The foodie options continue to flow in Albury’s Dean Street with The Cake Cottage Albury baking up delectable treats (and brewing great coffee).
Lana McMillan ditched her ten-year career at the tax office to follow her hobby of 15 years as a cake decorator and baker.
She initially started out offering a mobile caravan featuring a café and bar service, but has now expanded to also include a retail shop-front.
“It’s a real progression for me,” Lana said.
“We started out with Cake Cottage Wodonga, where we went to local footy clubs, festivals and events in the region – selling cakes and promoting the catering side of the business. We saw this shop was for sale, and with encouragement from my husband (Terry Ludbey) who is a baker by trade, we thought we’d jump in and try it.”
Lana is focussed on not only promoting her own baked goods, but ingredients and home-made produce from other locals as part of the café.
“We’re trying to support lots of other smaller local business, such as outsourcing our sourdough bread and crumpets from Silver Creek Sourdough Bakery in Beechworth, and eggs from Eldorado Kilmuir Farm and I also have some friends who are cake decorators making biscuits and waffles for me.”
Although the Dean Street shop has only been open for a few weeks, it’s clear there are a few sweet tooths enjoying the new offerings, particularly cup-cakes.
“For me I think the appeal of cakes is that they are about bringing everyone together,” Lana said.
“It doesn’t always have to be a special occasion. If you want a nice home-made style cake, you should be able to enjoy one.”
Although it’s only early days, Lana has plenty of ideas to tempt locals and visitors.
“I’ve done quite a lot of classes, most recently in Melbourne at the Savour Chocolate School where I did a petit four class, so I’m looking to utilise those skills with some high teas, probably next year.
“I’d also like to do some cake decorating classes, for children and adults, so they can utilise some of those skills for special occasions at home.”
Lana’s first class is a kids unicorn cupcake class for Saturday October 20.
For more on Cake Cottage Albury Wodonga: https://www.facebook.com/thecakecottagealburywodonga/
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