The Times of London says cupcakes have "gone cool"

We say: When were they not cool?

But Lydia Slater in The Times says that they are suddenly super popular in London. She starts off by talking about Pearl Lowe and Danny Goffey's wedding, and then:

Speaking as someone who had gorgeously glittery cupcakes at her own wedding, seven years ago, I like to imagine I launched this trend. A more obvious kick-starter (cited by several cupcake-makers I spoke to) was the scene in Sex and the City when Carrie and Miranda dissected their love lives outside New York’s Magnolia Bakery, while stuffing their faces with its gooey wares. It may have been even more implausible than many other story lines (as if they would ever eat carbs), but suddenly cupcakes were cool. They gave out the same positive messages as Carrie’s accessories (cool, quirky, fun), but at a zillionth of the cost — and unlike the accessories, cupcakes have stayed fashionable ever since...

So, as Woolies lies emptied of its very shelving, the bakery business continues to boom. Primrose Bakery has just opened a sister store in Covent Garden. This, in turn, is rubbing shoulders with Candy Cakes, which is also expanding to more sites; meanwhile The Hummingbird Bakery (patronised by Elle Macpherson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Minnie Driver) is hoping to open its third store this year. “We were worried that it might be quiet because of the credit crunch, but it’s been quite the opposite,” says Tarek Malouf, the owner of Hummingbird. “We’ve had our busiest quarter since we opened.” For those who can’t face the queues, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook is out in March.

So what, exactly, is a cupcake? A long debate in the pages of Waitrose Food Illustrated came to the conclusion that the key difference between a cupcake and a fairy cake is down to the top — cupcakes, apparently, being flat and fairy cakes domed. Bakers, on the other hand, say the difference between the two is really about size and topping: a classic cupcake, slathered in buttercream, is about twice the size of a fairy cake, with its modest coating of fondant.

The Grand Bakery, Ontario

The Grand Bakery in Paris, Ontario, is a custom cupcake company, and is also on Flickr and Twitter and while, like many of the bakeries we write about, we haven't tried their cupcakes, but they look delicious! If I ever win the lottery, I will travel around and try all the cupcake bakeries out there. Until then, we have photos for you.


The Hostess with the Mostess cupcake - Chocolate cake, filled with our creamy buttercream, dipped in ganache, with another creamy swirl on top

Here's how they describe themselves:

The Grand Bakery is a made-to-order bakery specializing in cupcakes, special occasion desserts and wedding cakes.

We have a custom menu supplying over 50 varieties of cupcake flavors, as well as the option to customize your own flavors.

We use fresh, natural ingredients in all our products, including local farm-fresh eggs, real vanilla, real Belgian chocolate and sweet creamy butter.


Banana split cupcake - Banana cake topped with strawberry buttercream, a drizzle of chocolate, sprinkle of nuts and a cherry.


S'more cupcake - Graham cake filled with marshmallow cream, dipped in chocolate ganache, sprinkled with graham crumbs and topped with toasted marshmallow.


Lemon meringue cupcake - Lemon cake filled with fresh lemon curd, topped with meringue.

The Grand Bakery
Paris, Ontario (custom)
519-771-9051
krista at thegrandbakery.com

Gorgeous and plentiful VEGAN cupcakes

More in my ongoing love affair with vegan cupcakes -- how lovely are these?



From Eurovision Nicola, there are more than 100 chocolate raspberry vegan cupcakes with (quite bright) purple vanilla frosting topped with (edible) glittered fondant flowers. Recipe here.

What a beautiful birthday present!

Hip-Hop Cupcakes!

I know, you are probably still reeling from my admission about the Grateful Dead, but here's another shocker for ya: I love hip-hop. It's true! Actually, I like almost all music, with the notable exceptions of opera (I had a bad Deflatermouse once), country-western (I grew up in the south, sue me), and atonal jazz (my ex-husband's favorite). Anyway, back to the hip-hop love, I was thrilled to see these cupcakes, photo by zombie squirrels:




Excellent work!

Note: My birthday is April 5, and I'd be delighted if you guys got me hip-hop cupcakes. Confused, yes, but still happy!

Anti-Valentine's Day cupcakes

I'm not a hater, just alone on yet another Valentine's Day (insert tears and violin strings here). Maybe that's why these appeal so much to me.



