someone to reach her is via her website, email or Facebook: www.sweetcakesplusmore.wix.com/kzbsc, sweetcakesplusmore@yahoo.com, www.facebook.com/sweetcakesplusmore.