Cupcakes, Why ?

[merithyn]

It's part of the baking trend that makes underemployed women feel like they're justifying their existence and undersexed women feel loved.

Really? I thought better of you, B.

By the way, there are any number of men who are also involved in this "new" venture, one of whom opened a shop in our town. (And no, he's not gay, either. He just likes to bake.)

As for the reason they became so popular (and are now on their way out) was because you had so much flexibility and options of flavors to try without having to be wedded to a whole cake of that flavor/decoration. It was a fun, easy, and relatively cheap way to make people happy. Unfortunately, once you've tried all of the "trendy" flavors, it's kind of a done thing. Plus, those most interested in these cupcakes when they came out are the type who like to try new things and then move on when the next big thing to try comes up.

I don't understand the hate, to be honest. It was something cute and fun that lasted for a while and is now on its way out. Some people managed to squeak a living out of it for the time it was trendy, which is never a bad thing.

[Brazen]

It's part of the baking trend that makes underemployed women feel like they're justifying their existence and undersexed women feel loved.

Really? I thought better of you, B.

Really? And I thought you knew internet forums were the place for sweeping generalisations based on personal observation M.

You only need to look at the adverts for the cakes themselves and the kits, books and classes to see the demographic at which the trend is aimed. I feel the same way about cupcakes as I do about "scrapbooking" - a cynical exploitation of something that was once a harmless and essentially free domestic hobby.

They are the Manolo shoe of the comfort eating, recession-hit generation.

[garbon]

Except that cupcakes started becoming a trend quite some time before the recession. At least here where the trend started.

[merithyn]

Really? And I thought you knew internet forums were the place for sweeping generalisations based on personal observation M.

Just don't understand the distaste for women-led industry, that's all.

You only need to look at the adverts for the cakes themselves and the kits, books and classes to see the demographic at which the trend is aimed. I feel the same way about cupcakes as I do about "scrapbooking" - a cynical exploitation of something that was once a harmless and essentially free domestic hobby.

They are the Manolo shoe of the comfort eating, recession-hit generation.

The cupcake trend stemmed out of the cake-decorating fads of the early 2000s, which is pre-recession. It, like scrapbooking, has never been free (or even cheap). That women (and, as I mentioned, a number of men) have found a way to use their talents to make cash while they did something fun seems anything but cynical to me. If anything, the cynical bit is by resenting that they could do such a thing.

[dps]

Really? And I thought you knew internet forums were the place for sweeping generalisations based on personal observation M.

Just don't understand the distaste for women-led industry, that's all.

You only need to look at the adverts for the cakes themselves and the kits, books and classes to see the demographic at which the trend is aimed. I feel the same way about cupcakes as I do about "scrapbooking" - a cynical exploitation of something that was once a harmless and essentially free domestic hobby.

They are the Manolo shoe of the comfort eating, recession-hit generation.

The cupcake trend stemmed out of the cake-decorating fads of the early 2000s, which is pre-recession. It, like scrapbooking, has never been free (or even cheap). That women (and, as I mentioned, a number of men) have found a way to use their talents to make cash while they did something fun seems anything but cynical to me. If anything, the cynical bit is by resenting that they could do such a thing.

I don't get the hate towards a lot of businesses, really.  I understand why someone doesn't want a junkyard or the like going in next door, but if a cupcake shop goes in down the street, so what?  It's not like you're being forced to buy from them.

[Strix]

Don't worry, Mongers:  pretty soon the cupcakes will go away because of unions.

Or at least local government. Monroe County where I live squashed bake sales and any other such food items being sold by anyone without a food preparation license.

[merithyn]

Don't worry, Mongers:  pretty soon the cupcakes will go away because of unions.

Or at least local government. Monroe County where I live squashed bake sales and any other such food items being sold by anyone without a food preparation license.

Most of these places are licensed bakeries. Few, if any, of the cupcake shops are people's homes. We're not talking bake-sale stuff. We're talking about commercial, high-octane sugar concoctions.

[Gups]

Most of these places are licensed bakeries. Few, if any, of the cupcake shops are people's homes. We're not talking bake-sale stuff. We're talking about commercial, high-octane sugar concoctions.

You might be. I got the impression Brazen was talking about Mums selling a couple of dozen cupcakes a week at famer's markets or school fairs etc.

Nobody has a real problem with but it's kind of unoriginal and a saturated market so many of them will lose money (though not much). 

[merithyn]

Most of these places are licensed bakeries. Few, if any, of the cupcake shops are people's homes. We're not talking bake-sale stuff. We're talking about commercial, high-octane sugar concoctions.

You might be. I got the impression Brazen was talking about Mums selling a couple of dozen cupcakes a week at famer's markets or school fairs etc.

Nobody has a real problem with but it's kind of unoriginal and a saturated market so many of them will lose money (though not much). 

So what's with the modern trend to having cupcakes with everything:

And now even shops just selling the things.

Are there not other sweet bakery products about, or is it simply the case of a low cost product (simple sponge and sugar topping) being sold at a high margin.

[Jacob]

This whole topic is a tempest in a cupcake.

[mongers]

This thread's gotten worse for me, I now have to find out what scrappbooking is; I'm assuming yet another trend that has passed me by. 

[Barrister]

This thread's gotten worse for me, I now have to find out what scrappbooking is; I'm assuming yet another trend that has passed me by. 

I suspect there are not enough women in your life then Mongers.

[CountDeMoney]

Obviously Mongers has not read the Hostess thread, or he'd realize that cupcakes suffer from a "supply and demand" problem that unions can take the blame for.

[crazy canuck]

Cupcakes - low cost of production, high markup.

What is so hard to figure out.  The only way these things fail is if enough health conscious people dont buy them so that they go the way of the Twinkie 

[mongers]

Obviously Mongers has not read the Hostess thread, or he'd realize that cupcakes suffer from a "supply and demand" problem that unions can take the blame for.