Cup cakes

"Where did cupcakes come from?" The name originated in the US because the cakes were originally baked in pottery cups. Then along came muffin pans and/or paper liners. The sponge mixture is the same as fairy cake mixtures. The topping can be a mountain of frosting! Or not!

Yes….. it’s buns here too. As shelflife says - nothing like a wee bun with a cup of tea.

It must me a North American term, because I have never heard of a fairy cake. A cup cake to me is any light cake recipe divided into individual size portions, and iced with any type of icing.

We have traditional muffin-tins which are used for muffins or cupcakes. Usually a paper liner, and an average cake recipe would make 24 cupcakes.

I know I see cupcakes in bakeries now with more butter icing than cake, but that is a recent thing; perhaps American culture creeping into Canada as well. If served one at a party, I still eat it with a fork and knock off most of the icing. Children will eat it using their hands, licking the icing off first!

Always called buns when l was a child, - currant buns , butterfly buns plain with pink icing and sprinkles on top. I think cup cakes originated in America. My Mum made buns and I do the same - nothing fancy , just buns - lovely in the afternoon with a drink of tea!

I had one sent from the US years ago, but lost it and found this Hummingbird one that is the same (or very similar). I've used this for about 12 years now

www.goodto.com/recipes/the-hummingbird-bakery-vanilla-cupcakes

Sadly, losing recipes is a repeat offence of mine, maybe because I write them on the back of birthday cards and stick them in recipe books, instead of being properly organised......

I use a basic Madeira cake recipe for cupcakes and sponge recipe for fairy cakes.

So how is the recipe different? Can you give a recipe? - I was honestly under the impression it was basic Victoria sandwich with extra flavourings.

I like cupcakes, and although I also like fairy cakes, I think the bigger (and different recipe) cupcake has advantages.
They keep better than fairy cakes.
As they are bigger, you can decorate them rather more lavishly, which is lovely for parties. It is also quite easy to buy small sugar ornaments or rice-paper decorations to put on each one.
One of my children, 40 years ago, asked for his birthday cake to be small individual cakes, each with a candle 'so everyone doesn't stare at me'. I found the cupcake recipe to be easier than fairy cakes. We then found that children like to take their individual cake home, instead of a crumbly slice, and it became a family tradition, carried on with his children. It also came into its own since Covid, with each child at an outdoor party having their own cake.
As for being bigger, you can cut them in 2 much more easily than fairy cakes.

When I was a child, cupcakes came, bought, in a box of half a dozen. The cakes were in paper cake cases, the cake mix didn't come to the top and the rest of the space to the top of the case was filled with icing (often chocolate, if I remember). The top of the complete cake with icing was flat.

I think the ratio of icing to cake is top-heavy in cupcakes.
That's why I don't like them beth20

Yes, fairy cakes every time Ex-Dancer

Perhaps we should tell GNHQ as we have to type cupcake if we want the emoji

It’s another Americanism we seem to have adopted I still call the fairy cakes I won’t be swayed!

Even the look of cup cakes put me off, typical American sugar load of icing. One of the fun times at Granny’s for our two GDs was baking fairy cakes with a variety of different coloured icing.

Another bug bear is the word Movies. It seems we no longer watch films! Sorry ExDancer, don’t want to derail your thread with more Americanisms that annoy me.

This was in the What's On TV Guide Link to The Great British Baking Book
whattowatch.com/bakingbook
nice free download

I think they are called cupcakes because the ingredients are measured in cups.

Yes, I think it is American.

I agree with Beth20. The buttercream is way too much.

I don't have a sweet tooth and inwardly groan when someone offers me a cupcake which I then feel obliged to eat. I find them far to sweet and sickly.

Another vote for fairy cakes over cupcakes from me, and the Gchildren. We like butterfly cakes the best, especially if I put a drop of jam in the cavity before covering it up with butter icing.
I think the ratio of icing to cake is top-heavy in cupcakes.

I think cup cakes originated in the USA not surprising they are twice the size of our fairy cakes as everything else American seems to be ?. I find them a bit greasy and prefer the lighter texture of our fairy cakes.

Totally agree, it’s rubbish. I don’t like the sound of them, so pretentious. Like you, I have been making them for years without calling them that. Butterfly cakes, chocolate cakes, currant buns all sorts of things.