To know that we are ga-ga for cupcakes here in Canada and the U.S., all you have to do is check my reader stats. Consistently each week, my posts about gourmet cupcakes and cupcakes in a jar are among my top read pages (it’s true!).
Well, it seems that our affection for these hand-held cakes was so infectious that it spread to the U.K. (I can only imagine that it was lurking in the ventilation system of some transatlantic airplane). According to this article, cupcakes, long viewed as a treat for kids in England, have transitioned to be a stylish grown-up indulgence featured at weddings, adult birthday parties and posh bake shops more often. Likewise, this cake love has even spread to Italy; according to this blog, Italians are in the throes of cupcake mania, too. (Still no reports of anyone in Europe serving them at funerals in those countries but perhaps they’ll grow into that practice in time, too.)
All I can say is — what took them so long?
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No idea ;-P! I love cupcakes and have been eating them since long…
Cheers,
Rosa
Not only in the UK–apparently they’re becoming a big hit in Italy, too! Check out this post from the Eat Me Daily blog: http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/02/italy-goes-wild-for-cupcakes/
Cheers!
Thanks Laurie! FYI: that link is also embedded above.
Interesting, I don’t know why this little cake is so popular?
Cheers,
Elra
Are fairy cakes roughly equivalent to cupcakes?
For a little while, I was the only American working at a German bakery, and my German co-workers were disgusted by how sweet American desserts are. I can’t imagine any of them eating a cupcake. It’ll be interesting to see how far the trend travels.
Yes, I think Fairy Cakes are the same as cupcakes.
I know what you mean about sweetness tolerance levels being different in different cuisines – that’s why I was surprised by the Italian reaction to cupcakes in particular.
I’m surprised they’re just catching on now. The Brits love sweets. When I lived there the shops were bursting with one-person treats. But now that I think of it, no cupcakes. Fascinating.
I love everything about cupcakes … except making them. The cupcake craze certainly took NYC by storm a few years ago and LA too, I understand. Interesting that Europe has hopped on the bandwagon as well.
Btw, I clicked your funeral link, Dana – and am thoroughly amused!
Dana, hi
I saw your comment on Clothilde’s site about Maple Walnut. You are so right.
After Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry, Maple Walnut was the most exotic ice cream I’d ever tasted.
Hazel- was it your favourite, too? It was an even tie for me between Maple Walnut and Neopolitan which combined all three of the other flavours you mentioned!
For those of you who have no idea what the heck Hazel and I are talking about, she and I both visited the Chocolate & Zucchini site today:
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2009/02/maple_pecan_ice_cream.php
Diva – did you get my email yesterday? Hope so. And, glad to see we share a dark sense of humour!
Dark as night, Dana, dark as night!
I did get your email and the recipe looks scrumptious! I can’t thank you enough for it – and when I finally get my hands on a goose, I’ll let you know how I fare.
Thanks so much for taking the time to send it to me. I’m sorry I didn’t respond to the email right away … “real life” has been interfering with my online exploits.
These cupcakes look fabulous and I love the cupcakes in a jar idea. I love your blog! I’m so glad I found you on facebook and I want to subscribe to your blog. Hope to meet you in Denver! Alison Lewis http://www.ingredientsinc.net
Alison with your positive attitude I hope you’ll drop by more often! See you in Denver at the IACP conference and in the meantime here and on FB!
Nice cupcakes… I always have problem with my cupcakes, as soon as I got it out from the oven, it would sink…
Hmm. Selba that sounds like your cupcakes aren’t fully baked to me.
It seems that I need go get to it and make some cupcakes!
Immediately if not sooner Kevin!