The Definition of a Cupcake

For the youth camping trip, I made S'more cupcakes and Hot chocolate cupcakes. I was attempted to deny these scrumptious treats from anyone who referred to them as "muffins". I was completely mortified at the suggestion that muffins and cupcakes are the same thing. I still have not recovered from this abominable mistake. So I have decided to explain what exactly makes a cupcake a cupcake. I am in debt to Gail Wagman in her book "Cupcakes Galore" for this description.

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Origins
For the time being, let's set the record straight. Just what is a cupcake? And what isn't? Webster's Dictionary defines a cupcake as follows: a small cake baked in a cuplike mold. This definition just about sums it up - no more, no less - leaving a great deal of room for interpretation, creativity and perhaps a little confusion.

A Cupcake with any other Name...
A cupcake is undeniably a "little cake", but all "little cakes" aren't necessarily cupcakes. Unless they are made in a cup-sized mold. And fit the criteria of a "cake," let's say, as opposed to a muffin, which can be made in a cup-sized mold but is basically a quick bread not a cake. And then again, some cupcake recipes are "quick" but the result is not to be mistaken for a muffin. And does a cupcake require icing to conform to the appellation? Iconographically speaking, I would say yes since the festive character of the beast certainly lends itself to a little "dressing up for the occasion," but it would really be too bad to add anything other than powdered sugar or a little glaze to some of [cupcakes].

A number of sources refer to the origin of the humble cupcake as a "cup cake", in other words, a 1 (cup butter)-2 (cups sugar)-3(cups flour)-4(eggs) cake, which can certainly be made into cupcakes (provided that you add a little flavouring, a substantial dose of imagination, some yummy frosting, and a decoration or two) but as anyone who has ever made a cake will know what is commonly known as a pound cake and no one is mistaking it for a cupcake.

So, if you stick to [this] definition, you can't go wrong. Just remember the three cardinal rules:

1. Cupcakes should be pretty
2. Cupcakes should taste good.
3. Cupcakes should be fun.
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In addition to this description, I would like to add a few differences between muffins and cupcakes that i have discovered:

- eggs are folded in one at a time with cupcakes, but with muffins can be added all at once
- there are more eggs in cupcakes than in muffins
- you alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients mixture with cupcakes, where as with muffins you just mix the wet and dry together
- cupcakes you stir until the ingredients are well mixed; muffin mix is stirred just until it is completely moist (overstirring with muffins will actually effect their ability to rise).

So now you know the definition of a cupcake. May the cupcake always be called by its rightful name.