A PAIR of teenage bakers hope their new cupcake business will supply schools across Lancashire.

Boyfriend and girlfriend Joe Jones and Jess Davies set up A Piece of Cake confectionery firm and have high hopes for the future.

Both are students at Darwen Aldridge Community Academy Sixth Form and have received support from Darwen Creates, the DACA-based business centre which promotes entrepreneurship among the town’s youth.

Operating out of 16-year-old Jess’s home in Knowsley Road, the two set out three months ago and have so far sold about 30 cakes.

But their business plan is to supply cupcakes to schools, with a deal to provide them to DACA almost done.

Joe, 17, of Preston, said: “We were frustrated at a lack of job opportunities, and we both have a passion for baking.

“We spoke to Katherine Taylor at Darwen Creates and she gave us some ideas and we came up with a business plan.”

The pair were given a £1,000 grant from the Youth Enterprise Fund to help start their business.

Jess said: “We are hoping to get the DACA contract and then become the main cupcake suppliers.

“We want to take on children in schools whose baking would be sold in the school.

“That way, they would get a job and experience and the school would have produce made on the premises.”

Joe said he was very ambitious for the future of the business.

He said: “We have set up a plan for the next 10 years and we are hoping to make £15,000 in our first year.

“At first we just thought we would sell at DACA but now we have much bigger plans.”

Katherine Taylor, of Darwen Creates, said: “Jess and Joe have been attending our Kickstart meetings, where tenants from our pods here meet and share ideas over breakfast.

“That has really helped them to develop.

“But they are doing really well. They came up with a business plan very quickly and have some good ideas.”