All Sugared Up.

Helloooooo… my Little Cupcake.

Oh the Cupcake.  How many of us have really taken the time to consider that lovely little cupcake.

First, of course, the obvious.  My need to define everything.  So a cupcake is basically  a small cake designed to serve one person.  And they are baked in their own cute little outfits.  Which are really small thin paper or aluminum cups.

Of course the Cupcake looks up to its older sibling…. the Standard Cake.  So it also may be decorated with icing and other cake decorations, such as candy, or sprinkles, or other tiny random objects… like little plastic soccer balls… or ghosts.

And who doesn’t love the cupcake?

Well, there are probably a few un-cupcakers out there.  But all and all?  People seem to like them with fervor.
And…. I’ll tell you this.  … it has become a term of affection.  Sort of.  I don’t really know anyone who calls their partner “Cupcake”…. but it seems like nefarious characters in film prefer the term.  “Helllllloooooo…. my Little Cupcake.”  (Put your creepy voice to that.)

It must be something about the shape and size.  People don’t call their loved ones… My Pie.  Or… My Cake.  It is always  My Cupcake.  My Muffin.  My Little Apple Strudel.  Or something.

Back to the Cake in a Cup.

The first mention of the cupcake can be traced as far back as 1796.  A pretty long time ago.  It was referenced when a recipe notation of “a light cake to bake in small cups” was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simmons.  My question is… who IS this Amelia Simmons?  And why WAS she baking in small cups?    My guess is friendly mice.

In England, they are called Faerie Cakes… and in Australia… they are Patty Cakes.  Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can….

Give one to the baby too.  After you’ve marked it with a B.

There are all sorts of BEST Cupcake Rankings in the U.S.  But … for my siblings…. here are a few in the top 100.
Fate Cakes in Columbus, OH
East End Cakes in Portland, ME
Cupcake Royale, Seattle, WA
Bernice’s Bakery, Missoula, MT

And if all of that were NOT enough?  I’ll tell you more.  The record for eating the most cupcakes in the shortest time is 29 cupcakes in 30 seconds.   I’m going to say the guys name was Elroy.  Or Tommy.

The statistic in the U.S. for consumption is this: On average, adults eat one cupcake per day.  Elroy and/or Tommy must be making up ground for the likes of me.  I haven’t had a cupcake in more than 35 years.

The world’s largest cupcake weighed over 1,200 pounds… and had over 2 million calories.  Personally, I think this should be classified as a cake.  But I’m not the records book lady.

And.  How about sheer volume?  The first “cupcake only” bakery is Sprinkles Cupcakes, opened in 2005. They make over 25,000 cupcakes a day from 11 locations.  Most of these are for Elroy.  Or Tommy.

So… my Sweeties.  My Pudding Pies.  My Sugar Cones…. that is all I know of the Cupcake.   And I only mention it because I care.  Without a solid understanding of the Cupcake…. where in the world would we be?

So have a cupcake today, and share the knowledge.  Share the Sprinke-Covered-Love.