These pretty yellow cake with dried cranberries cupcakes are topped with pink buttercream frosting and black-heart sprinkles. Thanks to photog Jennanana for the photo and inspiration.

Chinese New Year cupcakes -- delicate and lovely

I just love ccyhan's cupcakes. I try to blog about them whenever I see them (and whenever they are not adults-only (click here only if you are of legal age)).

I missed the Chinese New Year the other day (it snuck by me) so I was happy to see cchyan's Chinese New Year's cupcakes on Flickr.


Lovely!



Sweet!



Pretty!


These cupcakes are banana chocolate chip with cinnamon cream cheese frosting and fondant toppers she made herself. So delicate!

Valentine's Cupcakes are starting up

I know we've hardly even gotten through Super Bowl Sunday, but there are Valentine's Day cupcakes already popping up all over.

Here's one set from Flickr user cakeflower featuring Chocolate cupcake, vanilla buttercream, fondant decoration

Flower cupcake closeup

Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been running all over San Francisco. So far I found some pretty good cupcakes at Peet's Coffee of all places. Off to the East Bay for a few days, not sure if I'll get to any bakeries but I'm doing my best! Thanks for all your suggestions.

Here's a flower cupcake closeup from Flickr user paulahennig

Moonbaby Cakes at Loving Cup in Russian Hill

Moonbaby Cakes at Loving Cup in Russian Hill
Originally uploaded by Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake

Taste report TK!

Hello_naomi's latest cupcakes

Beloved cupcake creator hello_naomi has posted her latest offering on Flickr, enchanged garden cupcakes:

Mixing Bowl Announces Cupcake Recipe Contest

New recipe site Mixing Bowl is having a cupcake recipe contest!

$200 + A chance to be featured in Mixing Bowl magazine

Contest ends on March 2, 2009.

We'd love to know: What's your most creative cupcake recipe? Does it feature a fluffy frosting or a gooey chocolate filling? Is it topped with special candies, or delicate curls of fruit? Whatever your take on the perfect cupcake is, we'd love to see it. Enter your recipe today for a chance to win $200 -- plus, a featured spot in the new Mixing Bowl magazine. Don't forget, you must submit a photograph of your recipe to be eligible to win.

Also, Cupcakes Take The Cake has a group on Mixing Bowl. Join us and share recipes!

Cute cupcake cake

A very adorable twist on the cupcake cake, by Chicago's The Bleeding Heart Bakery, via Flickr.

Cupcake bakeries on Twitter

photo by Flickr user sylvia@intrigue/@akaSylvia on Twitter

I've probably missed some, but here's what I've got for what will hopefully be a a master list of cupcake bakeries and cupcake companies on Twitter (meaning those who sell cupcakes). If we missed you, email cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com and we'll add you to this post. They're in alphabetical order.

And we know lots of you cupcake bloggers also are on Twitter; those will have to be dealt with in another post, at a future date.

Angelina Cupcake (@angelinacupcake)

Awfully Nice (@AwfullyNice)

BabyCakesNYC (@BabyCakesNYC)

BabyCakes Online Bakery (@gourmetsweets)

Baked by Melissa (@bakedbymelissa)

Billy's Bakery (@billysbakerynyc)

Blue Door Bakery (@bluedoorbakery)

Bubblecake (@itsbubblecake)

Butter Lane (@butterlane)

Cake Love (@cakeloveinfo)

Carefree Patisserie (@carefreecupcake)

Charmed Cupcakes (@1charmedcupcake)

Clever Cupcakes (@clever_cupcakes)

Coastal Cupcakes (@CoastalCupcakes)

Coco Cake Cupcakes (@cococakecupcake)

Coco Loco (@cocolococupcake)

Confetti Cupcakery (@ConfettiCup8ke)

Couture Cupcakes (@CoutureCupcakes)

Crave Cupcakes (@CRAVEHouston)

Crumbs and Doilies (@crumbsandoilies)

The Cupcake Bar (@thecupcakebar)

Cupcake Berlin (@cupcakeberlin)

Cupcakes by Kara (@cupcakesbykara)

Cupcake Chic (@cupcakechic)

