When Tamika Drayton-Ashby was younger she loved to watch her dad make cakes and that’s when she decided she wanted a career in catering.

After working in the local hotel industry and studying culinary arts, Tamika was employed as a pastry chef, but her side hustle began to take off, so after she had her son she decided to leave her job and launched her own cake business in 2012.

‘Ruby Rose Cakes’ has now been operational for a decade and Tamika’s skills as a high level cake decorator have kept her busy alongside being a mother.

Yello spoke to Tamika about her life as a baker and small business owner in Barbados.

Describe yourself using three words.

Persistent. Committed. Fun.

Tell us a bit about your background.

I am from Cane Vale in Christ Church which is close to Oistins. 

I went to a private primary school and then Springer Memorial Secondary School. After that I went to the Polytechnic (Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology) and then PomMarine where I studied full-time for an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts.

I grew up in a pretty big family and a lot of them like to bake. My aunts would make cakes, especially for holidays. My dad would do the same for our house at Christmas, so I learned to bake from him. I was always the one holding the mixer and licking the bowl afterwards.

My dad is really the reason why I started baking and I found that because I loved it, I really wanted to pursue it, so I always wanted to be a chef, and I made steps to do that from early on.

How did your catering career initially develop?

I started off working in the hotel industry in the kitchen at Barbados Beach Club. Then while I was at PomMarine, I did my internship at Sea Breeze Hotel, and after that, they kept me on to work full time doing pastry. The last place I worked before starting out on my own was Savannah where I also did pastry.

When did you begin to think about starting your own business?

It was always a thought but I was so focused on working in the hotel industry because that was a big thing at the time. 

I would still do my own stuff after work as well with one or two orders for family and friends. But then I began to get more and more calls, with requests for wedding cakes as well as birthday cakes, so it became a lot more difficult to balance work and do things for other people.

When did you officially launch your business ‘Ruby Rose Cakes’?

Around 2012 was when I eventually made the decision to resign from work and pursue Ruby Rose which was also not long after I had my son.

What’s the inspiration behind the name ‘Ruby Rose’?

My mother’s middle name is Rubina, and I wanted to kind of pay homage to my mum because she’s very supportive along with my dad. 

The rose is a significant flower, and it was also the first icing flower I learned to make and the one I am good at making.

What products and services do you currently offer? 

I do all kinds of cakes and cake decorating for birthdays and weddings. But I also do other desserts like cake pops and cakesicles from time to time and other pastry items. The bulk of my orders are for special occasion cakes.

What is the unique selling point for ‘Ruby Rose Cakes’?

I try to make cakes that look realistic. I like making cakes that look like everyday objects and then when people look at them they wonder, “is that really cake?”

Where do you get inspiration from for your designs? 

I follow a lot of international cake artists and their cake decorating portfolio is inspirational. I try to bring an international feel to what I do so that it stands out from people based locally.

Some of my clients also come with ideas which is good for a customised cake. I need to know someone’s likes and dislikes, favourite colours, and things like their hobbies, to have some idea of what to make because then it is more personal.

What are your favourite ingredients to work with? 

I enjoy working with fruit fillings like strawberry compote as opposed to regular buttercream. I find it adds more depth and flavour to the cake.

What has been your proudest career achievement so far?

I got to work in the hotel industry which was something that I always wanted to do and now I am running my own business so I am proud of that. It’s not an easy task but every day is a learning experience and I don’t regret leaving my job at all. 

I remember once being asked to make a dragon cake for a little boy’s birthday (see image below) and I didn’t think I could pull it off. But thank God for Google and YouTube because I watched tutorial after tutorial until my eyes were tired and in the end it came out perfectly!

At the end of the day the look on the customer’s face and hearing their review makes everything worthwhile.

What are your plans for Ruby Rose Cakes over the next 12-18 months? 

My plans are just to continue to improve my skills. I’m thinking of possibly expanding into providing desserts for hotels but that’s just a thought because I would have to get staff and another location to provide that service.

A storefront is also an idea because that way I could offer doughnuts or slices which is something people often ask me about.

What advice do you have for aspiring Caribbean bakers? 

If you have a dream, follow it. Do your research. Learn everything you need to know about the business and continue to explore. 

Be consistent and don’t give up. You have to be persistent and committed because if it’s something that you love, you have to put your all into it. Don’t just do it halfway, you have to love it, and keep at it. 

Be open to learning. Learn from other people and accept constructive criticism. Take whatever people tell you and find the positive because the only way to grow is to learn. 

Who are the local/ regional / international bakers that you admire? 

Local bakers would have to be Leanda at LoveLeeCakes and also Danielle from Sweet Nectar, I love her stuff, she’s a great chocolatier. 

Internationally, I would say Jennifer Reese from Good Gosh Ganache. Her work is top tier. I also admire A Cake Boutique Lima, Zoes Fancy Cakes and the Sugar Geek Show.

What do you love about Barbados? 

I love Bajan people. I love our accent and how we interact with one another. I love how it’s still a thing to walk down the street and talk to people you don’t know. 

I also love the beach. The beach is my favourite place to be to unwind and de-stress. 

If you could bake a cake for anyone in the world who would you choose to make it for and why?

I would bake a cake for Beyonce. I’m a big fan of hers and she has a great work ethic. When I see one of her videos it shows me that consistency and persistence pay off and that’s why she is where she is. 

If I got to bake a cake for Beyonce, I would get to interact with her, and see her work ethic up close and be a part of it, which would push me to go further and do better. There’s always room for better.

If you could go back in time and talk to yourself as a teenager, what advice would you give?

Be patient with yourself. You don’t have to rush to do anything because whatever is for you, you will have. So just relax and take your time. Everything will fall into place. 

—

See more Ruby Rose Cakes on Instagram and Facebook and email Tamika to place an order – [email protected].