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Don’t “Fall” Behind!

by Ryan McCoy
Fall Baking Flavors

Don’t “Fall” Behind! Plan for Fall Baking Flavors!

Even though it’s still hot and sunny outside, fall will be here before you know it! You need to be prepared! It’s never too early to start getting ready for some Fall baking flavor ideas. Let BakeMark help you be ready to go long before the season even gets here.

Warm and Cozy Flavors

The flavors of fall are known to be warm & cozy. With the scorching summer sun and heat, it might be hard to think about the cooler days of fall, but the truth is, they’ll be upon us in a hurry! Pumpkin and cinnamon flavors combined with vibrant colors will usher in the new season in just a few weeks. Don’t let yourself “fall” behind in being ready.

Fall Baking Flavors are Not Just Pumpkin Desserts

Fall flavors might be dominated by pumpkin and sometimes cinnamon, but these delicious flavors don’t have to be limited to just dessert. BakeMark also offers pumpkin seeds that can help you make delectable loaves of bread and other baked delights to celebrate the season!

BakeMark also offers a cinnamon roll mix from Westco! This mix will have you whipping up some amazing breakfast treats quickly and easily without sacrificing quality. After all, the best way to start a fall day is with a mouth-watering cinnamon roll! But if cinnamon rolls aren’t your speed, BakeSense Canned Pumpkin is the perfect addition to pumpkin muffins which will also be a breakfast hit.

Desserts Are Still An Option

Of course, if you prefer to stick to desserts, BakeMark always has you covered there. Use BakeSense Pumpkin Pie spice blend to whip up pumpkin pies effortlessly for the pumpkin fans in your bakery. Fall desserts aren’t limited to just pumpkin pie though! How about some fall-themed sugar cookies featuring our Sprinkelina Autumn and Halloween mixes to change things up in your bakery?


As fall approaches, keep BakeMark in mind for all your fall baking needs – we can absolutely supply you with everything you need to make this fall the best one yet! Reach out to your BakeMark rep today to start planning.

bakery bakery mixes bakesense Baking donut mixes Donuts holidays ingredients Pie Sprinkles

Build A team of Star Bakers and Salesclerks

by Ryan McCoy
Bakery Team

Build a Team of Star Bakers and Salesclerks

The Pandemic Has Made it More Important Now Than Ever!

A huge challenge facing every business in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic is staffing. Bakeries and donut shops of every size and description are no exception. It’s so important to have bakers and salesclerks who know what they are doing. Understand the baking process and your products and how to sell them to your customers, and keep your operation running smoothly It takes time to teach and develop those skills and attitudes. It’s critical that you continually build from within – both as individuals and as a team. 

Your Bakery Team – Build Up Checklist

  • Compensation – Only you know what you can afford to pay bakers and salesclerks based on your operational income and expenses.  Keep in mind that compensation is ALWAYS on the mind of your staff.  Stay current on market standards, and create a pay structure that is fair and competitive to keep your employees happy. 
  • Communication – Nurture an environment where your bakers and salesclerks can come to you with ideas, questions, and concerns.  They are on the front line with customers, so their feedback to you can be invaluable.  Even something as simple as moving colorfully iced cake donuts closer to kids’ eye-level can help.  Pay attention, and make sure they know you’re paying attention.  They’ll keep the ideas coming! 
  • Feedback – Continually let your staff know how they are doing, and give them encouragement whenever possible.  Tell them you appreciate their efforts.  Also, indicate areas needing improvement to help them do their jobs better and avoid misunderstandings.  Nothing is worse than surprises when it comes to performance evaluations. 
  • Team Building – Plan regular meetings to discuss your bakery.  Getting salesclerks and bakers on the same page and feeling like their contributions are important increases the strength of their loyalty to you and your operation.  Make sure they are part of new product introductions, like Snot Block and Mauisada Donut Mix, so they can effectively communicate and upsell to your customers.  It’s always fun to be on a winning team!
  • Achievement Recognition – Acknowledge individual accomplishments – a work anniversary, a multi-dozen order to a local school, a birthday, a new way to stack coffee lids, etc.  Everyone loves to know their efforts are recognized and appreciated. 

BakeMark is Here for You. The Bakers!

Your BakeMark Sales Representative can give you more ideas and suggestions about team-building, as well as general industry knowledge, like wages, hours, pricing, product trends, and new production techniques.  He or she has the knowledge and experience required to help you with employee relations.  It has always been a key element to every successful business, but the stress and strain of the pandemic has amplified its importance to every bakery and donut shop.  Let the strength and background of BakeMark work for you. 

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Rudimentary Baking Tips and Tricks

by Ryan McCoy
baking tips

Rudimentary Baking Tips and Tricks

Simple Handling Techniques you Probably Already know!

Experience is the best teacher in life, and it is definitely the best teacher in the bakery, as well.  What works? What doesn’t work? And … do you really have to experience everything to know every answer?  Here are some quick baking tips and tricks – some you may already know – but some you may not.  If you don’t, let the extensive experience of BakeMark work for you! 

Baking Tip #1: Soften your Chocolate Icing

If you need to soften chocolate icing in your icing pan for donuts, cakes, eclairs, or any baked good, pour warm coffee – as needed – into the icing and stir with the back of a metal spoon.  Experience shows that both the flavor and the rich brown color of the chocolate are actually enhanced by the addition of coffee with NO coffee taste or aftertaste.  Although warm water does soften icing, the chocolate flavor is weakened and the color fades. 

Baking Tip #2: Icing Maple Bars

Weirdly, it’s difficult to duplicate maple bar icing color from day to day, and the final finish sometimes looks dull and dark.  Experience shows that allowing the bar to cool thoroughly before icing is the answer to uniform color – every time!  Try frying the bars and putting them on the tray to cool.  After you fry off your next cut, go back and ice the maple bars.  Works every time!

Baking Tip #3: Pre-coat Inclusions

Making scratch blueberry muffins or chocolate chip cakes? Try applying a thin coat of flour to the fruit, candy, or nuts before adding them to your batter.  It’s a simple way to keep the inclusions from sinking to the bottom and the flavor evenly distributed.

Baking Tip #4: Solving Cloudy Glaze

If you experience teeny, tiny cracks that gives the appearance of cloudy glaze, we feel your pain.  In fact, our Westco Honey Pectin Glaze was invented as simple syrup to thin your glaze and provide the brilliant shine that helps sell product.  Ask your BakeMark Sales Representative to demonstrate how this product can help make your display case glow! 

Baking Tip #5: Strengthen Aged Bicarbonate Soda

Of course, you should replace your bicarbonate of soda every month for maximum strength.  However, if you’ve run past the “best by” date, experience shows that in a pinch adding just a bit more bicarbonate of soda helps prevent flat cookies until you can bring in fresh supplies. 

Your Trusted Partners at BakeMark

Beyond these simple baking tips, first-hand experience counts, count on your BakeMark Sales Representative.  Not only do they have real-world bakery experience, but they have the resource of BakeMark behind them.  In addition to idea exchanges with other sales reps, product technicians and a full quality assurance staff ensure that there are no unearthed problems with which you have to deal.  The BakeMark “family” (that means you) makes sure that all members share successful tips, tricks, and experience so we all succeed.