Home baker Ruby Fogarty’s dream realised with new cake store in Waipukurau

Ruby Fogarty could have been propagating plants in an Ōtāne nursery but her love for the kitchen saw her refuse a role with the family business to pursue her passion.

“I just had to say to Dad, ‘I’m really sorry, my cakes have taken off and I didn’t expect it to'.”

She said six years after starting her business and working from her kitchen at home, her dream to open a cake store had turned into a reality for the mum of three.

Based in the former Juice Jam building on Ruataniwha St in Waipukurau, Fogarty sells ready-made cakes, cupcakes and real fruit ice cream and smoothies.

Rubylicious owner and head baker Ruby Fogarty (left) with apprentice baker Acacia Linklater in the new cake store opened on Ruataniwha St in Waipukurau.

Fogarty also makes stuffed cookies, which she said according to one customer was trending on social media.

She sources local ingredients such as organic A2 milk from Lindsay Farm and eggs from River Range Eggs.

“Good quality ingredients equal good quality product.”

Fogarty said she had an overwhelming response in the first week of being open and has already employed four staff members to help out, including students from Central Hawke’s Bay College.

She felt confident the people of CHB would continue to respond well to the store open from Wednesday to Saturday.

“When I do markets I take 600 cupcakes along and I’m sold out in 45 minutes to an hour and a half.”

Ruby Fogarty said her cupcakes were always very popular.

The chef by trade was inspired after making birthday cakes, realising she had quite the talent for making baked goods.

“It was always my goal five years after my first child to open up a shop - I’ve always wanted to open up a cake shop.”

She said word of mouth and social media helped her to grow her business, and she began to outgrow her home kitchen.

“I made a Facebook page ... and it just went viral.”

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The self-taught cake-maker was named a finalist for the Outstanding Cake Artist Award at the New Zealand Wedding Industry Awards 2023.

An important aspect of her business was to keep it family-focused and she said her children aged 10, 6 and 3 were already keen to help out.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.