TRUMBULL -- For Jeanine Santilli, physical therapy has been her day-to-day for 24 years. Her specialty is home care.
While she is passionate about her job, there’s something else she loves: baking cupcakes.
“Who doesn’t like cupcakes? You know, cupcakes make me happy,” said Santilli, founder of Mother Fudger’s Cupcakes.
So Santilli started talking to her family about creating her own cupcake business.
“Knowing that I couldn’t do physical therapy forever, because it’s a physical job, I thought when I retire from PT, it was always my plan to have a cupcake truck,” said Santilli. “In May, I launched Mother Fudger’s Cupcakes by doing some tastings and getting people’s input, and then advertising on social media, Instagram and Facebook.”
The name Mother Fudger’s was an idea from her son based off her signature brownie recipe.
“I was like ‘What? No way, I’m not doing that. That’s totally not me,’ and then when I told other people about it, they thought it was funny, and because it’s really not me, that’s what made it funnier. But I have to say it’s definitely a name that sticks with people,” said Santilli.
Her cupcakes have been making an impression, too.
“Chocolate peanut butter cup surprise is a big seller. Another popular one is lemon poppy seed with raspberry filling and orange cream cheese zest frosting,” said Santilli.
She says it’s all about feeling creative in the kitchen of her Trumbull home.
“I kind of tailor make them to what you’d like to do. If you have a certain flavor. I experiment and try it and the best part is when people are happy with it,“ she said.
Santilli is still working toward her cupcake truck, but she also says she has at least another ten years till retirement. She still loves working in physical therapy and isn’t ready to give that up just yet.
You can Mother Fudger’s Cupcakes on social media: @motherfudgerscupcakes for Instagram and facebook.com/MotherFudgersCupcakes