3 Girls and a Cupcake in Today's Windsor Star

Photograph and article in todays Windsor Star


Cupcake ladies Kathy St. Louis, left, Connie Baptista and Lily Desamito had ...Photograph by: Scott Webster, The Windsor Star, The Windsor StarThey call their company 3 Girls and a Cupcake, a bustling catering business that bakes and sells specialty cupcakes.

And, boy, are the girls having fun.

They've baked and sold dozens of their stylish cupcakes in signature pink boxes, filling orders from all over, from across the city and county.

They've recruited family who've been eager to help, including their moms. And in recent months they received one of the highest culinary compliments of all, from the domestic goddess herself, Martha Stewart.

Their cupcake design of Sesame Street's Cookie Monster was selected from hundreds of contest entries as one of this year's cutest. It's posted online in a photo gallery of 18 winners at the website www.marthastewart.com and can be found by using the site's search tool with the words "cutest cupcakes."

Word continues to spread. And the orders continue to arrive for the cupcake catering company and its three girls, Connie Baptista, of LaSalle, and Lily Desamito and Kathy St. Louis, both from Windsor.

All work part-time as clerical staff at Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital and started baking as a sideline last December, after seeing cupcakes featured by Martha Stewart on TV.

"We did a baby shower, and it just started growing," Desamito said.

One job would lead to another, and people apparently have gone crazy for their cupcakes, requesting them for all kinds of occasions, such as weddings, baptisms, baby showers and a housewarming party.

Along the way, the girls have created and designed their signature style, with chocolate and hot pink colours, aprons, special pink delivery boxes, and, of course, the cupcake company's own Facebook page. They also developed their own cake, filling and frosting recipes, and they use inspected and licensed kitchens.

The cupcakes have helped a good cause or two, benefiting Hotel-Dieu and breast cancer. The business trio expect to sell their cupcakes again at the hospital Oct. 30, just in time for Halloween to raise money for the hospital foundation.

The business somehow fits into busy work and family schedules for all three women, who are married.

Still, there have been times when they've been so busy they've had to turn down requests.

But then, said Baptista, "When somebody wants cupcakes for a first birthday, well, how can we refuse?"

In turn, she added, the cupcake business has provided its own rewards, both as a therapeutic distraction and from the enthusiastic and positive response they receive from people who rave about their cupcakes. The cutest cupcake contest honour earned them wide exposure and a Martha Stewart book as a prize.

Some customers don't even ask about price, Desamito said. And some leave the designs up to them to choose and prepare.

For the record, the cupcakes can cost $2.50 each, about $30 for a dozen. More detailed designs can cost an extra 25 cents each. Various designs, as well as colours, fillings and icing, are available.

St. Louis said orders can be made by e-mail at the address 3girlsandacupcake@live.com and followed up from there for arrangements.

Baptista said because of their jobs they can easily relate to customers. But while their cupcake company may grow into its own bake shop eventually, all three enjoy working at Hotel-Dieu.

"We'll never give up our hospital work," Desamito said.

And along the way, Baptista said, "We really enjoy doing this, to see the look on people's faces for our cupcakes."

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