Found: Cupcakes with a taste of music

By Nicholas Schmiedicker

Mike and Shirley Martin, of jo’s lil’ cupcake co., never thought they’d open a gourmet cupcake business. They decided they needed a drastic change and moved back home to Liverpool, N.Y., from Massachusetts and decided to open their own business in 2012.

They found Jo, a small terrier that had been abandoned outside the Humane Association, and welcomed him into their family. The love and joy they found through this small dog inspired the couple to name their business after their canine family member and honor him through the sale of freshly baked dog treats.

The cupcakes are baked fresh each morning with an assortment of flavors and designs that change daily. The one constant theme is the homage to music. The names of each of their flavors reference songs and music such as “lollapalooza,” a cherry cupcake with cherry cream, or “twisted sista,” a chocolate-covered pretzel cupcake. At the top of each cupcake is a small candy musical note to set off the musical theme.

The walls and floor of the shop display an array of decorated instruments that go well with the steady beat of a record player in the background. “We can’t play a lick of music ourselves, but music has always been a big part of our lives,” Mike said.

Fresh dog treats are baked each day, including oatmeal bacon cheddar treats, peanut butter biscuits and apple cinnamon puppy treats. Jo’s lil’ cupcake co. also offers spent grain peanut butter puppy treats, with the spent grain supplied from the Empire Brewing Company.

Jo’s lil’ cupcake co. caters special events, such as weddings and parties. The Martins say that with 24-hour notice, they can fill special requests and special orders. “We love to create, and that’s what we do, we create treats every day,” Mike said.