Highland woman had no interest in culinary arts. Now she owns a successful cake shop

Pat Jacoby, owner of Patty Cakes in Highland, had no interest whatsoever in culinary arts as a little girl; she had four brothers and was, admittedly, a full-fledged tomboy.

Joseph and Marcella Stock were the parents of five children, with their only girl being born on Christmas Day in 1952 in St. Louis. Her childhood days were spent outside playing softball and games with toy trucks. In 1961, the family moved to Highland.

Pat recalls a wonderful childhood and how she and her brothers lived near the swimming pool and often took advantage of it.

She attended St. Paul Grade School and, at the age of 12, began sewing her own clothes and those of her parents and siblings. She also nurtured an interest in crafts and decorations, but still, no cooking or baking.

At Highland High School, she took creative arts classes and met the young man, Bill Jacoby, who would later become her husband. She graduated in 1971 and married Bill on May 13, 1972.

Her mother owned a restaurant across from HHS and remembers the day she and Bill watched an intense fire from the front porch. That same summer Pat was on a synchronized swimming team which practiced at the city pool. Since the choreographer had chosen a Western theme and high school boys were watching while wearing cowboy hats, Pat recalls with humor the day they entered the pool so the girls could fall into their arms.

After their wedding, the couple lived in an apartment in St. Louis until their first son, Adam, was born in 1975, then they moved home to Highland, while Bill continued to work in St. Louis. In 1978, their daughter, Trisha, was born and then Pat began taking real estate classes.

Origins of her future occupation

After one year of studying real estate, Pat started baking cakes from home. She took classes at HHS and two-hour weekly classes in St. Louis. She became so proficient and was making so many cakes she began giving them away to friends and neighbors.

The demand for her expertise only grew and orders began coming in so quickly, she soon realized she needed an area larger than their home to continue her skills and house all of her equipment. She ended up at 802 Third St. This was the same week Bill began his Highland Computer Service out of their home.

Only one year later Pat’s demand for cakes outgrew her facility and she relocated to her current location on the Square. With the debut of their daughter, Leah, in 1984, Pat said their little girl kind of grew up in her shop, and obviously took a liking to baking and decorating.

History of cake decorating

Cake decorating originated in the 17th century in Europe. During the 1840s, the advent of temperature-controlled ovens and the production of baking powder made baking cakes much easier. Has technology improved there was an increased emphasis on presentation and ornamentation developed. Cakes began to take on decorative shapes, or adorned with additional icing formed into patterns and flowers, and food coloring was used to accent the frosting or layers of the cake.

There is no official answer to who specifically began cake decorating. Cakes have been decorated for many centuries for special occasions, such as wedding cakes, which have been the longest tradition and are considered the most artistic form. Christmas cakes began being decorated begin in the 18th century and they were considered Twelfth Night Cakes and were only baked by the rich for the rich.

After Leah graduated, she went to college on a golf scholarship at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, then later completed a culinary course at Forest Park Community College. She, too, had been bit by the baking bug.

Pat on the national stage

Pat was invited to compete on television in 2008 on the Food Network Challenge and again in 2010 on The Learning Channel Ultimate Kick Off twice. She won with her Snow White Cake, and a Fourth of July 6-foot-tall cake rendition of Uncle Sam.

She won $10,000 for first place in a competition from the Reagan Library for a Fourth of July celebration and another $10,000 First Place prize for her 7-foot tall Vintage Wedding Cake created for a National Football League player for his wedding. The cake was then taken to Los Angeles for the wedding.

According to their website, Patty Cakes specializes in creating wedding, birthday, bridal shower, anniversary and other special occasion cakes.

Leah now works alongside her mother and will eventually take over upon Pat’s retirement. In the meantime, they offer classes for those wanting to perfect the art. They teach a group ages 7-13, and Christmas cupcake classes and private classes are also available.

Sadly, in 2012, their only son, Adam, passed away. Pat and Bill have one 4-year-old grandson, Maverick.