What began as a Sunday baking lesson among sisters Mya and Maci Nelson and their father, Quentin Nelson, aka "The Cake Doc," has blossomed into a successful business, Cakin' with MnM. Coming from five generations of bakers in his family, Quentin made a mission to pass down the baking tradition to his daughters, starting them in the kitchen as young as 3 and 5.
By 2018, the Nelson family’s Sunday ritual included Mya and Maci baking with their father while their mom, Michelle Nelson, filmed each lesson. When the world shut down in 2020, they turned their weekly ritual into a blooming business. Mya and Maci launched Cakin' with MnM, creating their own signature cake mix subscription boxes to pair with the virtual baking classes they began hosting for kids. Each subscription box includes the cake mix, a decorating kit, and access to live or prerecorded classes. Participants of Cakin' with MnM can choose between a full baking class lasting about 90 minutes and a shorter decorating-only workshop.
When pandemic restrictions were lifted, Mya and Maci took Cakin' with MnM mobile, hosting birthday parties and Jack and Jill events, with themed classes like their favorite, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles decorating class.
"It was for a 5-year-old little boy's birthday party and those kids were hilarious; we had a good time with them," says Mya.
As young Black entrepreneurs, Mya and Maci find immense joy in inspiring other children.
"I want to be a teacher and do theater but also continue teaching kids how to bake." They both plan to keep the family legacy going with Mya adding, "That's the plan. I want to open my own bakery one day, but I also want to be a lawyer."
Now 16 and 13, Mya and Maci are taking the reins of their business even more, writing their own scripts, making creative decisions, and ideating their class themes. As they continue to grow, Cakin' with MnM hopes to distribute their signature cake mixes more widely, in the long term, to become a national brand with their products in major retailers.
With these "Amazing Kid Bakers," all is possible as they live by their personal mottos: "Life is what you bake it" (Maci) and "Bake the world a better place" (Mya).
Learn more at CakinWithMNM.com or @Cakin_with_MNM on IG.