In recent times if you look on any cooking show or in any food magazine there is a very good chance you will find some form of cupcake recipe. Particularly around any of the major holidays pretty much any tv show related to the home or entertaining will be guaranteed to feature a gourmet cupcake recipe.
Off the back of this there has been a corresponding increase in the number of specialty cupcake shops that offer a bewildering array of different styles and flavors and have almost developed their own language in much the same way as the coffee shop industry has flourished in recent times.The recent fame and popularity of the cupcake could easily be explained by the human guilt factor - at the end of the day the cupcake, which is the smaller version of the fuller sister, doesn't feel as decadent or as extravagant as a large fancy cake all by itself.
Cupcakes began life as fairy cakes in England in the 19th century when afternoon tea was all the rage among the upper classes and the idea of baking individual cakes took off in the States at the same time where they became known as cupcakes because of the measuring utensil involved.
Roll forward to the 1990's and New York was establishing itself as cupcake central, particularly when Manhattan's swish Magnolia Bakery was featured in an episode of Sex and the City.Today there are speciality cupcake shops across New York and indeed across the US where the craze for this most individual of treats shows no signs of abating. Los Angeles in particular has gone gaga for cupcakes with Hollywood brimming over with bakeries devoted to producing top notch designer delights.
Baking You Own Cupcakes
There are numerous challenges associated with cupcake making, these can be grouped into two main areas; the batter and the cooking process. In an attempt to pack as much flavor such as chocolate into a cupcake it is very easy to "overweigh" the batter making it to heavy for it to rise creating a brownie style cake.Another issue often encountered by novice bakers is that the oven temperature must be exact, as a too hot or too cool oven will result in a sponge that's either brick hard or flat as a pancake! Invest in good hardware, such as non-stick cupcake pans, and spray your paper wrappers with a little oil so your cupcakes turn out just right.
Cupcake makers are the latest addition to the kitchen gadgets and appliances we now take for granted. Essentially a cupcake maker will produce a batch of cakes in as little as 10 minutes, making the process a much faster and less stressful one. Make your cupcake batter in exactly the same way but instead of preheating your oven, simply plug in your cupcake maker and once it's heated to the desired temperature, fill the non-stick baking cups with the mixture and put them into the machine.Cakes produced this way are more reliable than traditional methods because the machine allows you to bake as small or large a batch of cakes as you need and as its temperature is pre-programmed, there's no danger of your cakes failing to rise.
Sandra Thomas is a working mum of three who writes about cupcakes, cupcake makers, and fashion. Her interests include home baking and personal fitness and shopping for clothes.