Art of Aging: MacDougall's Irish Victory Cakes

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday and one bakery is preserving some delicious Irish traditions.

Deb Streeter-Davitt started her MacDougall's Irish Victory Cakes business 8 years ago using her great grandfather's famous butter cake recipe.

"He decorated cakes for royalty in the old country," Richard said.

Deb's parents, Richard and Patricia Streeter help her at Dougall's Irish Victory Cakes.

"It was eaten by the kings and queens and the rich and famous of England, Ireland and Scotland," Deb said.

He gave it all up to come to the US so his children and grandchildren could have a better education.

"It's the perfect immigrant story," Deb added.

"We call it a victory cake because it was his victory to come here to the United States," said Richard.

But carrying on her great grandfather's legacy was not Deb's original plan.

She worked more than 25 years in financial services.

"I had the best job under the sun," she said.

But when the financial crisis hit, her entire unit was dissolved overnight.

"Right around that time, I found great granddad's recipe so I thought let's give it a try," Deb said.

"We decided well she's going to do this business after we retired, jump on the bandwagon," Patricia said.

And a small cake baking business was born with Streeter-Davitt's parents, now in their early 80s as her full-time help.

"The Irish you know, they stick together," said Patricia.

"Keeps us together all the time. Yeah, yeah we love that," added Richard.

Deb bakes the cakes.

Her mom, Patricia, decorates them, and dad, Richard, boxes them up and does the dishes.

"I'm the best dishwasher in Chester County," Richard (laughs).

Before becoming his daughter's dishwasher, Richard was a Presbyterian minister who back in the day marched with Martin Luther King in the fight for Civil Rights.

This year, he and Patricia are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.

In their kitchen at the Artisan Exchange in West Chester, they bake to the sound of Irish music and on any given day, the whole clan may break into what they call the MacDougall dance.

"Working together with my mom and dad, you can't beat that," said Richard.

"Oh we love it, we love it," Patricia said.

Richard added, "When you're with family, it's always a joy."

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