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A creative outlet, a hobby, a side hustle and a growing small business - these are all fantastic descriptors for Cakes by Chloe Jess - the "sweet" little cake business that Chloe Dawkins started during her final year of high school and has continued to grow.

1. How did your sweets business or journey begin?

My cake decorating journey started after attempting to make my 16th birthday cake. I watched numerous amounts of YouTube tutorials to teach myself how to decorate a cake and started with a two-tiered cake. What was I thinking?! (See picture below)

After the success (or what I called a success at the time) of my 16th cake, I had friends and family asking me to make all sorts of cakes, some weren’t the best that’s for sure but it allowed me to improve and grow to where I am today! I created the Cakes by Chloe Jess Facebook page in 2017 and started to take orders whilst finishing year 12. Jump to today and I am decorating as a hobby, plus juggling everyday life and pursuing other avenues!

2. What has starting your own business meant for you?

I have always loved being creative and my favourite subject at school was art and home economics. Having a mum as a chef and mentor allowed me to bring my love for creativity and cooking together and express it through decorating cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

Starting my little side hustle at 18 came with a lot of learning curves. However, with the ups and downs, I have been able to grow Cakes by Chloe Jess to where it is today. It has meant that I can express creativity through a different format and learn all about running the likes of a business.

3. What have been/are the biggest challenges you face(d) in regard to starting/building/maintaining your business?

Finding a manageable work/life/ cake decorating balance. I have a very hard time saying ‘no’ to taking on orders even though I physically can’t fit them in. This results in most Friday nights I’m up to 3:00 am or 4:00 am finishing orders ready to go out Saturday morning. I haven’t always been the best at time management but I try to be as organised as possible (which usually never happens!).

4. What do you feel are the benefits of using edible images?

There are so many benefits to using edible images! The possibilities are endless, from cookie toppers, cupcake toppers, statement pieces for cakes and allowing clients to have personalisation on their orders. They’re also a time saver for adding detailed pictures, logos and characters to cakes. I also love that you can bring any image to life and they save you money by not wasting money on expensive 3D figures.

5. What is your favourite type of treat/design to create?

I love making children-themed cakes! The colours and themes allow room for creative fun designs and I feel like there isn’t as much pressure in creating children's cakes as there is with a wedding cake.

6. What is the current trend you’re seeing in edible images?

The trend I have been seeing the most is using edible images for characters in shows and movies. I also have been seeing them as cake wraps for fault line cakes and used as a replacement for fondant.

7. What is the funniest/most unusual sweet creation you’ve been asked to make?

The most unusual request I have received would probably be to make a wooden box of spuds (potatoes) with the potatoes being macarons. Another unusual request would be a wedding cake, but it was a stack of cookies layered with buttercream.

8. Do you have any tips you can share when either printing or applying edible images?

Always do a test print on a plain piece of paper before printing on the icing sheets. This enables you to see if there are any problems with the printing before you waste a perfectly good icing sheet.

Avoid printing your images the day before you need them and keep an eye on your ink levels. You never know when you might get stuck with no ink! Trust me I have been there…

9. What is your “can’t live without” sweet making tool?

Most definitely a metal tall scraper. Hot tip, pardon the pun! If you’re using American buttercream heating the scraper slightly will give you a nice smooth finish.

Plus a good quality turn table it’s a game changer. Oh, and I can’t forget my Kitchen Aid stand mixer! Okay okay, I have more than one I can’t live without.

10. What do you do for yourself within your life and business to help avoid or alleviate burnout?

I certainly haven’t found the magic balance to avoid being burnt out, but I try and wind down watching a comedy on Netflix or a feel-good movie.

11. What is your career highlight to date?

I would say being booked out months in advance at a time and having a loyal client base that keeps on coming back. Plus winning the Brides Choice Award Tasmania!

12. Are there any other EIS products you enjoy using on a regular basis?

My whole Edible Ink Printing System is from EIS and oh do I love it! The 100ml 4-set refill bottles are easy to use and the syringe is so handy. The A4 icing sheets are my holy grail and are of great quality too!