MAIN Cooking Baking Cupcakes

Everyone has warm memories of birthday parties, holidays or even special after-school treats that included the best surprise — WOW — CUPCAKES!

Since the cupcake is the perfect size and shape for getting your dessert fix on the go, today cupcakes are more popular than ever with both kids AND adults, and are never more delicious than made from scratch at home - whenever and whatever the occasion.

All about cupcakes

Cupcakes first arrived on the scene in 19th century kitchens when housewives and home cooks realized the economy and speed of baking cupcakes, as bigger cakes were found to take too long to bake in hearth ovens.

Back then, the cupcake was sometimes referred to as Number Cakes for the ease of remembering the ingredients: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon baking soda.

Once the batter was whipped up, it was then placed in small earthenware molds, or cups, that eventually evolved into modern baking tins say cupcake historians.

Today, from New York City to San Francisco, exclusive cupcake bakeries have become popular with everyone from busy moms, to college kids, to business executives who regularly stop by for a much-needed cupcake fix.

While classic vanilla and chocolate cupcakes continue to please, nowadays more creative efforts have resulted in heaps of flavored frostings, sprinkles and toppings for an extra cupcake kick.

Meanwhile, there are cookbooks, websites and blogs specifically dedicated to cupcakes for those who want to try their hand at baking them at home.

At family celebrations, affordable homemade cupcakes have taken the place of more labor-intensive sheet cakes. Even wedding cupcakes can be arranged in tiers for a fanciful alternative to the traditional wedding cake. And, as always, cupcakes remain a special after-school treat and a no-cleanup answer to birthday cakes at kids birthday parties.

More about cupcakes around the Web:

Around the Web, check out top sites offering complete cupcake recipes and instructions with accompanying photos ranging from everyday desserts, to holiday creations, to unusual gourmet treats and more for the confirmed cupcake addict ...

Cupcake Recipes.com - Popular recipes for holiday and birthday party cupcakes, more on icing, frosting and glazes, with related tip and pointers on baking and decorating.

Cupcakes: Decorating & Baking Cupcakes - And more, from Wilton - including complete recipes and instructions for homemade party cupcakes, Halloween and Christmas creations and lots more including an online store for every cupcake baking need.

Martha Stewart Cupcake Recipes - Expert advice more from the Queen of Homemaking including dozens of recipes, instructional videos, decorating instructions, photos.

Holiday and Seasonal Cupcakes - A complete guide to Valentine's Day, Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, 4th of July and more holiday cupcake recipes with photos and instructions.

Chocolate Cupcakes - The best visitor-submitted and star-rated recipes from AllRecipes.com.

also see in Recipes -> Easter Basket Cupcakes | Chocolate Cupcakes