Identity Crisis! Mini Cupcake or Petit Four?

A question popped into my head as I was tracking a server holding a silver tray of alluring treats during Lucky's Fashion Crawl a few nights ago: Are small cakes with frosting on them considered mini cupcakes minus the wrapper, or are they petit fours?




















As per the previous post, fashion and cupcakes tend to go hand in hand. The most common choice for fashion events then, is the mini cupcake. These scaled down sweets to distribute, more cost-efficient, and they act as good eye candy as well as a less guilt-inducing treat.Petit fours can take on the form of most desserts in a small bite-sized version, whereas mini cupcakes are strictly, well, smaller versions of cupcakes. So the question is, at what point is a plate of small cakes with frosting considered one or the other?

I'm curious to know what would you call it. Petit Four? Mini Cupcake? Does it even matter, or was I silly for even holding out before popping this cute little number into my mouth?

Comments

Jane said…
Aren't Petit Fours little pieces of cake, completely enveloped in poured fondant? Hardly a mini cupcake. Much more time consuming to make and not nearly as yummy!
The Sweet Lady said…
I agree with Janes' comment, Petit Fours aren't nearly as yummy as mini cupcakes. They are cute, but I prefer the cupcakes any day!!
Juli said…
I agree with Jane. A Petit four is a little piece of cake, entirely covered with frosting.
Cakes by Cat said…
Surely that would fall into the category of "fairy cake". We had those before cupcakes this side of the pond!
Naomi Knight said…
Every Petit Four I've seen has been coated in some kind of frosting, so I've got to say it's a mini cupcake.