Standing in a messy kitchen at 11 p.m. Saturday night, Maryam adds a sprinkle of instant coffee to her dry ingredients as she prepares  to  bake two-dozen decadent chocolate cupcakes.

The secret to her newfound success? Everything is made from scratch.

Sweet Mary Cupcakes began as a favour for a friend’s birthday party. Now Maryam Musse works with small to medium sized event  planners,  non-profits, and individuals to create custom cupcake designs and flavours for every palette.

As someone who has always been creative and ventured into many pursuits, she realized her true passion for baking as a child never  waned.  Musse took the two-year business and entrepreneurship program at Algonquin College that, in turn, launched her cupcake  dreams into a  prosperous business.

“My friend asked me to make her a cake and told me she would pay me. I never imagined I would be where I am today,” says Musse.

She is inspired by the flavours she sees when traveling—how different cultures appreciate food, colour, and tradition.

“I find inspiration in all areas of life,” says Mussxe. Her main reason for switching career routes was her desire to be her own boss.

“I wanted to be responsible for my own success,” she says. She credits hard work and flexible work hours for her success in the baking business.

However, marketing and self promotion were something she had trouble with. She decided to create an Instagram page for potential clients to peer through her previous work.

Juggling a part-time retail job along with her baking business, Musse is sure to be busy this wedding season.

Currently ‘Sweet Mary’ is preparing for the largest order she has ever done—a four-tier wedding cake serving 400 guests.