(Photo from here.)
Sprinkles, Crumbs Bake Shop, Vanilla Back Shop, Yummy Cupcake, Susiecakes, and the recently christened Magnolia Bakery - in LA, the cupcake still reigns supreme, reflecting a nationwide love that seems to be withstanding the test of time. Some identify that one episode of Sex and the City (the one where Carrie meets Aidan *swoons) as the catalyst that propelled Magnolia and its buttery cupcakes into popularity over ten years ago (only increased, of course, by SNL's Lazy Sunday digital short).
While cupcakes may have started out as a fanciful treat enjoyed guiltlessly by Carrie and Miranda, their swell in popularity over the past few years seems to indicate a recession trend. It's been shown that lipstick sales surge in times of uncertainty (post-9/11, the Great Depression, according to the Guardian). Women scale back on larger designer purchases, and turn to little luxuries. What better than a tube of perfect red lipstick to make a woman feel glamorous during hard times?
The same can be said about cupcakes. At $2-3.50 a pop, it's a small indulgence, a highly affordable pick me up. Sugary and polished, all lined up uniformly in the case like an army of dainty delicacies. It's structure of cake body plus frosted top allows for a variety of flavor, color and decoration combination, something that cookies, brownies and doughnuts can't match. This also allows for multiple bakeries in one market.
Some have been quick to list cupcakes as a dying food trend (followed by speculation over its heir - cake balls? whoopie pies? macarons?), but the very recent opening of Magnolia Bakery in LA suggests otherwise. And because they're so dang visual, I leave you with some cupcake images. (I just realized how girly they are...perhaps males won't be able to relate. A female-skewed trend then?)
(Photos from NC State University, David Daniels Photography, Dinner Cakes, and The Rest is Just Icing.)
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