When the cupcake craze hit at the turn of the millenium – maybe down to TV show Sex And The City – who’d have thought the little fancies would be going strong 12 years later?

Well, that would be mumpreneuers Linda Williams and Julia Atkinson — the women behind Happy Cakes, in Summertown.

“Fads come and go but cupcakes have established themselves as part of the cake industry,” says Linda. She and Julia started their company four years ago and have designed, baked and delivered hundreds of thousands of hand-crafted cakes to customers across Oxfordshire. Now they have branched out with a tricycle stall at Bicester Village – just near Starbucks.

“We always wanted our own retail venture but costs are prohibitive. This was a cost-effective way – the trike has lower running costs than a shop,” says Linda. And despite talk of gourmet cupcakes waning in America, the friends have seen no similar fall-off here.

Sales of their £3 cakes at Bicester are brisk. “Our busiest day was selling more than 300 cupcakes,” says Linda.

Up until now the pair have sold through a website and stalls in the Oxford area, which they will carry on. “One of the highlights of the Happy Cakes calendar is Light Night in Oxford where we have a stall,” says Linda.

“It’s a great start to the festive season. We meet people who have ordered by phone or on-line. It is lovely to meet customers in person.”

The pair met nine years ago when they had their first children, leaving successful full-time careers in catering and business management to become full-time mums. “Within family, social and community circles, Julia became famed for amazing celebration cakes,” said Linda. “On the back of private commissions a local café asked Julia to supply cakes. Identifying a way to balance work and childcare, we built upon this and quickly started to supply more cafés as well as private commissions.

“Our mix of catering and business skill was ideal in moving the business forward.”

Things didn’t always go smoothly. “That is why it is great to have a business partner who is also a friend so we can support one another,” says Linda. “We work together on most things but as we get bigger there is a natural split of duties. Julia heads everything to do with developing and the products – taste, design, etc. She leads production and I head the commercial side – prices, contracts, staff, website and development.”

Being a mum and juggling a business isn’t easy and the 43-year-olds, who each have two children (Julia has Ruby, 10 and James, nine; Linda’s children are Hannah, nine and Gemma, seven). “We absolutely believe that family comes first so we help one another,” says Linda. “We have great staff, aim to be as organised as we can, and are not scared of asking for help. We work very long hours before the children wake up and after they have gone to bed!"

But, despite that, they wouldn’t deter other would-be mumpreneurs. Their advice?

Research as much as you can.

Talk to people, ask for advice and help.

If possible, test the idea and, if the results are good, take the leap of faith.

Surround yourself with good people particularly a good accountant.

“Sometimes it’s hard to take the first step. One book that gave me courage to do this as a woman was Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg,” says Linda.

“Happy Cakes’ manifesto is to make life a little bit tastier and a lot more fun,” said Linda. “It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!” www.happy-cakes.co.uk