Cake Shed Essential Equipment: What You Actually Need to Get Started

Setting up a cake shed and wondering what equipment you need? Here’s my practical Cake Shed equipment list, based on what I actually use and recommend — including the essentials, useful extras and things you really don’t need to spend money on.

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Starting a cake shed doesn't mean filling it with expensive equipment.  In fact, one of the easiest ways to overspend when you're setting up is to buy everything you think you might need before you've sold a single cake.

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I've been running a Cake Shed, so this is the list I wish I'd had at the beginning: the things that are genuinely useful, the things worth spending a little more on, and the things you can absolutely leave on the Amazon wish list.

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Prices do fluctuate on Amazon so I often fill my basket and wait for prices to drop - especially when I'm buying equipment that I don't need immediately.

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Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.

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Cake Shed equipment: the essentials

Let's start with the things I'd consider essential for actually running your cake shed.

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1. Cake boxes and packaging

Your cakes need to be safely packaged for stacking neatly in your shed and for customers to transport your bakes home in.  Over time you'll get through loads - and it's easy to buy and regret certain things in the early days so here are links to my most used packaging items.
 

My tip: Don't buy every size imaginable. Start with a few standard sizes and add to your packaging supplies as you learn what your customers buy.

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• Clamshell containers - a good value multi-purpose box for cake and cookie pie slices https://amzn.eu/d/0e5LUENy

• Charcuterie boxes - a premium multi-purpose box with removable lid https://amzn.eu/d/06vg9Hky

• Small foil traybakes - these are great for small cake portions, crumbles or individual winter puddings https://amzn.eu/d/09ErpOej

• Medium foil traybakes - perfect for sharing size puddings or cinnamon buns https://amzn.eu/d/0hGI9qSW

• Individual cupcake boxes - these have a removable insert and can be used for stacks of cookies too https://amzn.eu/d/0gsIBkW5

• Cellophane bags - 5"x7" bags are great for all sorts of things like cookies and brownies https://amzn.eu/d/00E1A9XI 

• Sauce pots - I use these for dips or sauces (especially sticky toffee sauce!) and they fit nicely in the clamshells and charcuterie boxes https://amzn.eu/d/0aZjlUHr

• Carry bags - encourage your customers to bring their own, but they might buy more if they don't have to juggle it in their arms! I pop on a branded sticker and sometimes pop in a loyalty card too.  https://amzn.eu/d/0hSCJulr
   

The one packaging thing I wish I'd known at the start...

Popping your bakes on squares of greaseproof paper before sliding into your cellophane bags makes it so much quicker and reduces smearing on the bags.  I cut each square into six so this is great value.   https://amzn.eu/d/00vYKz8v

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My one splurge item...

Definitely not for day one but when you've had a few successful weeks, investing in a heat-sealer for packaging is great.  It saves you from being covered in all the little static seal strips from the cellophane bags and works well with kraft pouches if you ever sell things like granola, trail mix or baking mixes.  https://amzn.eu/d/05wCE5bW

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2. Baking equipment

You probably have a few trusty tins already but these are the ones I can't live without 

• 9" square tin - I now have three of these which I use for brownies, millionaires, fudge, marshmallows, school cakes and other traybakes, cutting them into 9, 10 or 12 portions (3x3, 5x2 or 3x4) https://amzn.eu/d/0fZ91zka

• 8" spring form tin - I use the Jane's Patisserie cookie pie recipe and bake in this tin https://amzn.eu/d/0d5KuXQg

• Foil trays - I use these for making blondies (I use the Proper Bakes recipe) https://amzn.eu/d/05wCE5bW

• Baking trays - these are great for cookies - I can fit two side by side on each oven shelf https://amzn.eu/d/0bQvhkBq
   

My one splurge item...

I have about a hundred spatulas (mostly from Ikea) but this spatula is my go to for making caramel with https://amzn.eu/d/0dH39P8l

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3. Labelling

By now you're probably well aware of needing to create full Pre-Packaged for Direct Sale (PPDS) labels for every single bake.  (If not check out this blog post)  A thermal label printer is essential and this is the one place I'd splurge from the start.  There are cheaper printers available (like Nimbot) but they often only work with specific labels and so cost more in the long run.  I am a hardcore Munbyn fan and have used mine with both Munbyn and off-brand labels with great success.​

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• 76x51mm stickers - I design my ingredients labels in Canva and find these work really well for most products https://amzn.eu/d/08ZtwIsa

• Munbyn 50mm round stickers - I use these for front labels with the product name, price, best before date (I have also bought the same style from Temu and they worked perfectly) https://amzn.eu/d/0cV4FEHC  I also create my own bag labels​ which is way more cost effective when you're starting out than buying them pre-printed.
   

My one splurge item....

The Munbyn P130B printer has been completely invaluable - keep an eye out for offers, it can be as low as around £59.99 https://amzn.eu/d/06tvBfNY ​