Katelyn Lowe loves to bake. She also has a sweet tooth. The result: Magnolia Cakes by Katelyn.
Through her home-based baking business, the 13-year-old Columbus resident fills orders from friends and family, making strawberry cheesecake, Oreo, vanilla and peanut butter lovers cupcakes and brownie buttons with either caramel or peanut butter in the center.
Lowe said people from her church, Kolola Springs Baptist Church in Caledonia, heard about the quality desserts and asked to place orders with her. Thus, Magnolia Cakes by Katelyn was born.
Lowe said her mom inspired her baking.
“My mom likes to cook a lot, and she makes these really good desserts that I love,” she said.
One afternoon, boredom struck, and Lowe’s mother suggested she bake. The teen began creating sweet treats, and the hobby stuck.
The rising high school freshman said she jump-started her summer baking business in early June and has received at least 12 orders so far from members of her church, friends and some relatives.
“I really like to eat the cake batter at the end, and it’s just fun doing the icing on the cupcakes,” Lowe said, referring to her favorite part of baking. “I like to buy the pretty cupcake liners to put inside the cans, too.”
Strawberry cheesecake cupcakes are her favorite item to make.
While Lowe’s mother helps her shop for baking supplies, the young teen pays for her own ingredients with her business’ revenue.
Customers may order Lowe’s sweets in any amount, but she prices cupcakes at $18 per dozen, cupcakes with filling at $22 per dozen and brownie buttons at $10 a dozen.
Lowe said she plans to donate a portion of her final profit this summer to Lowndes County Imagination Library and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.
The young entrepreneur said she saw Imagination Library at an event at the Columbus Riverwalk a few weeks ago and decided she wanted to contribute to the program, which provides free books to young children in Lowndes County.
“I thought it was a really good cause because a lot of kids in Columbus don’t have books to read,” Lowe said.
She said her family also regularly contributes to St. Jude, so she decided to add to that donation.
Lowe created a business website, magnoliacakesbykatelyn.weebly.com, because she had no idea her business would grow so quickly. She hopes her website will allow customers to order online.
With her baking success, Lowe said she may continue filling orders in future months, but for now it remains a summer gig.
“It’s possible that I would continue it into the fall,” Lowe said. “But I’m not sure because of school.”
Lowe is the daughter of Jeff and Melinda Lowe of Columbus.
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