Crumbs, cupcakes and a couple in the kitchen

While Rubina has always had a flair for baking, Marzan discovered his talent when he once baked with his niece who was about five at that time (she's now 12). "When we got married last summer we decided to have cupcakes at the engagement that we decorated ourselves according to the theme. When we got married Rubina joined me in Saudi Arabia and after teaming up for my cousin's engagement, ‘baked by rubynmarz' was established," Marzan said, referring to the home business the duo has recently ventured into. "Once we started in Saudi Arabia, we realized there was a demand for bespoke luxury cupcakes that not only tasted great but also had the ‘wow' factor," he added. Besides baking and decorating cupcakes, both Marzan and Rubina have full time jobs. He is a qualified Geography teacher, currently teaching at a British International School in Alkhobar, while Rubina was working as a forensic scientist for the British Transport Police in London before moving to the Kingdom. Generally, baking is considered to be a woman's domain. However, Marzan was always interested in food - not only the eating part, but also in cooking and baking. "I studied Food Technology at school while most of my peers did Resistance materials. I love to watch Masterchef and The Great British Bakeoff which inspires me," he said. "He has never shied away from the fact that he can bake and is proud of that. As a teacher and a baker, he is able to tackle the stereotypical image of gender roles and his students and colleagues are positively impressed by his achievements and some even get inspired to do their own baking, he is a good role model," Rubina says proudly, Kazinform refers to the Arab News. Their top sellers are the double vanilla cupcakes, which Marzan specializes in and also the red velvet cupcakes that Rubina makes. "We have baked a wide range of treats from Oreo cupcakes; Arabica Coffee flavored cupcakes and flourless mint chocolate soufflé cupcakes - great for those with wheat or gluten intolerances. These last ones are actually a favorite within my family and get requested a lot," said Rubina. Have any of their recipes flopped? "There have been a few mishaps in the kitchen but that's the nature of baking and experimenting. And as a scientist I most definitely like to experiment," said Rubina. The duo can bake approximately 200 cupcakes in a day and up to 400 using industrial kitchen equipment during the wedding/engagement season. While both are self-taught bakers and over time their recipes and techniques have been enhanced, they intend to undertake some courses in London this summer to develop their baking portfolios. Marzan has a word for budding bakers. "It's never too late to start! Our advice would be to find a recipe - a family recipe is always a good start. You don't need to buy any fancy equipment; all you need is a bowl, whisk and a lot of elbow grease to begin with! Secondly, don't be afraid to tweak the recipe. Individuality is great and when it comes to baking you want to stand out from the rest," he said. The couple intends to focus on luxury wedding cakes in the coming days. "In the Middle East people are very sociable and hospitable and there's always a family function of some kind. We feel that we can provide a need for bespoke luxury cakes that fits in well with the lavishness of the Middle East," said Marzan. He said being a husband-wife team is the icing on their cupcake biz. "We've definitely learned from each other and it's good that we push each other to move forward. We each have a little part of the process that we take care of and it always helps when you want to consult about something, that the person you need is right there." It, however, comes with its own challenges. "It can get difficult especially when we both have our own techniques. I like to be a little more adventurous which doesn't always agree with Marzan who likes to stick with what works best," said Rubina. The whole idea of cupcakes is very trendy at the moment, Rubina said. "So having them instead of a wedding cake or with your tea at the coffee shop is a great idea." "There's a whole shabby chic vintage/retro movement at the moment so that paired with modern flavors is something that is currently popular," said Marzan. Rubina feels some cake shops in Alkhobar are fantastic, producing beautiful and flavorful cakes, while others have not been too great. "They look lovely but often we found they lacked that oomph in flavor, and that was something a lot of people had mentioned in general," said Rubina. Asked what the USP of their cakes is, Rubina said: "We have many small USPs which contribute to the overall style and sense of our baking; the fact that we are a husband and wife team, that Marzan does as much of the baking as I do, that it's all handmade from scratch, that we tailor each order for our customers requirements and that we have a range to offer from our classic to the most extravagant and luxurious." You can't buy happiness. But you can eat cupcakes. For the Ahmeds, that's kind of the same thing.