RICHMOND, Va. -- Patteson and Alice Branch tackle their homework together at the kitchen table most afternoons.
She is enrolled at St. Catherine’s and he attends St. Christopher's.
”I’m taking Journalism 2, AP U.S. History, A.P. English Literature, A.P. Spanish,” Patteson said.
”I’m taking Spanish, honors geometry, art, history,” Alice Branch said.“ Without discipline, you really can’t get all of the work done to make sure you have good time management.”
You could also add entrepreneurship to their assignments.
Much of the siblings' spare time is spent side by side blending and baking.
“It is just a cool experience to be working on cakes in the kitchen,” Patteson said.
This is no class project to boost their grades, Patteson and Alice operate PAC Sweets.
PAC Sweets is a booming business founded by Patteson in their Richmond home during the pandemic.
”I was kind of looking for some new hobbies. Really enjoyed biking and being outside but I was also trying to think of something inside I could do,” Patteson said.
The hobby turned two-teen operation is cranking out one creation after another.
“And it just sort of evolved from there,” Patteson said.
Birthday, wedding, and graduation cakes with a twist are their specialty.
They’ve baked more than 250 cakes in the last year and a half.
“These cakes take us between four to five hours and 8 combined,” says Patteson.
The self-taught teens are satisfying a loyal and growing customer base aspre-orders stretch through the holidays and into next spring.
The duo can’t turn out their popular unicorn cakes fast enough.
Alice, 14, even discovered hidden talents she never knew existed.
“I’m working on the ears for the unicorn and working on hollowing them out a little bit and fill it with gold,” she said.
Meticulous and messy are ingredients that go hand in hand when you’re a baker.
”We start with clean hands but we end up with gold and food coloring and flour and sugar anything you can imagine,” Patteson said.
The teens say one of the best perks of owning their own company is mastering teamwork.
“I make a lot of the frostings and she does a lot of the decorating and we’ve found a good way to work together,” Patteson said.
Mom Eliza and dad Pat Branch admire their teen’s dedication to the business and to each other.
“They do everything. I think it is a great life lesson. They are in charge. They’re making their own destiny,” Eliza said.
“Both Eliza and I are astounded by how many orders are always coming in and word of mouth. Word of mouth is everything,” Pat said.
Trying to cook dinner for the family of five is another story especially when the brother and sister commandeer the kitchen.
“We can definitely take up space,” Alice said. “Definitely the sink. Lots of dishes.”
Patteson, the 17-year-old CEO, hopes to inspire other teens with their dreams.
“That is a big part of it. You have to jump in. You don’t have to work out everything. You have to have the passion and have the drive,” he said.
There are no plans to pursue this sweet endeavor professionally.
For now, the brother and sister are content with creating cakes in the present.
“Especially baking. We’re together a lot and we’re always thinking of new cakes and strategizing what our weeks will be like. We’re together a lot more and it's really fun,” Alice said.
Patteson and Alice Branch are teen bakers and successful business owners sharing a sibling bond thicker than batter.
“I love it,” mom Eliza said. “It is the best thing you can see as a parent.”
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