Tasty hobby turns into sweet success as business

BY KARYN SPORY

Mt. Pleasant News

What started as a hobby for Chari Ruby has become a tasty passion.

?It started as just a hobby with birthday cakes for family and friends,? said Ruby.

At the time, Ruby was a computer programmer, but when her company was sold to a competitor, her job was cut. That was also around the time the mother of three was receiving more and more calls about her scrumptious side hobby. ?We decided to see where we could go with it as a business,? she said. And so, Ruby?s Cake Co. was born, ?14 years later and we?re still doing it.?

At first, the home-based business, located at 706 South Main Street, in Mt. Pleasant, started with just a few weddings that first summer. ?It?s not like I just jumped right into it,? she said. ?It was really just trial and error; it wasn?t anything that I had practiced beforehand.?

In fact, the only tiered cake Ruby had done before launching the business was for an aunt and uncle?s anniversary.

But, for the most part, Ruby?s business took off as smoothly as buttercream frosting.

Nowadays, Ruby?s calendar fills up very quickly, often with brides booking a year in advance. Ruby says she tries to limit herself to three weddings a weekend.

Ruby meets with the soon-to-be wedded couple prior to the wedding. During the consultation, they discuss what kind of flavor and style of cake they?d like. ?Either they come with an idea and have a picture to show me, or they look through books,? she says as she gestures towards three photo albums teeming with snapshots of decadently frosted cakes, ?and tell me what they like.?

Like many wedding staples, Ruby says there has been a shift in the style, texture and taste of cakes couples request.

For the most part, the wedding cakes with pillars separating the various tiers are a thing of the past. Her most asked for cakes have frosting with intricate designs or cakes that are slanted or have a topsy turvy look.

Last year, Ruby saw a lot of brides going for the rustic look. ?We did a lot of burlap with the cakes,? she said.

Most of the wedding cakes Ruby makes are three tiers, but she?s seeing a lot of weddings really scaling it down to only two tiers. ?I?ve even had a lot of one tier cakes, just something to cut and feed each other,? she said.

Ruby?s signature flavor is white chocolate raspberry. However, it?s only done as a sheet cake as the center and icing are too soft for a tier. But that doesn?t stop brides from ordering the delectable sheet cake to be served to guests.

Ruby said white and chocolate marble cake will always be a wedding day staple, but lately she?s seen other flavors rise to the top of the nuptial list. ?There?s an almond white that has become really popular. Butter pecan is a big flavor too, and red velvet,? said Ruby. ?I did do a lot of lemon (cake) this past year for some reason. I didn?t used to do any lemon; it was just all of a sudden.?

In her 14 years, Ruby said wedding cakes are still her favorite to do. And now, they?re more fun and exciting as ever.

?The thing I like right now is there are so many different styles. It?s not the same thing over and over.?

For more information about Ruby?s Cake Co., call 319-385-7462, or visit www.rubyscakeco.com.