All hail the cupcake!

Ah the glorious cupcake, all soft sponge and delicious icing peeping out of a little cake holder and only a cup-of-a-cake so surely not sinful like a whole SLICE of a cake.  Ah glorious little cupcake how I love thee so.  And apparently I’m not the only one…

On a recent trip to D.C. I gazed in wonder at a queue of people snaking out of the door and down the street from Georgetown Cupcake, everyone waiting in line as if to get their hands on tickets for a major gig, not a bite or two of sponge and icing.  My weekend travels got me thinking, how crazy is this cupcake craze? 

New York City’s Magnolia Bakery gave the cupcake cult status when it was featured on Sex and the City.  The single portion size, nostalgia factor and affordability of this sweet treat have also contributed to the growth of this market that accounts for multi-millions of dollars in America.  Britain, as we know, likes their own slice of the action and the UK market grew by 13.6% in the last year, with an estimated market of £34 million that is made up of supermarket sales, couture cakes and even Greggs the bakers – Scottish high street “bakery” and peddler of the sausage roll and fudge donut combo – got in on the action!

Talking of donuts, when I last lived in the US, back in 2002-03, the delectable Krispy Kreme donut was all the rage and cupcakes were nowhere to be seen, now you can buy a KK in your local supermarket and they’re drier and not as coveted as they used to be, turns out the Krispy Kreme family grew too large and consumers lost their passion for these glazed delights.  

Commentators are divided on the cupcake boom, some believe their prestige will fade like the Krispy Kreme donut, or be overtaken by a new hit, I notice the French macaroon has been making appearances in glossy fashion mags and TV shows such as Gossip Girl, could it be next to the throne?  For the time being, bakers, marketeers and consumer spending would suggest that our appetite for cupcakes hasn’t peaked yet, and on that note, I’m off for my next sugar rush…                    

The above delights are from Cupcake Couture, drool over their site: www.cupcakecoutureusa.com 

or visit one of their locations around the USA.