Aba Andoh began baking cakes out of boredom in 2017 while babysitting her nieces and nephews. Her first attempt at oak cookies resulted in burnt treats, but undeterred, she persisted and experimented with new recipes. In 2018, she received her first order for Valentine’s Day, crafting a chocolate cake. Her sister’s word-of-mouth advertising greatly aided in attracting more clients.
Originally named “350 Farinheights” after the optimum baking temperature, Aba later rebranded her bakery to “Ovenly GH” due to the difficulty clients faced in remembering the name, as Ghana primarily uses Celsius. She initially baked from her mother’s kitchen before acquiring her own space, which was designed in collaboration with her architect sister, husband, and brother-in-law, who works in construction.
Aba noted that baking is no longer solely dominated by women, with men also excelling in the field. Challenges at the outset included ingredient sourcing from supermarkets, leading to small profit margins. Additionally, working alone resulted in numerous sleepless nights. However, she eventually found more affordable and reliable suppliers, ensuring timely delivery to her clients.
Ovenly GH offers a variety of cakes, including wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and cupcakes. Aba prefers cream cakes over fondant, as she finds that people are less likely to consume fondant.
Encouraging women to embrace entrepreneurship, Aba advocates for starting small with whatever resources are available.
