When I arrived in this morning one of my team had placed a cutting from today’s Daily Mail on my desk and you’ve guessed it was all about cupcakes!
The article is very amusing, it’s written by a ‘grumpy male mid-lifer’ – the authors words not mine! It talks about the current obsession with cupcakes and quotes other magazines such as vogue, apparently
“owning a cupcake bakery is the career fantasy of our times”
Swirls of buttercreamed cupcakes are taking over the world - here seen in Singapore!
He describes cupcakes as “ghastly confections” – I have to partially agree with him here as I have seen, and I’m sure many of you have too, cupcakes that can only be described as ghastly!
He reiterates the story I’ve heard many times, that the cupcakes first took off, in 2000, with the help of the fictional protagonists of Sex in the City, who dropped in for dainty treats at the (real) Magnolia Bakery in New York. Does anyone know if there is any truth in this urban myth?
I know that I was one of the first cake designers in the UK to publish cupcakes in a book, each cake in my Storybook cake book has matching cupcakes to compliment the main cake. I created this book in early 2003 put I don’t remember back to what had influenced me to persuade my publishers to include these little bites of delight!
Going back to the article, it is interesting to read what people are saying:
“Some people say the rise of the cupcake is a sign of decadence – all that sugar and carbs in a pretty little shell. Others tell you it’s about control – a tiny treat in a minimalist package, just enough to say: ‘I’m worth it’. Other cupcake commentators say they bring comfort in uncertain times, coming in the shape of an affordable micro-pleasure”
I love cupcakes, baking and decorating these wonderful little cakes is simply fun, rewarding and not too time consuming.
Who could resist eating a handcrafted cupcake? No-one I know!!
Lindy's simple stylish Cupcakes, nothing ghastly about these!
We’d love to hear your comments on this article
Happy Baking
Lindy
I don’t know what is so special about today – 1st Feb 2010 but I’ve just found another cupcake article, this time in todays Times Online entilted “Cupcakes have gone cool -Succumb to the sickly charms of a cupcake, the most fashionable treat of our times“
“Who could resist eating a handcrafted cupcake? No-one I know!!”
Actually, I often find that, when presented with a beautifully handcrafted cupcake the first thing people say is “Oh, it looks too good to eat”.
They usually resist for a while, just leaving it to one side to admire, but eventually they give in to temptation and the cake is gone!
Mandy