Freshman takes the cake

Freshman+takes+the+cake

Plenty of high school student have jobs, but how many of them run their own business? Freshman Avery Khandagle used her baking and frosting talents to start her own online bakery. At age thirteen, she started her website “Avery Kakes.” It has been open for a year since its creation. Customers can send her an email requesting an order of cakes, cupcakes, or cookies.

The freshman runs her business from home with the help of her mother. Khandagle pays her mother back for ingredients and materials, keeping the rest as profit. She wants to raise enough money to pay for college.

“I always try to (tell my mom) keep the money because if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would be able to do this,” Khandagle said.

Khandagle, a member of the soccer team, balances her time between baking, school and sports. On average, she’ll have 2-3 orders a week, depending on her online and in person requests that week.

“It’s kind of bad, but I put baking first sometimes,” Khandagle said. ‘“I’ll try to get all my homework done at school if I have a cake to make and then after school I’ll spend most of my time baking.”

Khandagle wants to continue baking for the rest of her life. She plans to build a brand for “Avery Kakes” and open up a store outside of her website to share her passion for baking with more people.

“She made me cupcakes in my favorite color! They were so pretty I didn’t want to eat them. I am not a ‘sweets’ person, but her cupcakes were delicious,” special education teacher Lauren-Ashley Minor said.

Her cakes range between $45 – $135 based on size, flavors, and decorations. For more information about Khandagle’s cakes visit http://www.averykakes.com/