When Stacia Samartan baked with her family, it was about more than just making tasty treats. It was about making connections and taking a brief pause from the daily chaos that came from their busy schedules. Life seemed to slow down as the scent of sugar and vanilla filled the room.
Now, as an adult, Samartan has adapted the recipes she grew up with to create the signature cupcakes that she makes every day at Frosted Cupcakery.
On Oct. 25, Frosted celebrated its 20th anniversary in Belmont Shore with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, collaborations with other small businesses, and, of course, cupcakes.
Samartan and her mom opened Frosted in 2005 after getting the idea from a shop Samartan saw in Canada.
“The idea of cupcakes is just a timeless tradition,” Samartan said.
It felt like an attainable goal but most importantly, it was something they believed would bring people together in Belmont Shore.
“The idea of being a part of this community is really what drove us to wanting to have a shop here,” Samartan said.
Like many in the neighborhood, Samartan has fond memories of going to Grandma Sugarplums, the beloved local sweet shop that closed in 2001. She hopes Frosted is a place where customers can have special moments with their families in the same way she did there.
“Knowing that we get to be a part of our community’s lives and memories, and then also being a part of my team’s lives, and seeing them grow, those are the things that make me happy every day,” she said.
Samartan bakes her cupcakes fresh every day in small batches, using the same ingredients she used when Frosted first opened. Every cupcake is frosted by hand using an offset spatula to give each one a signature swirl. She keeps the flavors simple and consistent, sticking mostly to the classics like red velvet, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.
“We just always felt like this should be following the tradition of what you would make at home, and you wouldn’t necessarily be adding all this extra stuff to it, you know? So that’s something that is really unique to us,” Samartan said.
Each month comes with a new rotating flavor as well. For November, it’s apple cinnamon with cream cheese frosting. Once a year, for the week of Thanksgiving, Frosted brings out its most unique flavor: cheddar bacon cornbread cake topped with honey buttercream.
Over the years, Frosted has broadened its menu beyond the standard cupcake, now offering mini cupcakes, jumbo cupcakes, cupcake sandwiches, cake pops and ice cream cupcakes as well. Frosted also added vegan and gluten-free options to the menu a few years ago.
Though some things have changed over the years, Samartan remains passionate about her craft. Working at the shop feels like home, and some days life seems to slow down just as it did when she used to bake with her family.
Frosted Cupcakery, 4817 Second St., is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.