Cin in Cake
Cindel Meliefste from Arnemuiden
Cindel Meliefste is 26 years old, a primary school teacher and lives with her husband, 6-month-old son and two rabbits Pip and Puck in a cozy corner house in Arnemuiden. In 2021 she started Cin in Cake!
"I started with Cin in Cake after season 3 of the series YOU . (For the connoisseurs among us: Don't worry, I don't have a basement, haha!) I've been baking my whole life and the series actually gave me the idea to start a bakery from my own kitchen. 'Why not' I thought," says Cindel. On December 28, 2021, her birthday, she signed the KVK and the orders quickly came pouring in.
Beautiful orders are picked up weekly at home, but delicacies are also delivered to various restaurants/bakeries. "All from my own kitchen with 1 oven. Great, right?!"
The most beautiful motivation
"Ultimately, I do it for the people I make happy with an order. That is the most beautiful motivation I have. In addition, I also really enjoy all the sweet and nice reactions from the customers who come to pick up the order. I enjoy customer contact anyway and if they are also so satisfied, well, what more could you want?"
Creativity in flower cupcakes
Making flower cupcakes and cupcake bouquets is what Cindel enjoys most about baking. "No bouquet or flower cupcake is the same and with every order I see improvement."
"I learned everything myself. Through Instagram reels, videos and tutorials I made the flower cupcakes my own. Once you have a firm buttercream as a base and have mastered the process, you have endless possibilities."
Cindel likes to challenge herself with her baking: "I like to make even more difficult flowers or, for example, the technical assignments of Heel Holland Bakt . I also like to discover all the new trends." In addition to the flower cupcakes, customers also know where to find Cin in Cake for brownies, blondies and cookies.
Challenges as a baker
In the summer, Cindel often works from her refrigerator because of the heat, a challenge with buttercream flowers and wedding cakes. "Another challenge is learning to say 'no' to an order. I love doing everything, but I have to be careful not to overschedule myself."
"Other downsides to having your own bakery are the washing up and the shopping, but luckily my husband also does this for me regularly, so nice!"
Tips for aspiring bakers
"Definitely do it! Don't doubt or think you can't do it. Everyone starts somewhere and what I always say to the children in my class: 'everything is difficult before it becomes easy.' Keep practicing and don't give up, then you will come a long way. For the doubters: why wouldn't you do it?! You have a love for baking, otherwise you wouldn't consider it, developing yourself is fun, you show the world what you can do and above all: unlimited access to all kinds of tasty things!
Another tip: make sure you have a good overview of your administration and when purchasing products, pay close attention to where they are the cheapest. That makes a huge difference."
Tops and flops
Cindel is of course crazy about the trends around flower cupcakes, but she also really likes letter and number cakes and bento cakes. "I'm just not a fan of fondant, I don't like working with it and I personally don't like the taste. I do see some really beautiful cakes and decorations with fondant, I really respect that, but not for me. I prefer buttercream. What I also don't quite get is the crookie. It's probably delicious, but I prefer to eat them separately."
The value of Instagram
Instagram plays a big role in Cindel's business. She started posting actively in February and her following has grown rapidly. "So Instagram is actually my biggest source for customers and orders and I really enjoy sharing what I make. I also have a website, but it's been under construction for a while (read: lack of time, haha)."
Examples and sources of inspiration
When asked for examples and sources of inspiration, Cindel can name a few:
Importance of packaging
Packaging is very important for Cindel's labor-intensive flower cupcakes and must meet a number of requirements: "Sturdy, neatly finished, for my flower cupcakes there must be enough space between the cupcakes, visible, easy to fold and of course not too expensive. It is also nice if the material can withstand the grease of the baked goods. I work with butter anyway and I find nothing uglier than those dirty grease spots on the cardboard. My favorite are the cupcake boxes with a shop canopy. Here I have a bit more space for my flowers, with other boxes they touch each other."
Future dreams
A new kitchen with two ovens is a smaller goal for the near future. "Furthermore, I hope that I can make many people happy with my baking for many years to come. My goal is ultimately to be known for my flower cupcakes. That people see cupcakes and think, Yes! Those are from Cin in Cake".
More about Cindel?
For more information and to enjoy Cindel's beautiful baking, follow her on Instagram and Facebook .