The Cupcake in the Age of Uninnocence
How Long Can this Cupcake Craze Really Last?
2009-11-24
By Courtney Nzeribe

Carrie Bradshaw, the main character in Sex and the City, coined the term The Age of Uninnocence.  She was referring of course to this particular time when amidst life's challenges grown ups seek the solace of nostalgia. Never has a TV series propelled so many phrases and inanimate objects into our pop culture and consciousness. Manolos, Cosmopolitans, and, to the joy or chagrin of many -- the cupcake.

Since the ladies from from the show made a habit of visiting  the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York,  cupcakes have leapt from a ho-hum existence on the kiddie circuit, to an explosion onto the world stage. A recent New York Times article touted the success of a cupcake store based in Dubai, a country and cuisine, by the way, that has no historical connection to cupcakes whatsover.

So far at least this boom continues to spread without a sign of bust, but the question remains, is this just the next new fad a la gourmet cookies, breakfast muffins and the first frozen yogurt freakout circa 1980, or is this sugar rush about to hit its peak? Many experts think a serious downfall is not only unlikely, but that the business still has room for exponential growth. For now, the competition to rule Cupcake Land is intense.

There are even turf wars among devotees, though they don’t particularly rise to Bloods vs. Crips rivalry. In Chicago you've got your Sweet Mandy B's people and you've got your Molly's people. Heaven forbid you should bring the wrong little cakes to the wrong crowd's house party. In Washington, there are Georgetown Cupcake fanatics and Hello, Cupcake! snobs.

How heated does it get? Two years ago, a virtual war of words broke out on the DC-area blogosphere when one critic of Washington's then cupcake king, CakeLove, suggested that the shop's chilled buttercream frosting was too dense and had a texture reminiscent of Crisco. After weeks of foodie flaming, owner Warren Brown was forced to launch a PR counter-offensive  to inform customers that fresh buttercream must be chilled by law and that people buying his cupcakes should wait fifteen minutes before eating for best results. But who wants to wait fifteen minutes to satisfy a cupcake jones?

Why has what amounts to an individually portioned cake captured and tugged at everyone’s hearts?

The explanation is probably simple.  Cupcakes invoke an almost involuntary response in people that goes back to childhood, nurturing mothers, and birthdays. Wars may be raging, violence at an all time high, the economy tanking and unemployment rising, but a cupcake is sure to bring a smile and make one feel special. It's an individual treat that is « just for me, and all about me».

According to Nancy Siler, Vice President of Consumer Affairs and Public Relations for Wilton Industries, the leading baking products manufacturer, the appeal of cupcakes "is that they are so versatile, can be many things, sizes, flavor combos,and can be baked by all levels. A cupcake is non-threatening.'

She sees the trend as «tradition with a twist». 'The product is mainstream, you see them at every celebration, but you are seeing creative flavor combos.  People will not give up sweets, they may eat less and smaller amounts, but they won't give them up.'

Jessie Oleson, creator of Cakespy.com and reknowned cupcake illustrator (yes, that is apparently a specialty), says the resurgence of crafts and the home arts  led by Martha Stewart have contributed to the cupcake craze. She remembers her first awakening with the at the Cupcake Cafe in Hells Kitchen New York City as a college student. In the midst of the grime and grit, she went through a silver door and found an oasis of a bakery with cupcakes lavishly and beautifully frosted. It was a moment of joy and discovery that kick-started her passion for all things sweet. 

In Seattle, where she lives now, Oleson says she can name ten separate cupcake businesses,  but she warns that the more saturated a market gets, only the strongest cupcake emporiums will survive.
"Taste is so wrapped up in memory. I love cupcakes, but I'm protective of the trend. I feel like I have a cupcake BS detector. I can tell if someone opened a shop to make a good business plan or if they have a genuine passion for baking.'

Oleson sees the trends and price points are more toward the  fancier and luxurious cupcakes with high level flavors and decorating, but says ' The cupcake industry hasn't reached critical mass yet. There are three things people will always love -- babies, puppies and cupcakes." 
 

