Q&A for How to Become a Baker

Sure! But you may need adult supervision for some of the more difficult tasks and while using the oven. Look up lots of recipes and don't be afraid to experiment. Soon enough you will learn and master the skills you need to become a professional baker with hard work, diligence, and belief in yourself.

Be confident in yourself and what you make, and be creative. And follow the recipe exactly.

It depends on how well you take in all the information about the subject, but prepare for at least 3-5 years.

First, I would suggest focusing on classes like home economics and chemistry in high school as both will be very beneficial in baking. It also wouldn't hurt to take any available business classes. After graduating, consider finding a culinary institution with a program specifically for baking.

Math isn't only for mathematicians; it's used in all kinds of jobs and everyday-life tasks. You only need to know fairly basic math to be a baker, not the kind of sophisticated math a mathematician would know. The article explains why: "you’ll need to understand math, especially fractions, in order to mix recipes, weigh your ingredients, or adjust your recipes to fit a given quantity."

You do not need official schooling, but you should practice as much as possible.

I was making a cake and added an extra 20% of milk to the batter. I put it in the oven anyway, and it came out like a pancake! I ended up making cake pops out of the (pan)cakes, and they were pretty tasty!

By promoting the business in the newspapers, flyers, ads on radio/television, or even ads online. Sometimes just telling friends or people that were just introduced and asking them to spread the word about the business is enough.

If you want to work from home as a baker, then yes, you will have to become self-employed.

You don't need to be good at drawing, but being able to make simple sketches of what you are baking may be helpful. As far as creativity, you may feel that it is not your strong suit, but if you look to other things for inspiration you may find you have more original ideas than you thought.

16 years old. You can get an apprenticeship in most work forces, but not all. It is a great way to get into a job straight after high school without going to university.

You do not have to go to college to be a baker. Although it would be helpful to have a high school diploma to ensure good business acumen, that is not mandatory.

It would be harder than the traditional baking recipes for a range of baked goods but it's not impossible and there are bakeries, especially vegan ones, that manage this just fine. Check out vegan baking recipes and bakeries to find the range of possible options available.

Yes, it is but you'd need specialized recipes. Look into vegan cooking to find suitable sponge cake recipes that don't use eggs.

That would depend upon where you live and what the school itself requires but you could expect that anywhere from around 16 to 18 onwards should be a suitable age to begin at culinary school. Check out schools in your local area and make inquiries about the entry age directly.

No, it isn't but you do need to be prepared for hard work, including the added work of choosing suitable premises, signing a lease, doing budgeting and accounting, filling out government business forms (regularly), sourcing and paying suppliers, hiring staff and managing them, getting insurance, etc. Begin by making a business plan and drawing up a budget, then work from there to realize your dream. Make sure you're healthy and fit for the long hours. Also consider what sort of baking you'll specialize in. Remember you have the experience and skills already, so that sets you ahead of many other people in this business.