Cake Fetish (@cakefetishabq)

Cupcake Jones (@cupcakejonespdx)

Cupcake Momma Singapore (@cupcakemommaSG)

Cupcakeology (@cupcakeology)

Cupcake Royale (@CupcakeRoyale)

Cupcakery (Thousand Oaks) @CupcakeryTO)

Cupcakes in Heels (Cupcakes in Heels)

Cupcakes (Vancouver) (@originalcupcake)

Cupcake Shoppe Raleigh (@bakeshopgirl)

Cupcake Station (@CupcakeStation)

CupcakeStop (@CupcakeStop)

The Cupcake Truck (New Haven, CT) (@cupcaketruck)

Cupprimo (@Cupprimo)

Cups & Cakes Bakery (@CupsCakesBakery)

Curbside Cupcakes (@CurbsideCupcake)

Delish (@Delish)

The Divine Cupcake (@divinecupcake)

Divine Desserts Etc. (@DivineDesserts)

Dozen Bake Shop (@dozenbakeshop)

Fair Cake London (@FairCakeLondon)

Fields of Cake (@fieldsofcake)

Flirt Cupcakes (@flirtcupcakes)

Flour and Sun Bakery (@flourandsun)

Foiled Cupcakes (@foiledcupcakes)

Frostings (@frostingsva)

Georgetown Cupcake (@GTownCupcake)

The Grand Bakery (@thegrandbakery)

Holy Cow Cupcakes (@HolyCowCupcakes)

Itsy Bitsy Bakeshop (@itsybitsybkshp)

Ivy Bakery (@IvyBakery)

Kickass Cupcakes (@kickasscupcakes)

Kiss Me Cupcakes (@KissMeCupcakes)

Kumquat Cupcakery (@Kumquatcupcakes)

Kupcake Kitchen (@kupcake_kitchen)

Just Baked (@JustBaked)

Just Cupcakes (@JustCupcakesVA)

L's Cupcake Cafe (@LsCupcakeCafe)

La Bella Cupcakes (@LaBellaCupcakes)

Lavender Bakery (@lavenderbakery)

Lenox Cupcakes (@lenoxcupcakes)

Little Cake Bakery (@lilcakebakery)

Little Cakes Cupcakes (@_LittleCakes_)

Little Miss Cupcake Paris (@lttlemisscupcake)

Living the Sweet Life (@sweetlifedenver)

Look Cupcake (@lookcupcake)

Lucy & Leo's Cupcakery (@LucyLeo)

Lulu's Cupcakes (@luluscupcakesAZ)

Lux Sugar (@luxsugar)

Main Street Cupcakes (@mscCupcakes)

Marilia Cupcakes (@MariliaCupcakes)

Meringue Bake Shop (@meringuebkshp)

The Marshmallow Grove (@MGCupcake)

Molly's Cupcakes (@mollyscupcakes)

More Cupcakes (@morecupcakes)

Nomelie Cupcakes (Nomelie Cupcakes)

OMG Cupcakes (@omgcupcakesnyc)

The Petite Cafe (@stuffedcupcakes)

Phoebe's Cupcakes (@phoebescupcakes)

Pink Cake Box (@pinkcakebox)

Polkadots: A Cupcake Factory (@polkadotsatx)

Princess Pea Cupcakery (@PPCupcakery)

Rebecca's Cakes/The Vegan Cake Girl (VeganCakeGirl)

Retro Bakery (@RetroBakery)

Rocket Queen Cupcakes (@Rketqueencupcak)

Roxie's Cupcakes (@RoxiesCupcakes)

Scrumptious Cupcakes (@scrumptiouscc)

The Shoppe Denver (@theshoppedenver)

Simply Cupcakes (@SimplyCupcakes)

Soft Spot Cupcakes (@SoftSpotCupcake)

Sprinkles Cupcakes (sprinklesaddict)

Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique (@SugarBlissCakes)

Sugar Inc. Cupcakes & Tea Salon (@AvaMisseldine)

Sugadeaux Cupcakes (@Sugadeaux)

Sugarbaby's Cupcakes (@Sugarbabys)

Sugar Beat Sweets (@SugarBeatSweets)

Sugar Cupcakery (@sugarcupcakery

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop (@SugarMamas)

