Running a little bakery is a dream for many, but there's more to consider than simply how good your lemon sponge is and whether or not you should leave a cake in the window for more than 24 hours. If you're hoping to cater to as many people as possible, there are a few more things you're going to need to consider before you begin.

Children

Children love cakes, of course--but the kind available in most bakeries aren't always a great idea for them! Consider making a kid's line complete with all-natural colours, smaller portions and less of the messy cream that's bound to get everywhere and drive parents to distraction.

Coeliacs

It's thought that about 1 in 70 Australians have coeliac disease, and that number appears to be rising. Catering to those people isn't as difficult as you might imagine, and you don't need to rely on basic 'gluten-free' flours that produce dry, dusty results! Look out for recipes that use nut flours and other naturally gluten-free flours for the taste or some other property rather than because they're gluten-free. You could also experiment with using ganache as a brownie base, making cakes from mashed potato and other clever ideas for moist, sticky cakes suitable for anyone. Make your gluten-free cakes first thing in the morning after the kitchen has been completely cleaned and before you use any gluten flours.

Dieters

A cake shop might not be an obvious place for anyone trying to restrict the number of calories they're eating--but everyone needs a treat from time to time. There's a lot to be said for having a couple of calorie-marked, health-conscious choices on display in your bakery, and they don't need to be anything other than completely delicious to boot! Look into energy-boosting bakes stuffed with healthy protein, wholegrain muffins topped with fresh fruit and anything that incorporates vegetables without compromising on taste.

Lactose Intolerance

Baking for people with a lactose intolerance is actually extremely easy because you can still use eggs--and avoiding milk and products made from it isn't as difficult as you might imagine. Base some of your more luxurious frostings on ganache rather than on cream cheese or buttercream and replace liquid milk used in recipes with a lactose-free version and you're good to go.

Nut Allergies

On the face of it, recipes catering to people with nut allergies are easy to find: Just make something that doesn't contain nuts! The difficult part is ensuring that your nut-free bakes aren't contaminated. If you put the effort in, though, you'll be immensely popular; people with these allergies rarely find bakeries selling things it is safe for them to eat. If you're going to make the attempt, call in an expert to consult with you about just how much separation is necessary.

Vegans

Vegan baking has come a long way in the past 20 years. Gone are the days of dry, dusty-tasting cakes filled with ground-up flaxseed; ways to replace eggs are now many, varied and more effective than ever. Take inspiration from gluten-free bakes and use mashed potato, stick with dairy-free dark chocolate, swap out cow's milk for the gorgeous deep sweetness of hazelnut milk, combine baking soda with vinegar for a little extra rising power...the possibilities are many and varied, and with some practice you can make incredible cakes that everyone will enjoy.

A cake shop can be a location anyone can and should enjoy!

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