Fairfield's Pink Cupcake Shack Gives Back

Nestled on the Brick Walk promenade between Magnolia and Liquid Lunch is Pink Cupcake Shack, a cupcake boutique that boasts “every sprinkle comes with love,” according to its website.

And that’s not an exaggeration. That love, created by owner Diane Mercado and her family, is palpable in the bakery’s latest endeavor to support the family of a young Monroe man who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

A.J. Rogers, 19, a good friend of Mercado’s youngest son Danniel, is currently undergoing treatment at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Earlier in February, Pink Cupcake Shack dedicated a Sunday to sell cupcakes designed by Rogers, who termed his creation “Rebel With a Cause.” The cupcakes had orange frosting (orange is the color for leukemia), a boy’s face, and a brown mohawk, the same as Rogers’ hair after he was diagnosed in January.

Mercado asked Rogers to design the cupcake so he could “keep his mind off of what he is going through.” The “Rebel With a Cause” cupcake fundraiser raked in about $2,000 for Rogers’ family and medical expenses, Mercado said.

Everyone who came into work during that fundraiser volunteered, Mercado, who also hails from Monroe, said. “All the sales really could go straight to AJ.” Friends even jumped in to help, as Mercado said the fundraiser was a success and the shop was pretty busy.

“It was huge,” she said.

There’s more where that came from. Currently Pink Cupcake Shack continues to take orders for “Rebel With a Cause” cake pops and will be selling the cupcakes again this coming Saturday. All proceeds from either the cake pops or Saturday’s cupcakes will go to Rogers’ family.

Mercado hopes that one day when Rogers is well enough, he’ll come visit the store.

Helping in the fight against cancer is nothing new to Mercado, her family, and Pink Cupcake Shack. In fact, the “pink” in the shop’s name comes from the color’s affiliation with breast cancer. Mercado chairs the Swim Across the Sound Breast Cancer luncheon in Bridgeport every year.

Pink Cupcake Shack reached a milestone the first week in February, when it celebrated its one-year anniversary. The past year featured some drama when a big California cupcake company called Sprinkles Cupcake filed a lawsuit against the shop, which was originally called Pink Sprinkles.

The suit did not stop Mercado; she and her family decided to change the name to Pink Cupcake Shack and carry on.

Lawsuit aside, the business sprouted from Mercado’ love for baking and support from her family after she was laid off from a 20-year corporate career.

Why a cupcake shop?  “You can be so creative with the flavors,” she said.

Mercado’s favorite is Fluffer Nutter Peanut Butter. The best seller is a toss-up between Red Velvet, Pink Velvet, and Salted Caramel.

The bakery is run by Mercado with the help of her family and some part-time help, which also happens to be family, friends, or referred by friends or family.

Mercado’s son Joseph is the “artistic member of the crew,” according to Pink Cupcake Shack’s website. Her daughter Kiely develops recipes and helps deliver orders. Danniel helps with marketing and manages Pink Cupcake Shack’s Facebook page.   

Mercado’s father, Roland Young, 87, of Trumbull, comes in after every shift to do the dishes.

“Sometimes people come in just to see him!” Mercado said. “He has a group that comes in.”

Pink Cupcake Shack is open Tuesday – Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and open for orders on Sunday. Website: http://pinkcupcakeshack.com/index.html; Phone: 203-259-7465; Email: info@pinkcupcakeshack.com.