Crazy about Cupcakes

There's so much craze about cupcakes this year (just like last year's chocolate moulding craze). I see cupcakes in wedding receptions, baby's full month celebrations, parties and on dessert tables. And these tiny sugar packed pastries have even replaced the good old sponge cake as birthday cake! Well, at least it saves us the trouble of having to divide and cut out the birthday cake.

Its even a trend to bake cupcakes nowadays. I see so many cupcakes supplies and equipments being sold at Phoon Huat and Bake It Yourself Store.. Frankly, I find them rather expensive. Those stands, icings, sprinkles, piping tips etc. There are even cupcake classes being launched.

So I embarked on my very first try on baking cupcakes. Since WF is getting so sick and tired of eating my bakings, I made these with the intention to give it to Ning's class for tea and I decorated them with pastel colours and Christmas sprinkles (see pictures).


I have to admit, its fairly easy to make but not the washing! There are certainly a lot of things to wash up especially when you're doing the icing. And really, if you can avoid eating cupcakes, please do. Compared to sponge, muffins and even log cakes, the amount of fat (i.e. butter or oil) and sugar is astonishingly high. And with the icing design on top whether it is buttercream or royal icing, one bite and I felt so sinful.

I still think muffins are better. Easier to bake and have higher nutritional value. One mouthful of muffin, you can get to eat carrot/raisins/chocolate chips/cheese. But a mouthful of the cupcake, you get to taste sugar and butter. Of course, some of you might say that is heavenly and smooth. You are not wrong. Once in a while, we should indulge in these... especially during this festive mood.