Teenage baking phenom crafts impressive cakes for new small business

BROOKFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- In her business, it’s all about the details.

“I’m trying to make it look like it’s overflowing out of the bottle.”

And for Zohay Schwab, details can make or break her creation.

“If you don’t have enough details or if you don’t finish the final parts of the cake it doesn’t have the ‘wow’ factor.”

Zohay perfects her craft with each and every pastry she does.

“I make everything from scratch.”

Today, she’s putting the finishing touches on a gravity-suspending, margarita cake for a restaurant in Waukesha.

“So it’s chocolate and vanilla, alternating layers,” said Zohay as she decorated the cake. “All right, so I’m going to attach these up to the top.”

Believe it or not, Zohay is just 17 years old but she’s been in the kitchen for years.

Her deep love of food started when she was about eight.

And she’s gone from making dinners and goodies for her family, to creating customized pastries for a growing list of customers.

“Well I’ve gained a few pounds since she started her business,” her father, Steven Schwab said.

He said it all started back in May when his oldest daughter made a red fire truck cake for her baby brother’s birthday.

“She watched a video, figured out how to make it. So we came home to his amazing Red, Sculpted Fire Engine Cake and our four-year-old was just thrilled.”

Later, he posted it on Facebook just to see how folks would react.

That’s how ZoMazing Cakes was born.

“I wasn’t expecting it to turn into a business. It did turn into a business, just by default.”

And for Zohay, who is homeschooled, her business has become a class within itself.

A teaspoon of marketing, a tablespoon of customer service, and a few cups of economics and management.

“Being very specific and communicating,” she said. “I’ve learned just different scheduling, scheduling your time so you don’t over work yourself. So scheduling and making sure that everything with money makes sense.”

Her parents, also business owners and entrepreneurs, were intentional on supporting Zohay’s creativity and building her confidence.

As a child, they would often take her to business conferences.

“To expose her to an environment of success. And I think that’s had an influence on her ability to see potential and take something from nothing,” said Steven Schwab.

Right now, Zohay posts all her creations on her ZoMazing Cakes Facebook Page.

And though she’s just months into her new company, her goal is to open up her own bakery within a year.

“If it’s something you love, I would say go for it. Go for it. Start small and see where it goes,” she said.