When is a bun not a bun?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

😂😂😂

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.

watermeadow

I looked up bun recipes only to find lots of fairy cakes. To me, buns are made from a yeast dough which you knead and leave to rise.
Fairy cakes are made from a cake mixture - butter, flour, sugar and eggs.
My husband used to call small cakes buns so I had to divorce him but he does not seem to be alone in this depravity. Is it a regional thing? Or an 18th C thing ( his parents were old)

A fairy cake is a fairy bun when you live in Devon.

Fairy cakes are what we called butterfly buns (NW).

Must try that OnP, maybe with a spot of jam underneath the cream 😋

Baggs

Even those ones you cut a cone out of at the top, in to the hole of which you put some butter icing, and then stuck the two halves of the cone back in like ears.... they were still buns 😀

On special occasions, we made butterfly buns with real cream (whipped) instead of the usual butter icing. Mmmm, lovely.

Shelflife

I was brought up in Yorkshire, fairy cakes are buns there !

They were always just 'buns' in my little corner of West Yorkshire too.
There were sometimes recipes for 'fairy cakes' in books and magazines, but I remember thinking that sounded very twee.
I never heard anyone call them called 'cup cakes' back then.

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!

My adopt. Mother came from Yorkshire and would agree with you watermeadow regarding buns and fairy cakes.
US fairy cakes are called cup cakes or they were when I was in NY in 2008.

Even those ones you cut a cone out of at the top, in to the hole of which you put some butter icing, and then stuck the two halves of the cone back in like ears.... they were still buns 😀

We never called them fairy cakes or cup cakes they were buns. Mum made them , sometimes iced ( if we were very lucky!) but often with currants in. I can see them now in Mums kitchen - happy days!!

We used to call small cakes buns. I was brought up in the north west. No such thing as a bread bun existed, only barm cakes or rolls.

Now I’ve moved to the south (many years ago now) I call small sponge cakes cupcakes. I have never called them fairy cakes. I bake often and sometimes make cupcakes. I never buy them. Shop bought ones are disgusting, over sweet and artificial tasting.

Agree with Baggs - we always called small, sweet cakes, buns.

I think 'bun' covers all kinds of small, sweet cake-like things.

When it’s in the oven!

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?

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 was brought up in Yorkshire, fairy cakes are buns there !

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

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

Regional