Amber Randle, the passionate owner of Cakes ‘n Bakes, always dreamed of starting a bakery or café. Her journey began with a simple yet profound moment of inspiration. “I always wanted to start a bakery or café for as long as I can remember,” Amber shared. One day, while preparing for her daughter’s birthday, she decided to take the leap. Originally, she planned to participate in farmers’ markets but soon realized the immense workload. “I decided to just go with the flow of my business and see where it took me,” she recalled.
Choosing a business name was a thoughtful process for Amber. She wanted a name that clearly conveyed her offerings. “Through a lot of crossed-off names and thoughts, I wanted something that you knew what it was by the name of the business,” she explained. Thus, Cakes ‘n Bakes was born.
Cakes ‘n Bakes distinguishes itself from traditional bakeries and other on-demand services by its commitment to freshness and quality. Amber emphasized, “I don’t have a set menu. All of my baked goods are fresh and never frozen. I bake them the day of or the day before.” Ensuring freshness involves meticulous attention to storage, packing, and the temperature of the ingredients.
Operating as an on-demand, cottage bakery, Amber requires orders to be placed two weeks in advance. This allows her to meticulously plan and prepare each order, ensuring every detail is perfect. She elaborated, “Once I receive an order, I start putting a list of ingredients together, schedule the day of and before for what time I need to bake, prep, customize the cake, and then bake, decorate, package, deliver, and take payment.”
Running as an on-demand service comes with its unique set of challenges. Amber highlighted the importance of originality and the difficulty of operating without a commercial kitchen. “You’ve got to be original, to set yourself apart from the crowd,” she noted. Despite these challenges, she offers a variety of goods from cakes to cookies to pop-tarts, with pop-tarts, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, and cupcakes being particularly popular.
Amber also caters to specific dietary needs, offering gluten-free, vegan, keto, and dairy-free options. While customer feedback is mostly verbal, she aims to improve this aspect. “The majority of my customers are regulars, but I keep them updated with the order throughout the time of placement,” she said.
Amber sources her ingredients online, choosing stores based on availability and price. She minimizes waste by utilizing leftovers in other baked goods or her garden and often shares with family and friends. Technology plays a crucial role in her operations, from order placement to payment, and she plans to introduce online ordering through Square soon.
Reflecting on her business growth, Amber expressed satisfaction with its current state. “I was doing an order a month about two years ago, and now I am doing multiple orders a week,” she shared. She has no plans for expansion, preferring to maintain a balance that allows her to spend quality time with her daughter.
Amber also values community engagement, frequently volunteering for bake sales and providing treats for local responders and hospital staff. “I think being more involved in our community is worth it as well as it promotes my business,” she stated.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Amber advises having a clear business plan, goals, and a commitment to personal and business investment. As she continues to delight the Pahrump community with her baked creations, Amber remains dedicated to her passion, balancing her professional and personal life with grace.
For more information and to place orders, visit Amber’s Instagram @bakingintofitness or Facebook page @Cakes n’ Bakes.
