Westport Baker Thrilled to Bring Some Sweetness to County Street in Somerset
County Street in Somerset is about to get a whole lot sweeter.
After gaining popularity online with her made-to-order bakery items, Ashley Ratcliffe is officially ready to open her first storefront.
Introducing From Scratch Cakes, coming soon to Somerset.
The Baker Behind the Brand
“Ever since I can remember, I have always loved baking,” said Ashley Ratcliffe. “When I started baking, I never made boxed anything, I always wanted to make it from scratch with raw ingredients and build my recipes the way I wanted them.”
Right before Covid hit, Ratcliffe began expanding her craft and sharing her talent with the community. She started an Instagram, and soon, everyone wanted a bite of her creations.
What started as a hobby quickly turned into a small business.
“Things just kept growing and I ended up needing a shared commercial kitchen because I needed more equipment and space,” she said. “Things just kept growing and I realized I needed my own space.”
Ratcliffe’s fiancé, Ray Heath, may have the best role in the business.
“I am the official taste tester,” he joked.
You won’t find Heath in the kitchen, but he is the brains behind his future wife’s online content as the creative director.
What to Expect at From Scratch Cakes
Ratcliffe is known for her cupcakes and cakes. Her current business model is online ordering, where people have become addicted to her recipes.
No boxed options here, only from-scratch goodies.
For now, Ratcliffe will stick with what works and continue with online orders for cakes, cupcakes, and gourmet cookies.
“We’ll stick with that for now but we plan to expand to weekend hours so people can come in and order right there,” said Ratcliffe.
Always Growing, Always Evolving
Truthfully, a storefront was never the plan for Ratcliffe, but as her brand continued to gain popularity, she decided that a storefront was the only option.
“I am always changing and evolving,” she said. “I created my own menu with flavors of cakes that are all mine and I like to keep things new. Every week is a new flavor of cookie.”
Ratcliffe is excited about the next step in her baking career and looks forward to meeting the customers that have gotten her to this point.
“My pickup has always been contactless, so I’m excited to finally see my customers face to face and interact with them,” she said. “I’m excited to see people in person, expand, and keep growing.”
From Scratch Cakes aims to open its doors next month, but for now, find Ratcliffe’s creations at Society Coffee Bar and her online store.