Story and Photos by Sean Previl
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t’s sweet, it’s tasty, it can be a way to get creative and sometimes it’s even bite-sized. It’s the cupcake, a smaller version of the dessert you commonly find at parties and celebrations. Its compact body and increased availability has led to a new “craze” in Windsor, and world-wide, creating business opportunities and giving residents a different option for event food. Cupcakes have been around for almost 300 years. The origin of the name is uncertain: one suggestion says the word “cup” refers to the amount of ingredients used to make the treat, while another opinion refers to the cakes being baked in actual cups. Both are potentially true; the word ‘cupcake’ is the name given in Britain and North America to any small cake baked in a cup-shaped mold or in a paper baking cup.
Enjoying maple bacon cupcakes on a sunny September day at Klueless Cupcakes October 2013 - The HUB 11
The cupcake may be seen as an edible work of art
Alee Brecka makes cupcakes look good at Healthy Creations
If you need a cupcake fix, Blak’s has been the Windsor connection for the past 95 years...
Sonia Klue, owner of Klueless Cupcakes in Windsor, says cupcakes have become popular because of their size and the variety of choices available. “If you come for a cupcake, you have so many different flavours you can choose from and there won’t be any leftovers,” says Klue. The increased interest in these desserts has given people a chance for business, a chance to enhance their creativity and for those who just want to eat them, a quick and easy way to have a snack. The cupcake is often seen as an edible work of art, with bakers creating a variety of looks. The cake portion can offer a variety of flavours to appeal to the taste buds, but it’s the icing where the artistry truly comes to life. With decorators transforming the food into edible flowers or creating cupcakes that look like animals, if you can imagine it, it can likely be done with a cupcake. Because of the smaller size, having an elaborate cake in a single portion may lead more people to choose cupcakes over cakes. Cupcake sales may have impacted cake sales slightly, but Klue thinks the loss is probably minor. “When they ask for a cake, I always tell them, ‘why buy a cake when you can have the cupcake?’” says Klue. “I’m not sure if it’s taking away from the cake, it’s just something new, people want to try it.” Kat Spargalo, a student at St. Clair College, has noticed bakeries adapting to the cupcake craze by selling their own cupcakes and being creative in how they sell them. “I’ve seen a few [cake shops] that have actually created cupcake cakes which is a bunch of cupcakes beside each other with thick icing over top so it appears to be an actual cake,” says Spargalo. Valarie Blak-Gill, co-owner of Blak’s Bakery, thinks it’s also the influence of shows like “2 Broke Girls” and “Cupcake Wars” that has increased the craze. “When it’s out there, everyone wants the newest and the latest thing,” says Blak-Gill. “So with all these cupcake places coming out as the number one thing, that’s the way to go.” Blak-Gill says the cupcake craze has caused decreasing cake sales at her store as people purchase the dessert more often. “It’s a single-serving item rather than buying a cake,
There’is a growing trend of people trying to find a way to enjoy their treats while staying healthy. where you eat two pieces and then the rest is left,” says Blak-Gill. “Right now we sell a lot more cupcakes than we ever did.” While cupcakes are becoming more popular every day, there’s also a growing trend of people trying to find a way to enjoy their treats while staying healthy. Healthy eating has become an important part of people’s lives and when it comes to cupcakes, it’s not an easy thing to focus on. Finding a healthy alternative that allows you to enjoy the taste without adding fat and sugar is difficult. Cupcakes allow for portion control because of their size. Unlike a full size cake where you might worry about leftovers and feel a need to eat more, a cupcake only has what is baked into the cup. Stores are also trying recipes that omit gluten from the products to make their food healthier, even if only by a small amount. Alee Brecka, manager of Healthy Creations in Windsor, says gluten-free cupcakes can help people digest the snack, but she does caution people to remember it’s still a treat. “It’s not necessarily something that you’re going to say is the healthiest thing, but if you were going to compare in the long run it’s better for you,” says Brecka. Brecka says gluten-free can also help people who don’t have issues with gluten because they use products that are good for you. “We use different alternatives and those grains are easier on your body,” says Brecka. “There’s no preservatives, there’s no additives, so you’re getting all the natural baked products instead of stuff that can sit on the shelves for weeks.” With places like these and many others catering to cupcake customers in Windsor-Essex, it’s unlikely this craze will end soon. So buy a cupcake, peel off its plastic wrapper and enjoy the best part about a cupcake: no fork required.
Video Bonus!
Bouquets a Centrepieces Birthdays a Anniversaries Special Events
Fresh cupcakes for all occasions Made to order for any budget
A sweet spot to stop for a tasty treat in Olde Walkerville! 1580 Wyandotte St. E.
The video at left features our own Sean Previl; the video on the right has a cupcake recipe for you!
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