A 17-year-old is gearing up to publish her second cookery book after a career that already spans 14 years.
Amy-Beth Ellice from Essex began baking at the age of three and landed her first book deal with her recipe collection called Amy’s Baking Year, at just 14 years old. She is working on her second book now, which should be on shelves by 2017 and plans to launch her own baking products and even become a TV chef, according to the MailOnline.
Britain’s youngest published baker recently hosted a cupcake-making class in Harrods, London, before signing copies of her book in the Toy Kingdom department. On top of that, she has a regular column in OK! magazine and submits advice and recipes to other publications.
Ellice, who still attends school full-time, also makes bespoke goods to order in her spare time. Celebrities Pixie Lott and Katharine Jenkins are said to be among her fans.
It seems she gets her talent from her mother Gillian, who taught her to bake. Amy-Beth had a knack for it and continued to practice until she had control of her baking.
Branching out alone
Gillian told the MailOnline: “Amy soon wanted to venture out on her own and, at the age of 12, she asked if she could bake her sister Lara-Jayne’s cake for her 17th birthday.
“I had planned a simple chocolate sponge cake, but Amy, being more adventurous, single-handedly created a two-tiered cake covered in roll-out fondant icing.
“She then decorated it with heart-shaped biscuits on sticks, which later became a recipe in her book (lollipop biscuits)."
At 13 she launched a cupcake business and at 14 she was commissioned by a teacher to make a three-tiered lace-effect wedding cake. She finally baked it in chocolate at age 16 using carrot, pineapple and lemon flavours.
Amy said: “I made cupcakes for regular clients as well as celebrity functions and after parties and it grew from there.
“After having seven of my recipes published in a national newspaper weekend supplement, I approached a few publishers with a mock-up of the ideas I had for my book and got the book deal at age 14.”
Amy’s recipes include ‘perfect’ cupcakes, French macarons, cookies, tarts and classic sponge cakes, to sticky puddings, jams and gingerbread.
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