It all began with a few homemade birthday cakes for her daughters and evolved into Sweet Little Treasures, a cupcake business Diana Thomas proudly calls her own. Known locally as the “Cupcake Diva,” Diana is pouring her heart and her signature buttercream into a dream she built from scratch.

“I just started baking cakes for my girls for their birthdays and realized I like doing cupcakes much better than cakes,” Diana says. “I’m very particular. If I mess it up, I’m gonna throw it away and start all over again.”

After going through some tough life changes two years ago, Diana decided it was time to pursue her long-held dream. 

“I’ve always wanted my own bakery,” she says. “But I realized the brick and mortar was way too expensive, so I decided to start my bakery out of my home.”

Diana has never had a traditional career, but she’s definitely been a ‘Jackie’-of-all-trades. She’s been everything from a cashier, a driver for Hogan and even worked at Universal Studios, always knowing that her main job to was to take care of her two daughters, Jennie and Emily. 

“I wouldn’t have a lot of myself without them,” Diana says.

Diana had received a handful of family recipes from her late mother, but tragically their home burned down two months later. 

“I lost everything,” Diana says. “But I managed to find a few recipes from my aunt.” 

One recipe, reimagined as her hummingbird cupcake, has become a customer favorite. It features coconut, pineapple, carrots and pecans.

Diana describes herself as completely self-taught, inspired by baking shows like The Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge.

“I looked at that and just really wanted to be able to create like that,” she says. 

Though she occasionally makes full-sized cakes like the towering Neapolitan she created for her father’s 80th birthday, cupcakes are her true passion. Plus, it’s easier to start over on a cupcake than a cake if it doesn’t meet her standard of perfection. 

Her colorful creations not only look great, but are packed with flavor. Among her standout flavors are the pina colada topped with a cherry, Reese’s peanut butter complete with a whole Reese’s cup inside, and her signature rainbow-colored vanilla cupcake with vanilla buttercream.

“I don’t do buttercream like everybody else does,” Diana says. “I just do things my own way. But that’s my little secret.” 

In February, after much persuasion to participate, Diana was recognized at the Taste of Lake for Best Dessert. 

“I was shocked,” she says. “I was up against Lake Tech and some others who had more intricate things. I was very happy, trying not to cry.”

Throughout her journey, Diana has had people continually encourage her, including her soul sister Joa Harpster and Rick Moore, a retired caricature artist who drew Diana’s cartoon logo. Perhaps Diana’s biggest cheerleader was her cousin from Ohio, but sadly she recently passed away. 

“She always pushed me,” Diana says. “She was so proud of me for doing this. I lost my drive for a while, but I’m getting back to it.”

Now, Diana’s back in the kitchen — baking, selling at events and dreaming up new ventures, including combining her two passions, karaoke and cupcakes. Although she’s still working on exactly how those two things fit together, she’s fairly sure she’s on to something great. 

“Every time I give someone my card, they’re like, ‘Cupcakes and karaoke? How do you put that together?’” she says. “Joa and I have been talking about it. It could work. Maybe you sing for a cupcake.”

For now, she continues appearing at markets, events and fundraisers across Central Florida and taking cupcake orders through her website: www.sweetlittletreasures.carrd.co.  

Cream Cheese Frosting (with Pecans)

Buttercream Frosting (standard recipe)

Classic Vanilla Cupcake

Mom’s Hummingbird Cupcakes

Photos: Cindy Peterson