The Cupcake That Changed Everything

Okay, I’m just as sick of the trend as you are. Must we be subjected to a cupcake reality show on every channel and a cupcake shop on every corner? (They’re becoming as numerous as Starbucks.) Personally, I think the cakes are adorable, but the customary buttercream frosting is too cloying for my taste. Give me a bittersweet chocolate truffle, a puffy raspberry soufflé, or even a gooey Krispy Kreme over a cupcake any day.

HOWEVER

At Ogilvy’s holiday party last night, my perception of these fluffy sugar sponges was forever altered. With the event in full-swing, my friend Nicole and I took a break from mingling to peruse the various food displays. The dessert buffet caught our attention immediately, and for good reason. There, upon an infinitely long table, lay a veritable carpet of tiny cupcakes glittering beneath the recessed scarlet lighting.

Okay, okay, so they were really pretty… maybe I’d try just one.

After selecting a red velvet specimen, I sunk my teeth into the downy dollop of cream cheese that sat perched upon the confection. It was… heavenly. Yes, the frosting was delectably light and not-too-sweet, and the cake itself was heavy enough to be substantive without jockeying for attention over its counterpart. But the real star of the show was the crunchy layer of coarse sugar granules on top that sparkled like newly fallen snow and added the perfect textural variation to counter the soft pastry.

Of course, this revelation got me thinking… why not add the crispy, brittle sugar to my other favorites? A sparse sprinkling on the chocolate truffle; a crust of sugar on top of the raspberry soufflé (with egg whites serving as glue); even a thin, crunchy layer on top of that Krispy Kreme. For this food lush, the possibilities are endless.

(Note: the mini red velvet cupcakes hail from Something Sweet near the National Cathedral in Washington, DC)

Photo credit: L'usine