I keep going back to read this article and I really think there’s some truth to what the guy says. Essentially, his argument is that the cupcake will never lose its place in bakeries the country over as Supreme Bakery Item. Reasons for this maxim include the ease of making them, adorability, versatility, and low costs for both the bakers and the customers. Of course, there are many wonderful bakery items that come newly onto the scene everyday, but the chances are dim that we’ll find anything better than the cupcake to fit all these criteria.
It’s true, to an extent, that cupcakes are a trend that’s catching on like wildfire; people want to buy these utterly adorable little confections. And, yeah, while there’s something to be said for one or two cupcake shops, I question the staying power of many others. The skeptic would call the cupcake a marketing gimmick. I call it something people buy for a reason. I love the miniature indulgence of a personal cake, a pocket-sized (if not bite-sized) treat with infinite flavor combinations that range from straight-out-of-the-box chocolate cake with white icing to PB&J, Bananas Foster, and seasonal key lime.
The other day, after dropping off a package at UPS and thinking about how I hadn’t eaten a single indulgent thing that day, I drove across the parking lot when I stumbled upon what I came to discover was the new Carrollton storefront of The Kupcake Factory. As a grammarian and someone who eagerly participated in the district spelling bee, I cringe at this name, especially because the K is 100% unnecessary. Usually, the argument for changing a C to a K is if the next word starts with a K, too. Factory does not start with K, so the misspelling of cupcake REALLY gets under my skin. All the same, I decided I really needed a baked good, so I went inside to grab something. I was thoroughly pleased by the Reese’s Pieces cupcake I got. The cake is not spongey and simply moist the way most cakes are/aim to be (homemade or bakery-bought); rather, it was dense and fudgey, more like a brownie than a cake. There was also an unforeseen dent in the cupcakes surface, which would be aesthetically unsettling if not for the fact that it functioned as a sort of bowl for the amazing whipped peanut butter icing. I am quite picky with icings, but this was sweet and light and creamy, truly peanut-buttery and not the gritty or saccharin or blatantly artificial-tasting icing that is, tragically, found at so many other places. You can also see the bitty Reese’s Pieces fairy dust that added a nice touch.
For me, at least, it’ll take a lot for cupcakes to go out of style.