Swallow Bakery (@SwallowBakery)

Sweet Avenue Bake Shop (@sweet_avenue)

Sweet! by Good Golly Miss Holly @SweetByHolly

Sweet Cakes Tulsa (@sweetcakes_)

Sweet City Cupcakes (@sweetcitykc)

Sweet E's Cupcakes (@SweetEonMV)

Sweet Hoboken @sweettweets343

Sweet Lorraine Bakeshop (@SweeterLorraine)

Sweet Pockets (@sweetpockets)

Sweet Ride SF (@SweetRideSF)

The Sweet Tooth Fairy @sweettoothfairy)

Swirlz Cupcakes (@swirlzcupcakes)

Teacake Bake Shop (@teacakebakeshop)

Tee and Cakes (@TeeandCakes)

Teenycake (@Teenycake)

Tickled Pink Cupcakery (@tickledpinkcake)

Tribeca Treats (@tribecatreats)

Trophy Cupcakes (@trophycupcakes)

Two Parts Sugar (Two Parts Sugar)

Two Sweet (@twosweetcupcake)

Ultimate Cupcake (@UltimateCupcake)

The Velvet Crumb (@TheVelvetCrumb)

Yummy Cupcakes (@yummycupcakesLA)

Zoe's Cupcake Cafe (@ZoesCupcakeCafe)

Now there's a cupcake!

I'm not totally sure what's going on with this cupcake from Seattle's Cupcake Royale. Is it cake topped by frosting, then more cake, then more frosting, or is that layer in between frostings another kind of frosting? Whatever it is, I think it's awesome. By Flickr user PunkJr

Neopolitan cupcake

This cupcake looks super cute to me. I'm not exactly sure why, but I think it's the way the flavors line up in the cake so nicely.

It's from Cupcake Chic in Springville, Utah, via Flickr.

It's layered chocolate & vanilla cake topped with strawberry buttercream frosting.

Tub of Cupcakes

Tub of Cupcakes, originally uploaded by nichellest.

Cupcakes are not only delicious, but are also beautiful and artistic.
Today, I was honored to be the subject (along with dozens of cupcakes) of a photo shoot by my friend Matty Baker, AKA The Drunken Photographer. Matty is a photoblogger and he was inspired to do this photo shoot by a photo spread that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz did of Whoopi Goldberg taken way back in 1984.

True to his last name, Matty also baked ALL the cupcakes, and used Magnolia Bakery's buttercream frosting recipe. The cupcakes were different flavors including lemon, vanilla and pineapple. BTW, I only ate one. It was a fun way to spend a slushy, snowy afternoon!

Excellent cupcake advice from Holiday Jenny

Holiday Jenny is selling this "Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake" print, suitable for framing, in various colors, for $26 in her Etsy store. See more of her work on Flickr.

Here's her entire description:

Actual print/lettering is much crisper than photo shows, due to glass.

Keep Calm And Have A Cupcake (vintage RED)

*original artwork and concept by Jenny & Aaron of Everyday is a Holiday
now available as a ready to frame matted print.

We are big fans of the "tribute with a twist". Taking an iconic idea/image...bringing a lil' bit of your own magic to it and ending up with something special in it's own right. Paying tribute has been at the core of our creative process since we started. We design brand new originals that hopefully evoke the feelings of having seen them before...on the vintagey walls of your past.
This piece is based on an old World War II era poster that was issued by the British government. During wartime, it was important to try to keep the public informed, and as free from panic as possible. The original poster read: "Keep Calm and Carry On" , and at the top there was a graphic of a crown to signify that this directive came from the King.
Well since then, a lot of people fell in love with this simple design and positive message and repro posters in all colors are now available.
What you see here is our cheeky take on that design icon...we offer a bit more incentive than simply "carrying on"...in order for us to "Keep Calm" there's gotta be some cupcakes involved!
This new print is based on our original painting. After months of being bogged down with handpainting each and every order we decided to finally offer it as a print that's quicker for us and more affordable for you.
The background color is vintage red...such a desirable tone...the color you can't seem to pass up when you're out shopping! We also offer this in pale pink, green and vintage red so look for those listings and if you can't find them just ask.

