When is a bun not a bun?

Baggs

So-called fairy cakes were always buns where I grew up: Yorkshire and Lancashire.

I always thought the term "fairy cake" came from the States.

I think they call them cupcakes actually.

Oreo

His parents were very old if they lived in the 18th century😁
A Northern colleague calls a cupcake a bun so maybe a regional thing.

😂😂😂

keepingquiet

Witzend

It’s a regional thing. A friend from Sheffield alway called what I call fairy cakes, buns.

Yes, from Yorkshire too- we had chocolate buns, butterfly buns, snow buns all kinds of buns if they were baked in a little fluted case.

I never heard of fairy cakes, and certainly cup cakes or muffins until recently.

I miss proper buns!

They were always fairy cakes or butterfly cakes when I was growing up. To me, a bun suggests something dough-based (with the honourable exception of Black Bun, of course) - such as a Chelsea Bun or Cinnamon Bun.

NotSpaghetti

Baggs

So-called fairy cakes were always buns where I grew up: Yorkshire and Lancashire.

I always thought the term "fairy cake" came from the States.

I think they call them cupcakes actually.

Fairy cakes aren't cupcakes.

Cupcakes are great big things with too much icing.

Fairy cakes are smaller, could have some glacé icing or not, currants or not. Ideal to make with children.

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/fairycakes_93711

Definitely a bun was dough-based, for me growing up in London. A Chelsea Bun was a thing of joy, as was an Iced Finger Bun, very plain but with a delicious white icing on the top.

A cake is something completely different; however, DH calls my rock cakes "rock buns" .. I still love him, though.

Cupcakes

Buns
Other styles available!

Yes, Allira but I was referring to the style rather than the size!
Cupcakes and muffins are both huge compared to fairy cakes but are cake rather than a dough product.

Yes, of course!

That's the best bun in my picture above. Made with yeast, of course, unwind slowly and enjoy.
Although the fresh buns we had at school break were excellent too.

To us a bun is any small yeasted bread, sweet or not. Sometimes called roll. It's odd really; hamburger bun, dinner roll, hot cross bun. So interchangeable usage of the word, but always yeasted.

A small cake would be a cupcake, iced or not. Less sweet and denser, it would be a muffin.

Cupcakes are an American invention, invented by an Amelia Simmons apparently.

I call small cakes cupcakes nowadays.
Until my grandson informed me that buns are bread, I always called them buns. That’s because, as I said up thread, I was brought up in the north west where small cakes were buns.
I don’t like the name fairy cakes, it does sound a bit twee to me.

madalene

I call small cakes cupcakes nowadays.
Until my grandson informed me that buns are bread, I always called them buns. That’s because, as I said up thread, I was brought up in the north west where small cakes were buns.
I don’t like the name fairy cakes, it does sound a bit twee to me.

They were fairy cakes for as long as I remember, my Mum used to make them for us.

Well there you are allira.
It’s all about where you were brought up.

My deluded husband was from south Wales. I’m from southern England where we have lardy cakes, which are made from bread dough so not cakes at all.

Lardy cake is an entirely different beast!

My dad was from South Wales and called it "Lardy Bread"

gulligranny

Definitely a bun was dough-based, for me growing up in London. A Chelsea Bun was a thing of joy, as was an Iced Finger Bun, very plain but with a delicious white icing on the top.

A cake is something completely different; however, DH calls my rock cakes "rock buns" .. I still love him, though.

I remember those iced fingers and buns were definitely made with yeast dough. Granny didn’t make cakes but used to buy lemon, orange nd chocolate cup cakes in a pack of 6. Mum made rock cakes and plain cakes. I’m also from the SE.

Baggs

OldFrill

When is a bun not a bun?
When it's a Black Bun.

Still a bun really though, OldFrill. A Scottish speciality. It's a lump (bun) of fruit wrapped in pastry, isn't it?

Black bun is rich fruit cake, like Christmas cake, wrapped in pastry so not bun like. Deep frying optional

Always fairy cakes or butterfly cakes for us in Hampshire where I grew up.

Buns were always yeast based, Currant buns, Cinnamon buns or my very favourite Belgian buns (with icing and a cherry on the top.) Hot cross buns

we had Baps for Burgers or hot sausages, not my favourite type of Bun.

I’m in Oxfordshire now and I think it’s the same here, it is in our house anyway!

But Larry cakes are bread based but with, well, lots and lots of Lard. Shudder…..

Oops Lardy cakes, auto correct to blame

Baggs

So-called fairy cakes were always buns where I grew up: Yorkshire and Lancashire.

I always thought the term "fairy cake" came from the States.

Don’t they call them cup cakes across the pond? Which are in any case bigger.

My mother always called them fairy cakes as far back as the 50s, which is as far as I can remember.

Don’t they call them cup cakes across the pond? Which are in any case bigger.

Everything's bigger across the pond 😂

MrB is from south Wales. He doesn't remember ever having small iced (or un-iced) cakes but the expression 'cup cakes' rang a bell. Actually he doesn't remember ever having birthday cake either!!!

Me, I'm sticking with buns. Which is kinda odd for me because it is said that the word bun perhaps derives from Old French bugne meaning a swelling, whereas cake derives from Old Norse kaka. Normally I favour more northerly (Norse/Germanic) words, but I suppose I'm covered both ways here since buns are cakes/cake-ish whatever anyone calls them.