# Are cupcakes still a fad anywhere? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534 "2009-09-01T20:38:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/1 "2009-09-01T20:38:50Z")
There was a line in 30 Rock where Alec Baldwin says to an out-of-towner not to expect them. Can’t say they hit here. I was sort of looking forward to them, as I never did understand muffins. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/2 "2009-09-01T21:08:33Z")
I don’t know about fad, but there is a cupcake bakery in Portland, OR. [Cupcake Jones](http://www.cupcakejones.net/). ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/3 "2009-09-01T21:15:25Z")
There’s at least two newish cupcake-only stores here. So yes, faddish in North Florida. Me, I’m not paying $3 for a freakin cupcake. Just seems wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/4 "2009-09-01T21:17:28Z")
Faddish here in Australia - noticed several new shops open up over the past year or so, and there were none I was aware of before. And all the girls at work go gaga over them. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/5 "2009-09-01T21:20:37Z")
Some of the women I work with went out to lunch last week - I know not where - and brought back a box of gourmet cupcakes. They gave me one and - holy cow, it weighed about three pounds and had a good three inches of buttercream frosting on it. Strawberry buttercream frosting on an unexceptional strawberry cupcake. I think it gave me diabetes, and it wasn’t even worth it. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/6 "2009-09-01T21:35:35Z")
There is a bakery here in Vegas called Cupcakery that does a lot of business. I think they are way over-priced ($2.50 for a stupid cupcake?!). Plus, the cupcakes from that store are not larger than normal, have no special icings or anything - they are just stupid cupcakes! Most 10-year old Girls Scouts could make a better cupcake for 1/5 the price. Still, there are idiots lined up to spend about $25 for a dozen cupcakes…Betty Crocker is probably rolling in her grave, thinking of missed fortunes to be made today. ---
**Author:** ![Transistor\_Rhythm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Transistor\_Rhythm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Transistor_Rhythm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/7 "2009-09-01T21:35:42Z")
Thankfully it’s about died out here in Chicago - most of the “Cupcake Boutiques” that opened up have now closed due to the economy. Suck it. Unfortunately, the new food thing is this wave of faddish frozen yogurt inspired by [Pinkberry and its clones.](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-et-pinkberryaug04,1,665840.story) It’s already really out of control here, and will probably trickle down to the suburban hinterlands over time. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/8 "2009-09-01T21:37:48Z")
Still a fad here in the Bay Area - 2 of my favorite cupcakeries - [Sift](http://www.siftcupcakery.com/) and [Kara’s Cupcakes](http://www.karascupcakes.com/index2.html). They aren’t cheap, but the flavors are out of this world delicious. The new trend for many bakeries in this area though is the [whoopie pie](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/dining/18whoop.html). Much to my delight. I’ve missed them ever since moving out of PA. Every year I say I’ll make a batch, and never bother. Now I can run to a few different local bakeries to get my fix, in all kids of fun and unique flavors. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/9 "2009-09-01T21:42:29Z")
I had no idea cupcakes were ever a fad until people starting asking if the fad was over. You can get them at any bakery in New York City. I don’t know if there are any cupcake-specific bakeries, but Burgers and Cupcakes is presumably 50 percent of the way there. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/10 "2009-09-01T21:42:45Z")
Good grief. I never thought I’d see a thread comprised of people bitching about cupcakes. There are several stores that popped up in the Atlanta area over the past 3 or 4 years, several of which serve an exceptional product. I’m sure they won’t all survive long term, but some certainly will. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/11 "2009-09-01T21:44:37Z")
A fad? They’ve been here in NYC for a while now. I first went to the Magnolia Bakery in 2000 (and they were there since before that.) They’re still going strong, and Crumbs bake shop opened in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/12 "2009-09-01T21:50:48Z")
There are several pretty well established cupcakeries in Seattle. Pretty well settled in, not really a fad. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/13 "2009-09-01T22:03:58Z")
I’ve never heard of this. What does cupcakes being a “fad” consist of? Special gourmet cupcakes or something? ---
**Author:** ![Transistor\_Rhythm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@Transistor\_Rhythm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Transistor_Rhythm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/14 "2009-09-01T22:07:55Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I’ve never heard of this. What does cupcakes being a “fad” consist of? Special gourmet cupcakes or something? Many small “cupcake boutiques” selling nothing but expensive cupcakes, often with novelty flavors, such as black truffle cupcake with Delerium Tremens icing. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/15 "2009-09-01T22:09:36Z")
According to my sister they’re now a fad in the UK. She wanted 40 cupcakes for her 40th birthday last week, but they were too expensive, so she got a big cake with mini cupcakes on the top. No idea why… ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/16 "2009-09-01T22:11:40Z")
> [@Transistor\_Rhythm](#): > > Thankfully it’s about died out here in Chicago - most of the “Cupcake Boutiques” that opened up have now closed due to the economy. Suck it. > > Unfortunately, the new food thing is this wave of faddish frozen yogurt inspired by [Pinkberry and its clones.](http://www.latimes.com/business/la-et-pinkberryaug04,1,665840.story) It’s already really out of control here, and will probably trickle down to the suburban hinterlands over time. A new cupcake place called [Phoebe’s Cupcakes](http://www.phoebescupcakes.com/) just opened a couple months ago, in the middle of Lakeview. So, not dead in Chicago. Not yet. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/17 "2009-09-01T22:18:29Z")
> [@Transistor\_Rhythm](#): > > Many small “cupcake boutiques” selling nothing but expensive cupcakes, often with novelty flavors, such as black truffle cupcake with Delerium Tremens icing. Damn you, that almost sounds plausible and yummy. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/18 "2009-09-01T22:32:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I had no idea cupcakes were ever a fad until people starting asking if the fad was over. My thoughts exactly. I know Charlotte tends to be behind the curve on fads and stuff, but this really was never on my radar. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/19 "2009-09-01T22:56:50Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > My thoughts exactly. I know Charlotte tends to be behind the curve on fads and stuff, but this really was never on my radar. They are opening a cupcake bakery in Blakeney. A little late as far as the fad goes, but I do like me some cupcakes. It’s not open yet, but the sign is up. On the side with Best Buy. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534/20 "2009-09-01T23:19:15Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > They are opening a cupcake bakery in Blakeney. A little late as far as the fad goes, but I do like me some cupcakes. It’s not open yet, but the sign is up. On the side with Best Buy. Good to know! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-cupcakes-still-a-fad-anywhere/508534.md?page=2)