Developing a good recipe for cakes or bread is the first step to success in commercial catering. Appropriate equipment used in a cake shop or bakery will enhance the production process, shorten the time of preparing bread or pastries, and also enable cost control. What equipment should you choose, and what should you pay attention to when buying equipment and furniture?
Developing a good recipe for cakes or bread is the first step to success in commercial catering. Appropriate equipment used in a cake shop or bakery will enhance the production process, shorten the time of preparing bread or pastries, and also enable cost control. What equipment should you choose, and what should you pay attention to when buying equipment and furniture?
Catering equipment – what should you pay attention to?
Equipment and furniture for a bakery or cake shop can be divided into several categories. The main ones are: heating devices, cooling machines, catering furniture and other accessories.
What should you pay attention to when choosing such equipment? First of all the technological design. This is the most basic document regarding the later purchase of equipment and choosing the appropriate kitchen furniture for a commercial kitchen.
Although you can prepare it by yourself, to be on the safe side it would be better to use the services of a specialist. An architect specialising in commercial kitchens will be able to mark where each workstation should be located. In addition, the design could include examples of specific equipment for a cake ship or cafe, chosen with the size and exact dimensions of the space in mind.
In fact a comprehensive list of proposed equipment could be attached to the design document. You can then stick to it or find other, similar equipment. At least you will have a general feel as to what size devices you will need in your cake shop or bakery.
Another important aspect to be considered are health and safety in the kitchen. Equipment in a cake shop or bakery should be easy to keep clean, so stainless steel is always a good choice. It is resistant to mechanical damage, durable and relatively easy to keep clean. Whenever possible, choose appliances that can be hung on the wall or easily moved, providing better access for cleaning the floor.
If you have a limited budget or your cake shop or bakery kitchen is very small, choose appliances that combine several functions in one, eliminating the need to buy many different devices or lots of furniture. An example would be a sink cabinet for hiding dishes or pots.
Bakery ovens – basic equipment in cake shops
In order for a cake shop to grow a strong customer base and build a good reputation, you should have a production system allowing you to control how many baked goods appear in your offer on a given day. A commercial oven will come in handy here.
Such professional equipment can be one of the biggest, but also best investments in the case of a cake shop. The differences between a commercial bakery oven and a standard oven are, for example, the capacity and number of features.
Bakery ovens can fit from a few to even a dozen or so baking trays, and each chamber can operate separately. This solution enables the preparation of different pastries, which require different conditions, at the same time.
Some bakery ovens come equipped with a growth chamber that maintains stable thermal and humidity conditions, letting you achieve high-quality baking dough, and each subsequent batch of dough will be similar.
Additional cake shop equipment
Cake shop equipment should also include the possibility to shorten the preparation time of ingredients and pre-treatment of products. Such equipment includes, among others, electric dough rollers, which are an ideal replacement for traditional rolling pins.
If you plan to include cakes with lemons, apples or pears, a fruit slicer will definitely come in handy. It will let prepare such ingredient much faster and make sure they are always of a similar size. A slicer with replaceable blades can be used, for example, to crush chocolate in chocolate chips.
The cake shop can offer much more than just cakes, pies or doughnuts. Devices such as a waffle iron, cereal dispenser or ice cream machine will let you expand your seasonal offer.
A coffee machine is another piece of equipment worth considering, especially if your premises are large enough to set up a few tables for your guests. Even if this is not possible, why not offer coffee to go on top of your standard offer of cakes and pastries.
Last but not least, you will also need a kitchen bin to keep the place tidy. A kitchen bin should be hygienic above all else. That’s why this 50 L Rectangular Sensor Kitchen Bin opens as soon as you approach it and then closes automatically. There’s no need to touch the bin to open it, making it both convenient and sanitary.
You don’t want your trash can standing around? Then this dual (2 x 20 L) Built-in Trash Bin from Fromm & Starck, the experts for kitchen utensils, is the perfect solution!
Finally let’s not forget about a kitchen cabinet, such as this double basin stainless steel 400 x 400 x 250 mm Commercial Kitchen Sink for cleanliness and order in any professional environment.
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Waffle Maker – 1500 Watts – Heart-Shaped 189.00 €
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Waffle Maker with LED – Rotatable – 1300 W – Round 259.00 €
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Belgian Waffle Maker – 1,500 W 219.00 €
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Waffle Iron – 2 x 2,000 watts – rectangular
519.00 €389.00 €
What equipment will you need in a bakery?
Bakery equipment will in many respects be similar to that needed in a cake shop. Just like a cake shop, a bakery specialising in bread and rolls will also need a bakery oven, especially if you intend to offer fresh bread on a regular basis.
Another example of equipment that is used in a cake shop, but will also work in a bakery, is an electric dough roller. Mixers and food processors will also be needed, in order to prepare dough for making bread with a similar level of quality with each batch.
If you will also be selling bread, a bread slicer will definitely be needed. Ideally you should try to find a device equipped with a packing tray, or buy a separate packaging machine.
Catering furniture for cake shops and bakeries
When equipping a cake shop or cafe you should include equipment for safely storing your products. Refrigerators and freezers will let you keep semi-finished and finished products at a low temperature.
Refrigerated display cabinets are another thing worth considering, letting you show off the best of what you have on offer. Customers will easily see what is available at any given moment, and you or your staff will not need to keep bringing products from the kitchen.
Other standard catering furniture that should be found in any such production facilities include kitchens sinks, cupboards for storing ingredients and crockery, as well as work tables. The latter can combine several functions, which will help you save space. Work tables can include cupboards or be combined with refrigeration equipment.
You should not forget about presenting your treats such as cakes nicely. You may want to choose a 30 cm wooden cake plate that will serve your cakes and cookies or other treats elegantly. The special feature is the flexibility of the stackable cake stand, which can be combined with other models in the series to form an étagère. If you prefer a different material you may choose this 30 cm stainless steel cake plate or a glass cake plate with 30 cm diameter.
Bakery and cake shop equipment – summary
How much will it cost to equip a cake shop or bakery with the right equipment? The investment will usually exceed £10.000. However, it will be money well spent.
Commercial catering equipment will ensure an efficient production process. It will also help you keep your costs under control, among others thanks to ensuring an identical process each time. If the products are always similar, it will be easier to estimate the cost of ingredients.
In addition to typical cooling and heating equipment, as well as furniture, you will also need numerous accessories, such as knives, pots, pans, measuring cups etc.
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