Frosting shots - the Pinkberry of the cupcake world (photo courtesy of Cupcakes Take the Cake)
CakeWalk is a weekly column by Mary Ann Porch dedicated to every baker who has ever struggled to achieve the right consistency with their icing, unsuccessfully searched for the perfect cupcake topper or just wants to learn something new. Because with a few helpful tips, cupcakes are a cakewalk.
For the past couple of years, I've been avoiding a new face at cupcake shops around New York City. That new face happens to be the phenomenon of frosting shots. I'm sorry - I couldn't even type that last sentence without wincing.
Similar to the way I feel about women who only eat Pinkberry for lunch and/or dinner, I have to roll my eyes at people who walk into a bakery and order a frosting shot. How much self-loathing do these people have that they visit a cupcakery, talk themselves out of ordering a cupcake like a normal person does while visiting a cupcake shop, and insteads orders a thimble full of frosting? C'mon - get a cupcake already!
More importantly, I feel that the frosting shot is just degrading to the cupcake genre of baking. Icing is part of the package - if you don't want the cake, then you shouldn't get the icing. For crying out loud - it's called a cupCAKE. You know what you're getting into.
I imagine that the person who invented the icing shot and then decided to market it is probably a yo-yo dieter, constantly coming up with ways to cheat the system and indulge in ridiculous snacks. This is what I find the most irritating. Cupcakes symbolize fun, and what's fun about feeling so guilty that you can't even order the real deal and instead settle for just the topping. Have you ever seen someone walk into an ice cream shop, and after scanning the menu, simply orders hot fudge instead of a hot fudge sundae? Exactly.
Frosting shot assortment from Butter Lane (photo courtesy of Cupcakes Take the Cake)
Icing shots drive home the point that desserts are bad. In my opinion, desserts are only bad when you eat them without any moderation. Eating a cupcake every once in a while isn't going to kill your diet. In fact, it'll probably make you feel pretty good since you're treating yourself. But an icing shot? A frosting shot screams depravity. A frosting shot says "You shouldn't be doing this, but here - this isn't AS BAD..." But a shot full of frosting is still a shot full of frosting and no dentist in the world is going to tell you it's good for you.
Apologies for the rant, but as a cupcake advocate I had to get this off my chest. Go ahead and treat yourself now and again - we all deserve it.
Mary Ann is the founder of the New York City chapter of CupcakeCamp NYC, an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and eat cupcakes in an open environment. She is also the founder of Puff and Choux, a blog dedicated to the pastry and dessert arts. You can contact her at mary_ann_porch@hotmail.com with any questions, ideas or just to chit chat. You can also follow her on Twitter at @MaryAPorch.
Comments
Sometimes it's not that I would "only" want a shot, but I'd like a cupcake and some frosting of a different flavor. Noms, frosting!
www.sweetcreationsbystephanie.blogspot.com
I don't think it's a diet thing. I think it's a frosting thing.
I WOULD order a frosting shot because I am curious about different frosting flavors - I would want to try a bakery's frosting that I have never had (maybe lemon, or raspberry) and maybe I don't want to order 5 different cupcakes to try them all. However, I wouldn't just go in somewhere to order a frosting shot by itself just to order frosting.
I know this is meant to be a lighthearted post, but it's a little judgmental about people's perceived food issues.
You know what's fun? Going into a cupcake shop and having options.
Frosting shots= muffin tops. It's the same idea. Some people only enjoy the top of the muffin, thus the reason why some companies sell muffin tops separate from the muffin. I feel that that frosting shots are achieving the same thing.
1. I /love/ cupcakes. But if I were full to the brim and just wanted a taste of sweet and mini cupcakes weren't available? I would get a frosting shot. That choice has NOTHING to do with calories and everything to be about me being too full to stuff a full sixed cupcake down my throat.
2. I agree with another poster - it's fun trying different flavours of frosting without having to buy every different kind of cupcake in the store first to try them out. I'm aware the frosting tastes different on it's own, but it's a cheaper way to try ones you want to taste.
3. Some people have dietary restrictions. They may be allergic to wheat or any other number of ingrediants that are in the cupcakes but not in the frosting. Should they be denied a sweet treat just because of that?
4. "Icing shots drive home the point that desserts are bad." I honestly don't know where you got that idea. There are probably some people who want a treat but are watching their calories - good for them for getting a bit of something sweet but not completely depriving themselves! But still, people are trying frosting shots for the above reasons and more. Don't paint every person who buys one as a dessert hater...it really bothers me to see sweeping generalizations made without an open mind to other possibilites.
So I don't find frosting shots alienating at all. I DO find bakeries (or blog authors) that don't consider their whole audience a bit alienating though.