SET up by a health and social care student desperate to escape her day job, Baked by Alexandra on Newport’s Chepstow Road, has quickly become a magnet for sweet tooth cake-hunters.

With boosts from supply orders by Parc Pantry and the Pod last year, Alex Callaghan’s business is heading for a great first year.

The 25-year-old business owner from Beechwood juggles her business, which she has run full time for the last six months, with her Cardiff Met studies.

She told the Argus baking was in her blood.

“I’ve always baked since I was young with my family, and it’s just grown from there really.

“We never bough shop cakes when I was young. I would just make a lot of Victoria sponges with my mum. So I suppose I grew up on it.”

After a confidence boosting baking course at Brynglas House, Alex started slowly, charging only for ingredients to build up her skills. But her cakes and baked goods were so popular she registered as a business in April last year, and opened up shop at 442 Chepstow Road just before Christmas.

“It’s going really well, and I definitely think it was the best decision I ever made,” said Alex.

“I should have done it much earlier. I have people messaging me all the time, every day, asking for cakes and other baked goods.

“I’m still so grateful that I can do something I enjoy so much every day. My family helped me get the shop up to scratch, it was a massive effort from all of us. The local community are great, and I’m a part of it myself coming from the same area.

“I’m still a student, studying health and social care. I have one exams and a dissertation to complete. I don’t want to give either up as I’ve worked really hard, and now I want to finish.”