Cupcakes

No one knows who had the brilliant idea to bake individual-size cakes, which have been around since the early 19th century. But it was at the beginning of the 21st century that cupcakes rose from a common pastry in common flavors (chocolate, vanilla, maybe gingerbread or banana) to a food trend so powerful that many bakeries opened for the sole purpose of making and selling them. Beyond familiar varieties, modern cupcake shops sell such elevated palate-seducers as cappuccino cupcakes, salted caramel cupcakes, mint julep cupcakes, blueberry cobbler cupcakes, and bananas Foster cupcakes. The primary differences between a cupcake and a muffin are that muffins are significantly heavier and are not frosted. Also, cupcakes do not have broad tops.