Meet Meg, a 20-year-old third-year law student (graduating this July 😬) and the heart behind Lily Bell Bakes, a growing cake shed business bringing homemade treats to villages across East Yorkshire.
Meg’s journey started in May 2025 with just one small cake shed outside her home in the tiny village of Withernwick. And when we say tiny, we mean it, Withernwick doesn’t even have a shop. That’s exactly what made it the perfect place to try something new and bring fresh, homemade bakes to the local community.
💛 A Business Built Around Passion (and University Life)
Like many great ideas, Lily Bell Bakes was born out of necessity. Meg needed something flexible that could fit around lectures, coursework, and the reality of student life and baking was the obvious choice.
“I grew up learning how to bake in my Nana’s kitchen,” Meg explains. “She was a school cook and taught me everything from a young age.” That early inspiration stuck. For years, Meg dreamed of owning her own cake and coffee shop (which she was convinced would be called Cups & Cakes 🤣), and while that exact dream didn’t quite happen, something just as special did.
From that very same kitchen, Meg took a leap into the unknown and started her own baking business, despite having no prior experience in running one. “It was very scary,” she admits, “I had absolutely no clue about anything to do with running a business.”
⭐ A Huge Milestone
Not long after launching, Meg received her 5-star food hygiene rating a moment that gave her a huge confidence boost and reassurance that she was on the right track. From there, things started to grow.
📍 From One Shed to Three
A few months in, Meg expanded to her second cake shed, this time in the nearby village of Skirlaugh (hosted at her mum’s house… thanks, Mum! 🤣). With a larger local community, the response was incredible. Demand quickly picked up, and Meg found herself becoming part of the village, supplying bakes for school events and community fundraisers.
Then, at the start of 2026, came shed number three, in Leven (yes… at her dad’s house this time 🤣). With three locations now running, it’s truly become a family-powered business.
🧁 Selling Out & Building a Community
The Leven shed has been the busiest yet, with sell-outs happening almost every weekend. But for Meg, it’s not just about the numbers. “Seeing familiar faces come back week after week for their favourite bakes is honestly the best feeling.”
That sense of community is exactly what cake sheds are all about and Lily Bell Bakes is a perfect example of how something small can grow into something really special.
🎓 Balancing It All
Running three cake sheds while completing a law degree is no small task. It takes time, dedication, and a lot of juggling, but for Meg, it’s all worth it. “It’s fun, rewarding, and something I’m incredibly proud of.”
What started in her Nana’s kitchen has grown into a thriving local business, supported by family, embraced by the community, and built on a genuine love for baking. And honestly? We think this is just the beginning 💛
