Today is National Cupcake Day. 10 things you might not know about cupcakes.
A cupcake is defined as a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a Paper case or small tin. Alternative names are fairy cake or patty cake.
The term originated in the 19th century for cakes where the ingredients were measured in cups. The earliest documentation of the term was in "Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats" in 1828 in Eliza Leslie's Receipts cookbook.
However, cupcakes existed before that. Amelia Simmons, in her book American Cookery, published in 1796, included a recipe for "a light cake to bake in small cups".
The basic ingredients are the same as for a standard sized cake: Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Flour. Other things may be added, such as Chocolate or other flavourings and fruit. They are usually decorated with frosting.
Because their small size is more efficient for heat conduction, cupcakes bake much faster than a standard cake.
Ida Freund was the first woman to hold a post as a university chemistry lecturer in the UK back in 1908. She created a collection of cupcakes arranged to represent the elements in the periodic table, with the chemical symbol and atomic number drawn on each one in frosting.
13% of brides serve cupcakes at their wedding instead of a traditional wedding cake.
The largest cupcake ever made, at time of writing, was baked by GourmetGiftBaskets.com in 2009. The cupcake weighed 1,224lb, was 4 feet tall by 10 feet wide, and had 2 million calories.
The most expensive cupcake in the world will set you back $1,50,000. It is made by the luxury jeweller ROX, and is covered with tiny Diamonds.
A fashion designer called Janis Morrison has designed a dress made from 300 cupcakes for UK Food Network.
A Very Variant Christmas
Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.
The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?
Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.
Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.
Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.
Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.
Themes Christmas; superheroes; reunions; parties; life choices; shocking surprises; mistaken identity; kidnap and rescue.
Reasons not to read it
- It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
- Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
- It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
- There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
- Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
- Superheroes. Again.
- Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.
- It's a bit short. You could probably read it in one sitting.
- Most of the action takes place at a Christmas party. In a palace.
- It's all about Christmas but there doesn't seem to be a schmaltzy moral message.
- There are a couple of babies and some small children in it - and one nearly gets eaten.
- Santa appears in it, but he isn't really Santa.
- Superheroes. Again.
- Not to mention a whole bunch of super-villains. Again all new ones and not the ones we know from Marvel or DC.
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