Revision 4

Overview

Baking is a skill in inZOI that was introduced in the December 2025 update (v0.5.0) alongside the business management system and Drink Mixing. The Baking skill gives Zois the ability to make baked goods separate from the Cooking skill. While Cooking covers meals made through the refrigerator, stovetop, and induction cooktops, Baking specifically focuses on oven-based desserts and pastries, ranging from cookies to cakes.

The Baking skill is closely tied to the Small Business System introduced in the same update. Players can open their own bakery, stock display cases with freshly baked goods, and sell to customers during business hours. Combined with Coffee Craft and Cooking, Baking enables Zois to run fully stocked cafes and bakeries.

How to Start Baking

To begin developing the Baking skill, a Zoi needs access to an oven in their home or business lot. The basic steps are:

1. Purchase and place an oven through Build Mode. Ovens are found in the kitchen appliances section of the furniture catalog.

2. Interact with the oven and select the baking option to open the recipe panel.

3. Choose a recipe from the available list. Recipes that are locked require a higher Baking skill level.

4. The Zoi will prepare and bake the item. Successful completions award Baking skill experience.

Unlike Cooking, which is initiated primarily through the refrigerator, Baking is performed directly at the oven. A countertop should also be present in the room, as some recipes require preparation steps before items go into the oven.

Required Equipment

The following kitchen items are relevant to the Baking skill:

Ensure that the kitchen has enough space for all three items. A poorly laid-out kitchen can cause pathing issues where the Zoi gets stuck trying to navigate between appliances, wasting valuable time.

Skill Progression

Baking follows the standard Level 0 through Level 10 progression. New recipes unlock as the skill increases, and higher-quality baked goods sell for more Meow when placed in a business. The v0.5.0 patch notes confirm that skill experience gains from interactions and activities have been increased across the board, making it easier to level up all skills including Baking.

The fastest way to level Baking is to bake repeatedly. Each successful completion provides skill experience. Quality of baked goods depends on the Zoi's skill level, emotional state, and needs satisfaction.

Recipes

The Baking skill covers oven-made goods including cookies, pastries, breads, and cakes. Specific recipes unlock at various skill levels.

Prior to the v0.5.0 update, several oven-based recipes were part of the Cooking skill: Birthday Cake (45 Meow, Cooking level 3), Cake (35 Meow, Cooking level 3), Pizza (32 Meow, Cooking level 3), Egg Bread (6 Meow, Cooking level 0), and French Toast (6 Meow, Cooking level 0). These required countertops and ovens to prepare. The v0.5.0 update introduced Baking as its own dedicated skill with a separate set of dessert recipes.

Baking vs. Cooking

Baking and Cooking are separate skills that level independently. Understanding the differences is important for players who want to maximize their food preparation abilities:

A Zoi who develops both Cooking and Baking can operate a restaurant or cafe that serves a full menu. Savory main courses from Cooking, baked desserts from Baking, and beverages from Coffee Craft. This combination provides the most versatile business setup available in the game.

Running a Bakery Business

The Baking skill is designed to integrate with the business system introduced in v0.5.0. Here is how to set up a bakery:

1. Purchase a business property through the Edit City window in the game menu. Look for properties marked as Business Property.

2. Register the business by clicking the property and selecting Register Business, or use the Business App on the Zoi's smartphone.

3. Select the Bakery preset from the Business Type options. This automatically configures the lot with appropriate customer activities and management settings suited to a bakery operation.

4. Set business hours through the Business Settings menu. Choose the days and times your bakery will be open.

5. Select recipes in the Business Settings. These determine which baked goods your Zoi will prepare for sale.

6. Stock the display cases by interacting with the refrigerator and selecting Stock Your Market Items, then choosing Fill Baking. Your Zoi will bake items according to the selected recipes and place them in display cases around the store.

Customers automatically visit the business during open hours. They browse the display cases, pick up items, and purchase them. Customer satisfaction depends on furniture quality, pricing, product quality, and employee responsiveness. Daily reviews provide feedback on how the business is performing.

Employees and Management

As the business grows, players can hire acquaintances or household members as employees. Employees autonomously perform duties including baking, service, and cleaning. Salaries are calculated based on business level, salary rank, and working hours. The v0.5.0 update also introduced family-size recipes that enable cooking multiple servings simultaneously, which is useful for keeping display cases stocked.

Bakery Profitability

A well-run bakery combined with a cafe component (adding Coffee Craft products) can generate strong daily profits. Community reports on the Steam forums suggest that food businesses can earn between 4,500 and 13,000 Meow daily depending on the star rating and product selection.

Key profitability tips from players:

• Make the expensive items that unlock with higher Baking skill levels. These have significantly better profit margins.

• Prepare group-sized batches rather than single servings. Group meals and desserts sell for roughly 10 times their production cost, according to player reports.

• Stock items before business hours begin. This reduces the amount of baking your Zoi or employees need to do during peak customer hours.

• Combine baked goods with coffee and cooked meals to increase the range of products available to customers.

• Your Zoi's physical presence at the business matters. Revenue drops significantly when you are not in the area, so visit your businesses regularly.

• Hire employees once the business is established to keep the shop stocked and running during off-hours.

The business system was newly introduced in v0.5.0 and is still being refined. Some players have reported bugs with display cases not stocking correctly or items disappearing. KRAFTON has been addressing these issues through hotfixes.

Business Types

Baking integrates with several business presets:

A Zoi with low Baking skill can still open a bakery, but the products will be lower quality, sell for less Meow, and draw fewer customers. Leveling up before opening is recommended.

Tips

• Level Baking alongside Cooking and Coffee Craft to unlock the maximum business potential.

• Keep your Zoi well-rested and in a positive mood before extended baking sessions to produce consistently higher-quality goods.

• Place the oven and countertop close together in your kitchen layout to minimize the Zoi's travel time between preparation and baking steps.

• If running a bakery, use the Fill Baking command through the refrigerator's Stock Your Market Items menu to batch-produce items for display cases efficiently.

• A single household can own multiple businesses, so consider opening both a bakery and a cafe on separate lots for diversified income streams.

• Baking and Cooking are separate progressions. Time spent cooking meals does not improve Baking.

• Be aware that baked goods can spoil if left out too long. Stock fresh items regularly to maintain customer satisfaction.

• Some items like Birthday Cake may appear in both skill trees. Check which skill applies before attempting a recipe.