Henrico Small Business Spotlight: Cupcakes by Shyla

Shyla Henderson, 43, is sweeter than buttercream. And Cupcakes by Shyla is a place where sugar fiends become friends – and success means far more than steady income.

After graduating from culinary school, Henderson worked in the culinary field until she gave birth to her son in 2006. The single mother then worked a corporate job so she could find a better work-life balance, but, eventually, she had to make another change when life got pricier. 

“As my son's extracurriculars started to get more expensive and my salary did not grow with his expenses, I decided that maybe it was time for me to supplement my income,” Henderson said. “So I was like, ‘Well, let me let me start within.’”

A pivot to baking led the Henrico local to a cupcake test run.

After a successful fundraising effort for her church, “the seed was planted.” Fast forward about a year later, and Henderson had Cupcakes by Shyla as a registered business in Henrico.

The business has been “a roller coaster ride” since, but Henderson has come a long way.

Nowadays, she attends regular bi-monthly and monthly markets like Swap Meet RVA and 2nd Sundays Williamsburg, as well as other vending events throughout the year like the Virginia Wine Expo.

Henderson typically sells a variety of cupcakes when she’s tabling at events. Her flavors will vary, but she makes everything from “far from basic” vanilla bean to a wafer-crumble crusted banana pudding to a red velvet filled and topped with cream cheese buttercream – the latter two flavors being her best sellers. One of her most decadent flavors is the bananas foster cupcake. 

“The bananas foster is a vanilla cake filled with a cognac-infused, brown sugar banana filling, and then it's topped with a vanilla buttercream that also is infused with vanilla seeds,” Henderson said. “And I take that cognac and banana liqueur that I've got from the flambéed bananas, and I pour that on top with some caramelized brown sugar mixed in.”

Henderson’s personal favorite creation? The Devil Went Down to Georgia – her take on peach cobbler that includes a topping from another Virginia-based business.

“It's a brown butter cake infused with peaches topped with a vanilla buttercream, spiced peaches, a spiced-peach compote and then I drizzle some Mike's Hot Honey,” Henderson said.

Henderson also makes sure to include two to three vegan and gluten free flavors at all of her events. And she’s more than willing to work with special dietary requests for catering and individual orders, too.

“Because everybody should be able to have a sweet treat, I accommodate all diets,” Henderson said. “So, that's vegan, gluten free. I do sugar free, but if you ask for sugar-free dessert you're going to get a lecture because I abhor those artificial sweeteners. . . but I do accommodate all diets.”

Henderson has a myriad of creative flavors available for catering and individual orders, but it’s important to note those flavors aren’t limited to cupcakes.

“I do all kinds of cakes from a small scale being a six-inch cake to, on a larger scale, let's say a three-tiered 19, 12 and 10-inch cake,” Henderson said. “And they all can accommodate anyone's dietary needs.”

Wedding cakes, birthday cakes, heart cakes – you name it, and Henderson has likely done it. She also consistently fulfills orders for pull-away cakes – cupcakes grouped together to form a design or number.

“It's decorated as a whole cake as opposed to you seeing individual cupcakes,” Henderson said. “And then people grab their cupcakes.”

No customers, but plenty of 'cupcake cousins'

Beyond offering great-tasting products, Cupcakes by Shyla is all about creating community with customers. And that starts by not calling them customers, in the first place.

“I don't have customers, I have cupcake cousins,” she said. “I just love interacting with my cupcake cousins, so I just try and make my cupcakes resemble how I want my business to make people feel – fulfilled, satisfied and happy.”

Henderson’s identity is also central to Cupcakes by Shyla. Especially since she’s actively trying to fight the stigma against Black-owned businesses.

“I think that it's very important for successful, small, Black-owned businesses to be recognized as that,” Henderson said. “A lot of us realize that not only is our name and our reputation attached to it, but the culture is, too. So a lot of us know the importance of making sure that it's not only great, but it's damn near perfect.”

Another part of her identity that’s crucial to her business is being a mother. A proud mother whose work ethic and success has encouraged her son to bet on himself as he enters adulthood.

“My son has decided that he wants to be an entrepreneur,” Henderson said. “He's going to college, he's majoring in business administration and minoring in psychology, so that he can successfully build a business. 

“And he told me that I was his inspiration, so that means a lot.”

Connect with Cupcakes by Shyla on Facebook or Instagram, email cupcakesbyshyla@gmail.com or call (804) 480-9300.