A successful business owner at age 34, baking goodies for the rich and famous, loving her job, fulfilling her childhood dream — if anyone has ever had their cake and eaten it too, it must be Greenville’s Amber Rudder.

The owner of Your Perfect Cake for the past seven years, Rudder has taken her childhood love for baking and turned it into her livelihood. 
      
“I’m incredibly blessed to make a living doing what I love,” says Rudder, adding that she can’t think of anything else in the world she would rather be doing.
      
Rudder has come a long way with her career in a relatively short amount of time. She baked cakes at her home for three years before opening her shop on Greenville Boulevard. Today, customers of Your Perfect Cake can choose from a wide variety of cakes and cupcakes, including recently added ice cream cakes and 14-inch cookie cakes. The menu also includes an assortment of specialty cakes: German chocolate, coconut and Strawberry Shortcake — just to name a few.

Rudder says a normal cake usually takes 90 minutes to bake but adds that the more complicated creations can take a bit longer. She recently spent 15 hours turning a cake into the head of “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader. Though it took quite a
bit of effort, she says it was worth it and that she was extremely proud of her creation.

Your Perfect Cake also sells candies and dessert bar goodies, and Rudder even makes dog-friendly treats, much to the enjoyment of canines everywhere.

Rudder’s creations have also caught Hollywood’s attention. She’s made cupcakes for talk show host Kelly Ripa and a birthday cake for rapper Snoop Dogg. When the popular TV show “One Tree Hill” celebrated its 100th episode in 2007, Rudder was called upon to make a commemorative cake.

“It was amazing,” said cast member Barbara Alyn Woods, who plays the role of Deb Scott on the Wilmington-based drama.

Woods isn’t the only one enjoying the sweets at Your Perfect Cake. Greenville resident Misty Powers recommends the shop, noting that Rudder’s cupcakes are delicious. She added that her nieces have blown out candles on multiple birthday cakes from Rudder’s store.

“It’s good to the eyes and the taste buds,” Powers said.
      
Rudder credits her mother as inspiring her to start baking. As a youngster growing up in New Bern, she would watch her mom bake cakes day after day.  
Though her mother may have taught her daughter the cake-baking basics, Rudder and her 14 employees keep up with the latest techniques by attending numerous shows and classes.

For anyone thinking of starting their own business, Rudder has some advice: “Practice, practice, practice. Don’t get discouraged and definitely start small.”