Gargantuan Cupcakes and the Great Cupcake War

Surely, the cupcake indulges the joy of individual ownership (we're all slightly uncomfortable with sharing, admit it), but giant cupcakes seem especially, gluttonously American. If we like something, why not super-size it? Amusingly, New York city pridefully boasts a kind of cupcake war. I'd never even heard of stores selling nothing by cupcakes until I moved here, and now I see them everywhere, including at the wonderfully indulgent Burgers and Cupcakes. ("Why? Because people love them!")

At my birthday dinner awhile back, I was delicately handed an unassuming white box by my excited friend. Her demeanor definitely had an air of "this is the best thing ever." Inside was a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. The popularity of this bakery is often cultish and all encompassing as it's known to each and every respectable New Yorker. Magnolia was even featured in an episode of Sex and the City. Here's the line at Magnolia to give you a good idea.


Since I wasn't allowed to eat the cupcake within White Horse Tavern (but yet Dylan Thomas managed to drink himself to death there), it was a bit stale by the time I attacked it. Nonetheless, the rich and buttery icing really made the cupcake for me, since the cake part itself seemed a little dry. I really must try a fresh one. Nothing makes my mouth water like the prospect of a cupcake.

A couple weeks ago, our office brought in giant cupcakes from Crumbs Bakery (the top picture) in a variety of flavors including red velvet, snickerdoodle, oreo, and one that basically was a better version of Hostess Ding Dongs (complete with white squiggle on top, is that copyrighted?). The cupcakes from Crumbs must be held with two hands!! I could only eat half of a delicious red velvet creation before I admitted defeat. I managed to consume an entire vanilla cupcake the next day though, as people grabbed the leftovers throughout the day, even for breakfast.

If you have any New York cupcake experience (or better experiences in other cities), let me know your two-cents.

In the meantime, some cupcakes recipes for you at Recipe4Living.com:

Warm Chocolate Cupcakes with Molten Centers (WOW!)


Mini Key Lime Cupcakes
Lemon Kissed Cupcakes
Smore Cupcakes