sunshine’s cupcakery
“Born out of the desire to spread joy
through the art of cupcakes.”
through the art of cupcakes.”

Under the Apron
Sunshine’s Cupcakery was born out of the desire to spread joy through the art of cupcakes. I am a self-taught baker, raised on the Southside of Chicago by my great-grandmother. Sunshine is my childhood nickname. It is hard for me to talk about how Sunshine’s Cupcakery was formed, without talking about my great-grandmother. The woman who is responsible for everything that I am. My great-grandmother, Eunice, was an amazing woman, a talented seamstress, and excellent cook. She lived her life serving others and I am forever indebted for the sacrifices she made by choosing to raise me and my 3 older sisters.
When I was 15, she died and it would take me years to process the pain of losing her. There were so many memories and as I tried to remember the good, I often heard her whisper “sit and peel peaches.” I remembered the smell of fresh peaches being sliced and dough being rolled. I remembered my grandmother laboring over the stove pouring her love into every meal and reminding us “food brings people together.”
As a young adult, while in college and working, I was still trying to figure out how to grieve and how to survive. It was during this time I could hear my grandmother say “keep going” and I remembered the peaches. One evening, I stopped by the grocery store and bought what I needed to make my own peach cobbler and for the first time in a long time, peace came over me.
Baking ended up being the therapy I needed to process the pain. I would stand in my tiny kitchen and bake for hours. Cobblers, and breads, and cakes, and pies, and I eventually made my way to cupcakes. I would bake cakes for family, friends, and neighbors’ birthdays and watch as their eyes twinkled as I handed them a cake. Their smiles reminded me how food brings us together and it’s the small things that connect us.
For me, baking is a tribute to my grandmother’s love. It all started in my tiny kitchen on the Southside of Chicago over 15 years ago and it blossomed. I went from selling sliced cakes at barber shops and hair salons to local pop-up events and farmers markets in Elgin and the surrounding suburbs. I quietly built my customer base by word of mouth and Sunshine’s Cupcakery was born. I didn’t dream of owning a bakery but I loved making people smile. My only desire was to bake with love and help people experience a small ounce of joy.
Because no matter the journey, the sun eventually has to shine.