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LEHI — The city of lights illuminates Addie Branham’s mind.
The 12-year-old works surrounded by images of the Eiffel Tower and a large clock with the words “Addie’s Boulangerie,” French for “bakery.”
Her space is her own — her Parisian palace, down in the family’s basement, consists of a small kitchen the family built for her after a light flood.
“I just like the little cafe things,” Addie said, pointing to a piece of art on the wall depicting a Parisian cafe.
Although she’s never been to Paris, surrounding herself with designs of its sights are where she feels most at home — far away from the outside world.
“Addie’s a little shy,” said her mom, Traci Branham. “She’s always been like that, from when she was very little.”
But if you ask Traci, sometimes it’s the shy ones hiding the secret talents.
“She’s always liked to cook and bake with me,” Traci said. “And unbeknownst to me, she was watching YouTube videos.”
Addie wasn’t just baking cakes — she was learning new skills online, and building her own masterpieces.
“I started posting them on Instagram, and so friends of mine would say ‘Hey, can I order a cake?'” Traci said.
And when Addie’s dad was deployed to Afghanistan, she got even better thanks to the United States Army.
“They give all the kids a $500 scholarship to do after school activities, just to keep their mind off dad being gone,” said Traci.
Of course, Addie took a cake-making class and it was then that she received some of the toughest news a kid can get.
Addie’s mom had cancer.
“This was her out,” Traci said. “This is what she did to not think about dad gone, and mom being sick.”
Addie immersed herself in the art of creating custom cakes, honing her skills with each one — cakes for birthdays, weddings, and everything in between — and the orders poured in.
“She has an LLC,” Traci said. “It’s called Miss Addie’s Cakes. It’s under my name, because you have to be 16 to have a business license.
Addie’s dad came home, and her mom beat her cancer — and as the business has grown, so has Addie.
“Oh, I've totally seen her change and it’s helped her come out of her shell a little bit," Tracie said.
She may not quite be ready for the bright lights of a cooking show but that’s because there’s only room for one dream in Addie’s kitchen:
“I want to go somewhere in Paris,” she said.
Maybe one day, you’ll find Addie cooking crepes by the Eiffel Tower — and with each new cake, she’s learning that even the capital of cooking isn’t out of reach.
“She’s always kind of struggled as far as thinking that she’s talented,” Traci said. “And this has made her realize that ‘Yeah, what I am, I’m good enough.'”
Addie Branham's cake designs can be seen on Instagram at @MissAddiesCakes.
