Pelham business creates cakes for babies at Shelby Baptist

By Nathan Howell / Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – One of the happiest moments in any parent’s life is when they welcome their newborn child into the world.

Shelby Baptist Medical Center has partnered with Cynthia Bertolone, owner of Cake Art by Cynthia in Pelham, to help new parents celebrate the gift of life with the gift of cake.

Bertolone explained that she was contacted by Shelly Addison, director of Women’s Services for Shelby Baptist, in 2018 about the project.

“They were doing a package of presents for families with newborns,” she said. “It is just a cake, shirt, hat and all the other little things that people use to celebrate a birth. They came to me and asked if I could make 20 cakes a week for them and deliver to the hospital. I was excited about the idea and told them it would not be a problem.”

The cakes that the families receive are simple white cakes with buttercream icing, and sprinkles around the sides.

“We were just looking for someone to help us complete the party kit we give out to the families,” Addison explained. “We wanted to support local businesses with this program and by accident we walked into her shop one day and worked out a deal.”

According to Addison, the gifts give the new families an opportunity to gather with friends and family and have a special celebration for their newborn. The patients are especially grateful for the cakes.

“They love the cake,” she explained. “They are so surprised to get anything at all. A lot of people want to take the cakes home to do their celebration and some have it here at the hospital.”

“It is a rewarding experience,” Bertolone said. “Just to know that each of those children are going to get their first cake. They are not going to eat it, you know, but just that their first celebration is my cake is amazing.”

Bertolone has been baking since she was a little girl, but she started working professionally as the original pastry chef for Joe’s Italian. Since then she has opened two businesses in Shelby County, Cake Art by Cynthia in Pelham and C’s Cake and Coffee House in Montevallo.