https://www.facebook.com/1841384352577165/

The Cake Orchard, 11 Market Street, Kirkby Stephen (2026)

09/09/2023

After having to make the hard decision last year to close the shop and give up what I loved doing I have spent the last 18 months in a difficult place before putting my life back together and starting a long road of healing. These last months I have had many conversations about how building back up my cake business could be so different now and my talent and love of cake decorating and ice cream making shouldn't go to waste.
So I'm back, no longer The Cake Orchard as that is my past and my future is me and my kids and our fresh start.
Please let me introduce you to Nessies Cakes .....
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550664736120
I'm a little further away from Kirkby Stephen now but always loved and appreciated my Kirkby customers so please do consider checking out my new page and give it a like or share.
Thankyou and lots of love to you all 💗🎂

11/05/2022

This post is probably the hardest I have had to write and one I never thought I would be writing but.....I wanted to let you all know that yesterday with a very very heavy heart I gave my notice on the shop. I have agonised over this for months as I never thought I would be in the position where I even considered it....but after only just finding our feet and building my business from scratch in a new area we were then hit by the pandemic and the massive effects of trying to make a business last through those tough times, adapting what I could offer to keep the cake orchard name out there, only to come out the other side but then be hit by everyone experiencing tough times and cutting back on luxuries or going out which is when we got hit the hardest with people not needing or wanting celebration cakes. I have been a successful cake maker for nearly 12 years now first from home then moving to cumbria and opening the shop. During this time myself and my husband have also been raising our 5 young children which in itself is a full time job. We have balanced the shop and the kids and trying to make it all work financially for so long it has took its toll massively not only mentally but physically and financially as well as meaning quality family time together has been pretty much none existent. But being the determined stubborn person I am I didn't want to give up and instead looked at ways to make it work, diversifying into making ice cream too and delivering cupcakes locally etc but all the time little did I realise just how much I was running myself more and more into the ground. I think this is hard for people to understand unless they are self employed themselves and know that massive responsibility and pressure it comes with, no switching off from it, no paid time off, no annual leave etc.....
So fast forward to now and much much soul-searching I have come to realise that actually holding my hands up, and head up, and saying this isn't working anymore is actually a massive strength and certainly isn't quitting. It is realising what is right for me and my family. It is also scary as after 12 years I am stepping into an unknown with no plan but I need to accept that I need time to heal from what has been an extremely tough 3 years that I have given my all and more to. I WILL still be taking on cake orders and working from home where my kitchen is already registered with environmental health. I hope that I will still get the love and support from those of you who have supported me the last 3 years as I am eternally grateful for that. (And for those judgemental few and those who wanted to see me fail I'm sorry to say that I may be gone from the high street but I've certainly not failed)
So who knows what the future holds , hopefully I will be back with my ice cream in some place or other as through all this I also realised I can actually make damn good ice cream as well as cakes 💕
Many many thanks and so much love to you all.
As always please message or get in touch with any queries or orders.
Lots of love 💕

07/05/2022

So....as you've all probably noticed I've not posted lately and even though I've still been taking and making cake orders from home the shop is still closed and not much progress. I don't mind admitting the last few months have Been tough mentally and physically due to the last few years challenging us to the limit. I had to make the hard decision to take time out for me to try and get to a better place. This last week was massive for us as a family as we spent a week in Cornwall where myself and Mr Cake orchard/wolfe and wood renewed our wedding vows....cementing our family bond and making amazing memories for once.
I will in time be updating you all over how The Cake Orchard will be moving forward after lots of soul searching.
Many many thanks for all your support and lots of love 💕

13/04/2022

If anyone is interested ....the very talented ArtBy Elise is running a workshop for anyone wanting to have a go and learn some art skills ....I have attended a few of elise' classes and she is a fantastic teacher no matter what whether your a complete beginner or have some knowledge 💕

10/03/2022

Just wanted to update you all on the revamp...unfortunately it is taking a little longer than expected mainly due to the financial cost of it all and the new fittings needed. But it's also a learning curve in acceptance. It is what it is and it doesn't matter what others expectations are.
In the meantime I am very much open for orders working from home so please get in touch with any enquiries.
Here's a cute pic of our little miracle man with his birthday cake this week 💕🌈

