Let them eat cake

Whilst working at a wedding this weekend, my long-held suspicions were confirmed: the cupcake proliferation truly is global. The Malaysian bride opted for a mountain of cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, to the rapture of guests.

But why, all of a sudden, have we developed such a fascination with these iced concoctions? Why is it that on practically every street corner I pass yet another bakery about to open shop? What is it that has caused this sudden sugar rush?

I blame the recession. Cupcakes offer a bite of self-indulgent luxury without the sickening price tag. And leftover crumbs are a lot easier to explain to whoever’s paying than a pair of Jimmy Choos.

And at a time of widespread unemployment and public malaise, the magical, alchemic process of turning glorified gloop into a fluffy cake is utterly rewarding. Watching someone take a bite out of the fruits of your efforts means so much more than an impersonal store-bought box of chocolates.

Suffice to say that I’ve got the bug. Any excuse to get in the kitchen (revision procrastination being the current favourite) and I’m in there like a shot, cranking up the mixer or liberally pouring vanilla extract to my heart's content. And even though I delight in testing the finished product (plus the mandatory mouthfuls of mixture, of course), the icing on the cake has to be seeing other people relish the results. So dig in.

Me with the multitude of cakes, cookies and other baked bits and bobs that I made for my Mum's partner's 60th birthday last month.