Darius Williams of Cupcake Gallery, a newcomer to the game of cupcakes agrees. In larger, more urban areas, more value is placed on quality and locally sourced ingredients, but conscious creativity hasn't yet spread to the rest of America. Both agree many shops will go the way of the Mrs. Fields' imitators of years past, but the trend will continue to forge forward. In his opinion, the  cupcake shops with a great competitive edge will survive. 'Balance is the key. The frosting may be perfect, but the cake may be lacking and its hard to find a place where both are achieved with perfection.'

Williams is one of the many who've taken a leap of faith into Cupcake World. Creator of the food blog, EverydayCookin.com , he considered himself more of a cook than a  baker. He remembers the day vividly- January 26, 2009 - he decided to bake some red velvet cupcakes. Friends loved them and using the powerful tools of Twitter and Facebook, a plan gained momentum. Ironically he was laid off in his accounting and finance job during that period and the fledgling home based business morphed into a storefront. Raising $14k in capital from investors, he opened Cupcake Gallery just a few week ago. Ideally he would have been more comfortable having $20K to start. Still Williams projects sales of $325K in revenue his first year, having sold 1,938 cupcakes in his first seven days of operation.

What do serious chefs think about the new craze? Chef John Kraus of the French Pastry School in Chicago is happy to see a renewed focus on baking but for his part, Kraus just wants "a really good cake". He hopes see the trend to move away from flashy gimmicks and exotic ingredients and focus on the basics, meaning a core understanding of what constitutes good cake. Once you've mastered that, the rest is,  well, icing.

HOW TO BAKE A GREAT CUPCAKE

Nancy Siler of Wilton thinks all levels  of cooks can bake a cupcake. Wilton Industries provides a a wealth of information on all things baking at Wilton.com.

 Here are some tips and recipes from Wilton to guide you on your own Cupcake journey and recapture that age of innocence in these uninnocent times: All recipes are from their book Cupcake Fun published in 2006.

•         Make sure to read your recipe all the way through a few times before beginning, and preheat your oven as specified.
•         For consistent size, fill cups ½ to 2/3 full. Use an ice cream scoop to perfectly portion the batter, or squeeze it into baking cups with a decorating bag.
•         Add ¼ cup of sprinkles or jimmies to cupcake batter for a colorful confetti look.
•         Bake cupcakes on the middle rack of your oven and make sure that the rack is level so cupcakes bake evenly. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of cupcake. If it comes out clean (no sticky batter or crumbs), the cupcakes are done.
•         Add a surprise element to cupcakes with a tasty filling. Flavored whipped cream, chocolate, or fruit work particularly well.
•         Add ¼ cup of sprinkles or jimmies to cupcake batter for a colorful confetti look.
•         Cupcakes can look homemade or fancy. Spread icing with a small spatula for a natural look, or pipe it on for a more formal appearance. Garnish with crushed candies, shaved chocolate, chopped nuts, fresh berries, mint leaves, or edible flowers. Your imagination is the limit!

Some useful links on all things Cupcake:
Wilton.com
Cakespy.com
Cupcakes Take The Cake
The Cupcake Gallery 

German Chocolate Cupcakes
 2 1/4    cups all-purpose flour
                       3/4        teaspoon baking soda
                       3/4        teaspoon baking powder
                       1/4        teaspoon salt
3/4       cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2    cups granulated sugar
3          eggs    
6          ounces German sweet chocolate, melted 
1 1/2    teaspoons Wilton Clear Vanilla Extract                  
1 1/2    cups buttermilk
 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pan with baking cups.
 In medium bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs; mix well.  Add chocolate and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add dry ingredients in thirds altering with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth. Spoon batter into baking cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes.  Remove from pan; cool completely.
 Makes about 24 cupcakes.
Chocolate Buttercream Icing
   1/2       cup solid vegetable shortening
                        1/2       cup butter or margarine
                        1/2       cocoa powder
                        1/2       cup + 2 tablespoons milk
                        1          teaspoon Wilton Clear Vanilla Extract
                        5          cups confectioners' sugar (about 1¼ pounds)
 In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat well.  Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.  Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.  Continue beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes.
 Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until you are ready to decorate.  For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not using.  Rewhip before using.
 Makes about 3½ cups icing
 NOTE:  For deeper chocolate color, add 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted.