This week we chat with Karen Hansen who specialises in novelty cakes and a variety of other baked goods through her business Ora Sugar.
What type of cakes or baked goods do you specialise in?
I bake cupcakes, mini cakes and novelty cakes. I also create custom sprinkles and edible cake toppers.
How and when did you decide to start your cake business?
I started about three to four years ago. I decided to try my hand at edible toppers first as a way of making an extra income or a side hustle, and it just grew from there.
Do you have any background or training in baking and cake decorating?
I am completely self-taught. The extraordinary women in my family are gifted at baking and my aunt suggested I try it out to make some extra money. I started out with edible toppers only because at the time, I didn’t have access to a proper oven and things developed from there.
Do you work alone, or do you have a team that helps you?
I mainly work alone and if there is a lot of baking to be done, my 17-year-old daughter helps me out. It’s a good way for her to earn her pocket money as well.
How has the support from the community and customers been since you started?
I have no words honestly; it has been amazing, and I have developed such good working relationships with a lot of my customers. Every single order has meant the world to me, and I try to convey that when I post their creations on my socials.
I refuse to use premixes. Everything is made from scratch, and I try to please the customer as much as possible. I don’t like using too much that isn’t edible in terms of decoration because I don’t always see the point of having so much non-edible decoration that you need to spend time removing everything from the cake before you can eat it.
I like my packaging to be sturdy and look good so when you collect your order, it’s almost like opening a gift. Flavour is just as important as the way a cake looks and I like customers to give me feedback, whether it is positive or constructive criticism. If I don’t know of an issue, I cannot fix it so all feedback is taken into consideration.
What’s your favourite type of cake or design to create, and why?
This is a tough question because each is so unique. I enjoy using my creative freedom, but I also understand that clients have specific needs. One particular talent that I have is that I can make sugar flowers. They are extremely time-consuming though and therefore are not cheap. I wish I could make more of them to be honest.
What challenges have you faced in your baking journey, and how have you overcome them?
My cake business is time consuming, and I have a full-time office job so I would say time. It takes a lot of planning on my side, but I have never let anyone down. The other challenge for me is that there aren’t any businesses in East London that carry all of the equipment / ingredients that are needed, and I therefore have to order from multiple places and online.
What are some of your goals or future plans for your business?
Stability and growth of course. There are talented bakers in East London, and I work for some of them too, but I have built up a regular clientele that has stuck with me. I am extremely blessed to have them.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own baking or cake decorating business?
There are so many of us in our little town. Be different, find your niche, take proper photos of your work and advertise like crazy. Post the feedback you get from your clients. Word of mouth is also so important and always answer your clients, I cannot stress this enough. No client wants to wait for quotes or answers.
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about you or your business?
My little business is very close to my heart. It has my soul, and each cake is made with lots of love. I sometimes get the backstory of clients, and I have even found myself praying over them because I know how important that cake is to them. Making custom cakes is not cheap. You are not only paying for ingredients and decorations. You are also paying for equipment, packaging, electricity and time (lots of time). Novelty cakes are a luxury item, and they are treated as such. I am a single parent; my business is my way of helping myself and my children survive — every single order, no matter how big or small, is vital to us and we appreciate it so much.
Where can our readers find you? (Contact details/social media links)
My number is 084-513-3938 and I use my WhatsApp status updates for advertising. I am on Facebook at Ora Sugar & Gifting. I also post on Tik Tok at @k.ora1 and on Instagram at @k.orasugar.
