When I was thinking about which badass female chef I’d love to feature next, Ruth Levitt Scott popped into my head. I’ve gotten to know her over the last year, and when I think of fierce female chefs, she definitely stood out. And not only because she’s a fiery redhead!

You see, Ruth works for herself. Known as Cupcakes by Ruth, she’s based in South Jersey, but delivers her award-winning cupcakes all over the Delaware Valley.

She makes some of the most beautifully designed cakes and cupcakes I’ve ever seen. She quite the cupcake artist in addition to being an outstanding baker.

When I was a judge at this year’s Let Them Eat Cake fundraising event, I saw this cake that had significantly less height than the others. It was explained to me that the chef had an accident while delivering the cake and it had toppled ruining most of it. Instead of backing out, determined to still compete, they brought what was left to display and STILL managed to make it look lovely on the table. I really admired that fortitude and perseverance!

Since the judging is blind, I learned after all of the scores had been tallied, that it was Ruth’s cake. I should have known. She could have let an unexpected mishap put an end to her participation, but it didn’t. She showed up and showed off what was still quite a beautiful creation. Out of 18 cakes, she came in 6th place!

Ruth takes part in many competitions and is very active in community and culinary groups that promote women. Next, she’ll compete in this year’s Dish It Up, a food tasting competition featuring all female chefs, benfitting Women Against Abuse.

Ruth wasn’t always a baker, though. She started baking after her mother, a former pastry chef in a family-run restaurant, died. She began using her mother’s recipes as a way to honor her memory and to continue feeling close to her. It’s a legacy of love that she is now passing on to her own child.

Ruth is a single mother of a teenage daughter who is already exhibiting signs of being a strong women’s rights and community activist.

A woman inspired by a woman inspiring and helping other women. Sweet and deserving of being a badass female chef that I admire.

Follow Ruth on Instagram to check out her wonderful cupcake creations.