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Some businesses start with a business plan. Carly Borland's started with a dozen cupcakes and a Facebook post!

Fast forward a few years, and Carly Bakes in regional Queensland is known for beautiful custom creations, loyal customers, and plenty of creativity. Carly shares with us how she built her business while raising a young family, the role edible printing has played in her growth, and why she'll never stop loving a beautiful vintage cake.

1. Can you tell us about when you first realised you wanted to start your sweet treats business?

I was 4 months postpartum with my second baby, and it all began with a set of cupcakes for my husband at work. I posted them on my Facebook and asked if any friends wanted them made for $15/dozen. Cupcakes turned into cakes for birthdays, they turned into cakes for weddings, and the rest is history!

2. Starting and running a business can be a wild ride! What challenges have you faced while building your business, and how have you overcome them?

Finding the balance between work and home when your business is run from your kitchen was always a tricky one! Knowing how to have boundaries for work time and home time is really important, especially when you have young children at home.

3. What has starting and running your own business meant for you?

It has given our family the gift of time. Our mornings aren’t rushed to get the kids to before-school care; if one of our kids is sick, it isn’t juggling sick leave or annual leave with our workplaces, and it gives me the opportunity to feel like a present Mum, all while having a creative outlet.

4. You purchased an edible ink printer in late 2025; what motivated this decision? 

As my business started to grow, I found it challenging to source edible images living in regional Queensland, and the ones you can buy locally were quite expensive. It was the second ‘big’ investment that I had made for my business (the first was a fridge), and it was the best decision that I had made!

5. Can you explain the advantages of incorporating edible images into your sweet creations?

Edible images are such a versatile tool to use in my business - from being able to back them with fondant and pop straight on the cake, to using Tylo powder and having them stand as figurines, to using them as cupcake toppers and on top of cookies. It meant that I was able to immediately provide more options for customers and businesses, and it definitely contributed to growth.

6. We're curious: what design gets your creative juices flowing, and why is it your favourite to work on?

My heart and soul belong to vintage and Lambeth-style cakes! They were the first style of cake that I really nailed, and I love that the possibilities are endless. It is a style of cake that you can go from masculine to feminine with just a few ruffles, and you can include so many details and elements of a cake, even by using the one colour.  

7. Have you received any wild or wacky image requests that still make you smile? Do tell!

One of my favourite edible image cakes was a vintage heart with a Leonardo DiCaprio meme on the top - it was for a 25th birthday, so if you know, you know!

8. Looking back, what advice would you give to someone keen to purchase an edible ink printer for the first time?

My recommendation would be to look where you can buy it all in a kit, look for a good quality product (like Edible Images Supplies) and make sure you read the reviews. I did a fair bit of research and had heard some horror stories of home bakers who had bought cheaper edible ink or sheets that turned out to be really poor quality, and they ended up having to re-buy a higher quality product.

9. Do you have a favourite cake flavour?

This is actually the hardest question to answer so far, but I would have to say chocolate mud cake! It is so decadent and delicious, especially when it's paired with a dark chocolate ganache.

10. Self-care is crucial! How do you take care of yourself while running your business?

Quite early on, I set a boundary that I would have set collection windows on a Saturday morning and would not do any collections on a Sunday. This has been my saving grace because it allows us to be out of the house for most of the weekend and not wait around for cake collections!

11. What business-related achievement are you most proud of, and why does it hold a special place in your heart?

The achievement that I am most proud of would be the most recent Mother’s Day release that I did through Carly Bakes - that week saw me decorate 12 normal cakes, 35 smash cakes, 312 cupcakes, 150 cookies and use over 12 kilograms of buttercream. What made this achievement even more special is that I had my Mum working alongside me to make it all happen!

12. Are there any other EIS products that you love using in your work?

I live and breathe by the EIS A4 Edible Printing System with Icing sheets. I have been using it for over a year now and have not experienced any issues at all. I also love that when you buy the icing sheets in bulk, you get a sneaky discount!