Friend’s Baking Challenge Leads To A Thriving Business

A Long Island, N.Y.-resident with a flair for baking and marketing has turned a challenge from a friend into a burgeoning new venture. The challenge was to take an assortment of dry ingredients for making a chocolate dessert and “make it better.” And did she ever. Her experimentation with the ingredients – and with a mug to bake them in – garnered almost instant recognition (on TV’s The View) and turned into a business called My Cup of Cake. The product, which includes the mug, a packet of oil, flour, Belgian cocoa, sugar and dry milk, makes one soufflé cake. The package is available in select retail stores, including Neiman Marcus, and on Sharon Tracy’s website, starting at about $23 plus shipping.