27/02/2022

Rumour has it that my very talented other half Mr Cake Orchard also known as is no longer making with wood. We just want to say this is absolutely NOT true and he is very much still working hard making lots of beautiful things, handmade , bespoke, personalised, big or small , you name it he makes it. He also has lots of stock ready to go so get in touch with any orders either with myself or through his page. He also can be found at every month at their ❤❤❤

10/02/2022

More progress.....change of colour to the front of the shop....from light blue to petrol blue ( til it ran out before the other bits were done) even though It was meant to be grey I actually love this colour....the bottom green bit will be the beige colour similar to the posters. So happy with the new look 💕💗💕 also massive thanks to Sam Kay for the amazing painting job 👏

03/02/2022

It's that time of year again and it's crept up fast don't you think ? Who still needs some romantic treats for next weekend ? I've a small number of slots for valentines cupcakes boxes of 6 only £12 . Get in touch to get your orders in for your cosy night in or just to show someone how much you love them ❤❤❤

31/01/2022

Let the commence......loving the temporary window coverings created by our little ones......we are so excited at what's to come....not only will you be able to order bespoke cakes or and your favourite but we will also have on offer many different sweet treats to take away from cake slices to flapjacks, rocky road to scones as well as gluten and dairy free options.
Then there will be our zero waste section full of all your staple dried foods, from pasta and rice to oats and dried fruit, herbs and spices.....bring your own containers to fill or use our paper bags if needed. Be part of doing something small that makes a big difference to our children's future on the planet.

30/01/2022

Over the weekend I have been inundated with messages from people wanting to remind me just how much The Cake Orchard has done and given to the community and brought to Kirkby Stephen. From the time we transformed the shop into Santa's grotto and local children came and decorated cupcakes and saw santa, the Easter cake decorating for children and classes for adults, I also had a few people telling me what a difference it made being able to send boxes of cupcakes I was making and delivering during lockdown when they couldn't see their loved ones, aswell as a message which had me in tears from a lady who told me my cupcakes were enjoyed by her family and grandad days before he died and him having my cakes was one of the last things he enjoyed in his last few days.
I have also added some photos of our beautiful (if I may say so myself ) window displays .....and what we've offered to local shoppers, cakes, cupcakes and ice cream along with handmade wood crafts all locally made with local wood by aka Mr cake orchard.
So the point of this post really is my "come back fighting post" after receiving the most disgusting letter on Friday.....this is to PROVE fact not fiction that we have done all this single handedly despite what we have been through personally, and made a damn good job of it all ....of course we couldn't of done it all without the support of the community and local people
AND NOW we are carrying on with the revamp to come back even BIGGER AND STRONGER offering somewhere where not only customers can buy cakes and ice cream but also a wide variety of other sweet treats, biscuits, tray bakes, pies and cakes by the slice AND do our bit to save our planet with our zero waste section selling all your pantry staples without the plastic......
WE WONT GIVE UP ON GETTING WHERE WE NEED TO BE MAINTAIN OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND MAKE IT THE SUCCESS IT AND WE DESERVE IT TO BE AFTER ALL OUR HARD WORK.
so once again a massive thankyou to you all for all the love and support over the Last nearly 3 years but expecially this weekend. And apologies for the unprofessional part of this post here but to the hater out there whoever you are here's your big fat 🖕

29/01/2022

Good morning everyone, just wanted to follow on from last night's live, I have woken up feeling equally sick anxious exhausted etc but also I do have that tiny fire in my belly growing from this....I have always been a fighter and even though I feel I've no fight left I also have it ingrained never to give up on what you feel strongly about, .....so here's here's few quotes along with a photo of me and my newly teenage daughter on the train to Manchester this morning for her planned birthday day out.
Out of all the messages I've spoke to some amazing people who til yesterday were strangers, offering so much help to get me and the shop back on its feet....not because of some strangers opinion of what I should be doing with with shop but because despite everything I'm damn good at what I do ....
So watch out for the welcome addition to The Cake Orchard with the zero waste element still going ahead along either collaborations with lots of other little local businesses . The revamp may take longer than planned but I will go at my pace and no one else's.
In the meantime I am still working from home doing Cake orders so please get in touch with any orders
Also watch out for a valentines collaboration being advertised soon 💕
Thankyou all again. Feeling so grateful ###x

The Cake Orchard

09/09/2023

11/05/2022

07/05/2022

13/04/2022

10/03/2022

27/02/2022

10/02/2022

03/02/2022

31/01/2022

30/01/2022

29/01/2022

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