CHLOE Brasser is the 14-year-old locals call on when they’re in need of a sugary treat.
The teen baker shows no signs of slowing, pleasing up to 50 customers a month with her layered cakes and colourful treats.
Her love for icing cakes has evolved since she first entered the kitchen as a toddler. Chloe has perfected skills throughout her childhood to become one of Ararat’s most popular cake providers.
“I use to love watching Mum cook and I would always help her. I just kept helping until I could do it on my own when I was about five or six,” she said.
Chloe now runs her successful baking service, ‘Sweets and Treats by Chloe,’ whilst attending school at Ararat College.
“When I was about eight, one of my Mum's friends started buying stuff off me but I was 12 when I really started. I kept hiring out registered kitchens so I could sell them from there,” she said.
Locals continue to express their amazement when Chloe posts her latest creations online. The teenager is completely self-taught but said practice is the key to success.
“I've done some online courses but I really just practice. I've been cooking for 13 years, cakes for about five. It's just heaps of practice every day,” she said.
“As soon as I get home from school it's cooking, in the morning it’s cooking - I try to do it all the time.”
Her Mum, Ann, said the passion Chloe has can be summed up by the amount of hours she spends in the kitchen.
“There's obviously a lot of kids that are probably out partying and doing other things, whereas she's always busy cooking,” Mrs Brasser said.
Chloe spends about 30 hours a week fulfilling orders and frequently stays up late to ensure customers get high-quality cakes on time.
“It’s been my busiest months so far. [Isolation] was great because I had so much more time… school came second,” she said with a smirk.
Chloe hopes to become a professional pastry chef in the future or open up a café in Ararat to serve the community.
“I think she'll definitely be running her own business, probably not long after she finishes school, and I'm sure I'm going to be the dishwasher,” her Mum said.