Got a sweet tooth? You're in luck!
We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with the incredibly skilled and creative mastermind behind Short But Sweet Bakery, Rachael. Their exceptional talent in baking has allowed them to cater to the vegan community, spreading happiness through their nostalgic, mouthwatering treats.
Oh, and we get it if you'd rather skip ahead to the bottom first to get details on how to buy, and read our chat later!..
We absolutely adore your baking skills here at VCA! Your talent is truly remarkable, and we would love to know more about how you became so skilled in the art of baking. Could you share a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming the amazing baker you are today? And, what you enjoy most about what you do.
I am a self-taught baker and Short But Sweet started off as a hobby in 2017 alongside a full time job. I’ve always had a real sweet tooth and loved all things cake. I was inspired to start the business when Alana Spencer won the 2016 series of The Apprentice with her bakery Ridiculously Rich by Alana. It started small, mainly baking for friends and family and attending the odd craft fair. It was only when I started venturing into vegan and free-from baking during lockdown in 2020 that it all took off and the business grew faster and bigger than I ever imagined. I was furloughed from work but was soon baking all day every day to keep up with demand, I also took on my first café supplying them with vegan and gluten-free cakes.
I was waiting for demand to die down as normality resumed but it had the opposite effect and I had established myself as a trusted name, so I eventually went part time at work in April 2022 and then was delighted to be able to go full time with the bakery in August 2024. I now supply nine local cafes on a regular basis as well as create celebration cakes and still attend markets when I can. I really enjoy working for myself, although it was a scary prospect at first, but I love what I do and creating cakes that everyone can enjoy.
Seeing your love for creating them brings us joy too, as we truly savour them here at VCA! We find your dedication to providing vegan options inspiring, it's wonderful to see that you're not only creating delicious treats but also ensuring that everyone can enjoy them, regardless of dietary restrictions. We're curious to know what motivated you to venture into the world of vegan & free from baking. Was it a personal choice, a desire to cater to a specific audience, or perhaps a combination of both?
In my previous job, when I first started the baking side-hustle, I worked in a team of people that had quite varied dietary requirements; two were dairy intolerant, one was egg intolerant, and one was vegan. They all asked me to create some cakes for them as they were missing out when I brought my cakes in as a treat. It was great really as I could use them for research and development! They gave me honest feedback and I was able to adapt recipes. The pivotal point for me was when I made vegan millionaire’s shortbread and gave some to another vegan friend to try out, she promoted me on the local vegan Facebook group, and I was flooded with messages from people wanting to order a box! These were my first organic customers really and through word of mouth it all took off from there.
I love making people happy through baking and venturing into free from baking just fuels this more, seeing how pleased people are to have their favourite bake from childhood “veganised” or even children now who have dairy intolerances or are being brought up with a vegan lifestyle don’t have to feel they are missing out.
Your “veganised” bakes have definitely surpassed all of our expectations and we can personally vouch for them being
even more scrumptious than the childhood treats we once adored! Now, we're dying to know, among your very wide range of vegan and free-from treats, which one is your absolute favourite?
My favourite bake is definitely cookies! The thick, chunky NYC or deep pan style stuffed with a melting filling. They’re so good warmed up with (plant) cream, ice cream or custard! They’re actually the only bake where I don’t sell the whole batch and keep one or two for myself.
Oh my goodness, we don’t blame you! We are totally drooling just reading about them.
Your expertise and passion for baking are evident in every creation, we’d love to know overall, the type of cake that brings you the most satisfaction when crafting it.
I really love setting up and decorating tiered cakes, especially at weddings where I’m creating a special centrepiece for someone’s special day. I am the most nervous when decorating these cakes as it’s a lot of pressure to make it perfect, but it definitely brings the most satisfaction (as long as it all goes to plan!) I find myself scrolling through all the photos of the cake when I get home with a big smile on my face and can’t wait to show everyone the finished cake.
We are thrilled whenever you showcase your amazing creations on your social media, they are absolutely stunning and never fail to impress us!
On that note, we know our readers will be eager to get their hands on your delectable treats. Could you please share with us where they can find your delightful creations? And what the future holds for Short But Sweet Bakery.
Many of my bakes can be ordered online and posted across the UK via my website; www.shortbutsweetbakery.co.uk! For anyone who is in Lancashire/Greater Manchester and fancies a trip to one of my stockists or market stalls I always post where and what I’m delivering on my Facebook (@shortbutsweetbakery) and Instagram (@short_butsweetbakery) pages. At the moment, I am starting the process of looking for a commercial premises to move into as I’m quickly outgrowing my home kitchen. I’ll be able to scale up production and take on more stockists across a wider area, so watch this space!
And watch we will! It has been an absolute pleasure to witness your success thus far! We eagerly await to see what greatness you will achieve next!
So there you have it, all thanks to this incredible baker, the days of feeling left out are a thing of the past! Don't forget to give their mouth-watering treats a try and make sure to tag us in your posts and follow us on social media, as we'll be keeping a close eye on this extraordinary talent.
Team VCA
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