If you haven’t heard, there is a new trend in the dessert market: cupcakes. And who doesn’t love those sweet and delicious cupcake concoctions? They are the sweets of the day for the most demanding sweet diners, and they come in many flavors and variations. Of course, you can go for the traditional vanilla or chocolate cupcake if you like, but today’s market is home to a host of new unique cupcake recipes.

Although cupcakes have been around for a long time, their originals are controversial. Some say that cupcakes came about when people started baking cakes in little teacups. These little teacup cakes didn’t take that long to bake and cooled faster. Some believe that the cupcakes were named because the ingredients were measured in cups: a cup of sugar, 2 cups of flour, etc. But no matter how the cupcake came about, these treats have found their way into our hearts.

Cupcakes have become increasingly popular in recent times. You see them appear at all kinds of events and occasions, such as weddings (instead of the traditional tiered wedding cake), baby showers, event openings, and even sporting gatherings (like Super Bowl parties or hockey events). . No one can resist these great tasting little cakes, and they can be made to suit any occasion.

The cupcakes can be themed around any event, with the ingredients or with their decorations. For example, a vegetarian gathering may feature cupcakes made with fully vegetarian or vegan ingredients. Some muffin recipes include unlikely ingredients like zucchini, carrots, beets, wheat grain, or other healthy ingredients. The cupcakes can also be made to be vegan without using eggs or dairy. And the best part is that these vegetarian or vegan cupcakes can be as satisfying and tasty as any other cupcake.

Although the name may suggest that cupcakes are served primarily at female functions, today’s cupcakes are also served at many “male” events. These cupcakes generally focus on a sports theme, but can also be made to suit a bachelor party. Men like sweet desserts just as much as women, and these little cakes are easy to eat.

Part of the fun about cupcakes is the way they are decorated. Of course, you can traditionally have the simple cake frosting swirl on top, but today’s cupcakes can also be elaborately decorated to suit many themes. Some decorations highlight the ingredients, like a strawberry cupcake can have sliced ​​strawberries on top, while a mocha cupcake can be decorated with candied coffee beans. Other decorative features are often included in cupcake ingredients to enhance their decorative appeal. Chocolate shavings, grated coconut, fresh fruit, candied fruit, raisins, marzipan shapes, or glazed cherries are common cupcake ingredients. Cupcakes can be filled with creams or jams, they can have multiple layers of toppings, each with a different flavor look, or they can be topped with a simple frosting or sprinkled with icing sugar.

You can find cupcakes in almost every bakery today, but there are also bakeries dedicated exclusively to cupcakes. In these specialized stores you will find cupcakes with unique and exotic flavors, as well as traditional ones.

Many people like to experiment and bake their own cupcakes at home. Here is a cupcake recipe that you can enjoy:

Orange cupcakes

3 cups of flour

1 TABLESPOON. baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup of butter

2 cups of sugar

4 eggs

Zest of 1 finely grated orange

¾ cup of milk

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Cream:

1 8 oz. pack cream cheese

4 tbsp. butter

¾ cup of powdered sugar

1 TABLESPOON. Milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 TABLESPOON. candied orange, cut into chips

Preheat to 350 ° F. Line 24 muffin cups with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Add the orange zest. Mix the milk and orange juice in a measuring cup. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter mixture, adding a third at a time. Beat until just combined (don’t over mix), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Fill muffin tins with ¼ cup of the batter. Bake until cupcakes are golden brown and pop back when lightly pressed. Let cupcakes cool before frosting. Makes about 24 cupcakes.

To make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar in bowl until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and beat again. Fold in slices of candied orange. Spoon the frosting on top of the cupcakes and turn it into a nice decoration.