This is a high quality print of our 100% original painting. The printed image measures 8" x 10" within a 11" x 14" off-white shadowbox style mat. It's printed on archival paper and comes to you in a protective cellophane sleeve. These prints are signed and dated on back.

She's also selling this cute Valentine's Day cupcake 5" 1/2 x 7" x 3/4" wood mini plaque:

Rejected cupcakes for Jon Friedman's Rejected book party

My good friend, comedian, producer, writer and generally funny guy Jon Friedman (who I interviewed way back in 2005 in what I called "our funniest cupcake interview yet" - which I think still stands) runs a comedy show called The Rejection Show and just edited a book called Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped, and Canceled. His cousin Melissa Schack (also a Cupcakes Take the Cake interviewee) is just as into cupcakes as we are and blogs at Life in a Peanut Shell. She made cupcakes for last night's book party, which were sadly gone by the time I arrived very late (we seem destined not to meet).

Here's what she said about her cupcakes:

Tonight is the 'Rejected' book release party and what's a party without cupcakes? I offered my services to supply rejected cupcakes for tonight's festivities. I made hundreds of mini red velvets with chocolate and vanilla buttercream topped with red 'X's which I made from red candy melts. The idea for the X's came when I thought about the show Family Feud. Whenever a contestant got an answer wrong they would flash a huge red X! So, in my mind...X's denote rejection! I also made.......


"NO" cupcakes! These cuppies were vanilla cake using piped vanilla buttercream. I figured I could pretty much pipe anything negative on these cupcakes to represent the idea of rejection and "no" definitely qualifies as the #1 indication of rejection

I also must recommend this book, which, to my knowledge, doesn't have anything directly about cupcakes, but is extremely funny and inspiring if you've ever been rejected, from anything. There are relationship rejections as well as rejections from Saturday Night Live Weekend Update and The New Yorker and more. And for the record, I say that even though I myself got rejected from Rejected. But I forgive Jon cause he's one of the nicest people I know, and also very cute.

I'm sure there's a cupcake rejection story or 100 to be told as well...sometimes I bring cupcakes to parties and people decline, and I always wonder why. Not that they have to like cupcakes, but when people categorically say, "I don't like cupcakes," I am never quite sure how to respond. Usually it's with a mental, "More for me."

Baked by Melissa, take two

Next time I blog for someone to call me, I should probably provide some contact info, huh? How embarrassing. But, intrepid baker Melissa Bushell of Baked by Melissa found a way. Rachel and I met (separately) with Melissa today, at Cafe Bari on Broadway. (You can read Rachel's review here.)






Melissa, a 25-year-old entrepreneur, is bubbly and cupcake-happy. You can't help but like her. And, we share a common love for the Grateful Dead and tie-dyes! (My secret is safe with you guys, right?) Her business card has a tie-dyed backing! Love it.





These are gemstone cupcakes, only slightly bigger than a quarter (she calls them silver-dollar-size cupcakes, but I think that's pushing it slightly), sort of mini-minis, and are beautiful. Each one a tiny work of art -- and a sweet one at that.

My personal opinion is that the cupcakes do have a flour-y, baking soda taste, suggesting to me that the cake recipe needs some work, but the perfectly proportioned frosting is yummy, and the visuals are terrific. When I tried to pry baking secrets from Melissa she did admit that she used Google to search for "easy cupcake recipes" when she began. I'd love to see what some tinkering could do to the cake recipe she developed.

Melissa has a "family and friends" partnership with her web-developer 29-year-old brother, Brian Bushell, and another web-dev friend, Matt Baer (28), as well as Ben Zion, caterer. It's through Ben Zion that Baked by Melissa has been able to bring her cupcakes to events for Pepsi, AmEx, and Patron. I was charmed that Melissa spent time talking about how much as she adores her big brother and how lucky she is to have friends like Ben and Matt.

And now for the cupcakes:



















And a special cupcake for Valentine's Day:




While these cupcakes may not be for foodies, they'd be fantastic for events. I can pretty much guarantee the Oooohhh! factor. Adorable, tasty, pop-in-your-mouth easy, and some excellent flavor combos to choose from. Welcome to the wonderful world of cupcakes, Melissa, we're glad you are here.


