It happened so gradually that we didn’t even notice. One day they were a pretty unassuming desert, the sort of thing eaten by cartoons and dolls heavily marketed towards girls. For most of us, they didn’t even seem like a real thing, more like what a kid would draw if asked to draw a dessert.

Yet here we are. Somehow, when we weren’t looking, cupcakes became the very height of dessert chic.

To learn their secret, it is necessary to go back to the very beginning of cupcake history, lost in the mists of time.

History of the Cupcake

We don’t know exactly where the cupcake came from. There’s no sign of cupcakes anywhere along the Bayeux Tapestry and they isn’t a single mention of them in the Magna Carta.

In American Cookery, a recipe book by one Amelia Simms, published in 1796, there was a recipe for “a cake to be baked in small cups”, while the actual term “Cupcake” was first seen in Eliza Leslie’s “Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes and Sweetmeats”.

Around the dawn of the 20th century Fanny Merrit Farmer instructs readers on how to bake individual cakes in tin cups, with the more modern paper cup not arriving until after the First World War. The commercial cupcake as we know it today hit the shelves shortly before World War II.

Throughout that time their small size- big enough to satisfy a craving, but small enough to eat by yourself, has been a big selling point. The versatility of the decoration is also a plus. You can make cupcakes as fancy or as simple as you like, with all the colours of the rainbow at your disposal. They’re versatile enough to work for afternoon tea, a mid morning coffee break, or even a formal party such as a wedding reception.

By now there’s also a heavy amount of nostalgia attached to the cupcake. It takes you back to childhood, and all those cartoon and picture book cupcakes you remember.

Cupcake Renaissance

Recently the cupcake renaissance has been fuelled by other factors as well. With cupcake shops like the Magnolia Bakery being featured on Sex in the City, and Martha Stewart recently releasing a cook book entirely about cupcakes, they’re currently considered the height of fashion.

Meanwhile, hit US cupcake maker, “Sprinkles” is hunting through London to find the perfect location for a bakery with a “cupcake ATM”. The machine, which will run for 24 hours a day, will have a bakery replenishing it through the day and night to ensure the cakes never get stale.

However, perhaps the big advantage of the cupcake is, while we all enjoy buying luxury, stylised cupcakes from fashionable boutique tea rooms, they’re actually pretty straightforward to make at home. It’s possible to whip up a batch of cupcakes in half an hour, then hunt round the cupboards for frosting, sprinkles, jelly babies, or whatever it is you think should go on top of your cupcake. Sure, they might not look at dainty, but the best part about a cupcake isn’t the way it looks…

This post was written by Lean on Turkey, the UK’s leading resource for recipe ideas for all the family.

Chocolate Cupcakes

There aren’t many social occasions that couldn’t be improved with quality baked goods, especially if it’s a tedious meeting or the type of gathering that people feel obligated to attend. Good food can grease the wheels of many get-togethers, smoothing over tensions or reluctance with mouthfuls of tasty goodness. One of the easiest and most delicious of these options is cupcakes.

Over the past few years, cupcakes have had a renaissance. There are famous cupcake eateries in almost every large city, and even traditional events like weddings, have featured towers of the perfect-sized cakes. Maybe they’re slowly sliding out of the pop culture spotlight, but that doesn’t stop me from baking them for all sorts of occasions.

One of the best aspects of cupcakes is creativity. You can decorate them in a myriad of ways based on the theme you choose. They can be filled or iced, topped with powdered sugar designs or elaborate marzipan. With some simple tweaks of a recipe, you can make them healthy with carrots or fruit or stuff them with peanut butter. Truly, cupcakes offer unlimited opportunities for creativity.

I’ve tried a lot of cupcake recipes over the years, from simple to a thirteen-step process that had me biting my nails with the stress of it all. It was only through trial and error that I discovered what worked best with my personal entertaining style. I believe in feeding my guests good food, but I don’t want to spend all my time in the kitchen. Cupcakes are great for this, because I can make them the day before and ice them well in advance of the gathering. I also realized that I like to spend less time on the cake batter and emphasize the decorating aspect. Nothing works better for this than a one-bowl cake recipe.

You read that right!

This particular recipe has been a family favorite for two generations. In fact, it has been my birthday cake for as long as I can remember. The crumb is delicate and moist, and chocolate is my absolute favorite. Some years I slather peanut butter icing on top (homemade, of course!) while other years inspire me to dust it with powdered sugar and tiny violets from the garden.

One word of caution, don’t bring the water to a full boil. After adding the water, mix everything else into the batter then add the eggs last. I always test the temperature of the batter with a finger. Don’t add the eggs when it’s still really warm or you’ll end up with chocolate cake with tiny pieces of scrambled egg in it. I know this because I served a new boyfriend my famous chocolate cake dotted with yellow, cooked egg. Luckily he had a sense of humor about it, and he asked me out again. Enjoy!

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

¾ cup cocoa

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1 ½ cups boiling water

¾ cup corn oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Grease and flour your cake pan, tapping out all the excess flour. Place ingredients in a bowl, mix until smooth. (Add eggs last after batter has cooled slightly to prevent cooking the egg separately.) Bake in a 9×12 pan, in 2 9-inch round cake pans, dozen muffin/cupcake tin (you’ll probably end up with extra batter) or large bread loaf pan. Bake at 350º for 35 minutes for the 9×12 pan. You will need longer baking time if you use the other pans.

Amy L Overley is a freelance writer and editor and explorer of creativity. She’ll try her hand at anything remotely crafty including wedding favors. She blogs regularly about her adventures and the humorous results of her creative exploits.

Cupcakes

Cupcakes have always been popular with children, but in recent years they have been gaining ground with adults.  Cupcake bakeries are sprouting up all over the country, elevating cupcakes from a child’s snack to an elegant dessert for grown-ups.  However, they are easy enough to bake yourself and you don’t need a bakery to make them special.  Just a little extra effort will make your cupcakes unforgettable.

Fillings

Filling your cupcakes is the easiest way to make them more sophisticated.  Simply fill your cupcake tray halfway and then add your favorite center and cover it.  Jams, peanut butter, cookie dough, fudge, or cream cheese are just a few of the possibilities.

Toppings

Sprinkles are the traditional cupcake topping, but edible glitter gives cupcakes an edge.  You can also put something on top of your cupcakes that hints at the filling inside.  For example, if you are making a chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake, add a mini cookie to the top.

Decorating

Gone are the days when applying icing with a knife was sufficient.  A pastry bag and assorted tips are needed to really dress up your cupcakes.  A decorative swirl looks beautiful and is a great canvas for toppings.  To use less icing, try using a star tip in your pastry bag and dotting small or large stars to top your cupcake.

These simple tips will make your cupcakes standout.  By adding a variety of fillings, toppings, or decorations you can make a delicious grown-up dessert.

If it’s holiday time, it’s baking time in my kitchen.  My friend Susanne (The Hillbilly Housewife) created an instructive collection of baking books.  I’ve used them often.

You can get your copy here:

Baking Made Simple

Here is a favorite cupcake recipe I like to fix for Easter.  It comes from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook .  I always fall back on Martha!!