More Baked by Melissa cupcake photos here; all photos by Stacie Joy.

February 10th is Free Cupcake Day at Retro Bakery Las Vegas

Those in Las Vegas will want to mark February 10th on their calendars: to celebrate their 1-year anniversary, Retro Bakery is giving away a free cupcake of your choice on that day! Congratulations to Retro Bakery on a great first year...and many more. Via Flickr

Diana Evans' cupcake art

Diana Evans makes really fun cupcake art, which she sells in her Etsy shop. These images are via her Flickr account; check them both our for lots more, as well as her blog.




Cupcake cards, for sale here

More on CupcakeCamp Toronto

CTV Toronto covers last weekend's CupcakeCamp Toronto:

Cupcake Camp isn't for the faint of heart.

Standing elbow-to-elbow, attendees jostled for position at the presentation table in the hopes of nabbing one of 1,000 cupcakes made by 40 amateur bakers.

The event, held Sunday in an art studio in Toronto's trendy Leslieville, attracted close to 400 cupcake connoisseurs who were there to share their passion for making and eating the icing-topped mini-treats.

"I don't work in a bakery. It's just something I do as a hobby," Amber Morden cheerfully shouted at the crowd as she presented a tray of red velvet cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. They were devoured in seconds by the hungry mob.

Move over, knitters. Step aside, scrapbookers. The latest hobby fad is the cupcake.

To meet increasing demand, craft and kitchen stores are stocking shelves with special cupcake tools, how-to books, stands and liners in a multitude of designs and colours.

Cupcake lovers, meanwhile, are finding new ways to share their passion and showcase their weekend projects. There are blogs, Facebook groups, Twitter pages and flikr accounts dedicated solely to making, sharing and indulging in the mini-cakes, called cuppies by devotees.

Food Network Canada covered it too, via their Twitter account and their photos on Flickr, of which we are graciously reprinting a few below. (Thanks!)

Nick Carter celebrates birthday with cupcakes

From People:



Donning an AC/DC vintage t-shirt on his newly svelte body, Carter celebrated downstairs at the Key Club in Hollywood Monday night. Backstreet buds Howie Dorough and A.J. McLean – taking a break from recording their upcoming album – even came by for a mini reunion to surprise their friend.

"They shut off all the lights and did a surprise for Nick downstairs early in the night," says an onlooker. "They all yelled surprise and they had cupcakes for him."

Little bro, Aaron, hung out with the birthday boy in the VIP section where guests, including former 'N Sync singer J.C. Chasez, enjoyed a tower of Sprinkles cupcakes and jammed to a live performance by the house band, Steel Panther.

Baked by Melissa = totally delicious!

We will have more coverage and an interview soon, but I just wanted to do a quick post saying how much I adore the mini cupcakes from NYC custom cupcake company Baked by Melissa. Owner Melissa Bushnell is only 25, and after getting laid off last year, turned her passion for cupcakes into a business.

The minimum order is 100 cupcakes, which retail for 90 cents each (plus a $5 delivery charge; she delivers in Manhattan). She said that over 6 weeks of selling at holiday markets in three city parks, she estimates she sold 45,000 cupcakes!

They come in a pizza box - these were a smaller selection, but she has a special box that holds 100 of them too:



Now, when I say mini, these are mini mini. I've never seen smaller cupcakes, but they couldn't be more delightful. You can really taste the flavors, even in this minute form. I really loved the chocolate peanut butter. And the s'mores. And the peanut butter and jelly...



She gifted this blog with some of her mini delights, including 6 of her 7 flavors (there were no red velvet). I tried: Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Cup, S'Mores, Tie-Dye, Cookies N Cream, Peanut Butter & Jelly and a special one she's making for Valentine's Day, which is chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and pink and red sugar crystals on top.



The inside of the tie-dye cupcake:



Inside the s'mores cupcake:



I both loved the cupcakes, even though I limited myself to one of each (okay, two for the peanut butter cup) so I could share the rest, and also loved Melissa's drive and passion. She has limited her flavors at the moment because she is busy with orders and has plans to expand in the future. You'll hear more about her plans in our interview with her next week, but I can see these for parties or corporate events.

Baked by Melissa (order online)
orders at bakedbymelissa.net
212-842-0220