Dear GNHQ

('to' is the missing word in that post)

It's an Americanism
It's a fairy cake!

We called them buns when our mum baked them!

I don't remember any bun or fairy cake having quite as much icing on it as any of the cupcakes I've seen. The DGS and I couldn't manage to finish one among the four of us. More icing than cake!

Oh yes. I suppose it is. Never mind then.

Aren't fairy cakes the little ones you put currants in?

#ancientmacdougallscookbook

No, fairy cakes are the plain ones in small paper cases with a reasonable amount of icing on top, and half a cherry . Cupcakes are a tiny bit of cake in a large paper case with an inch of icing and an inordinate amount of decoration, all show and no substance. Show-biz entertainers of the cake world.

I agree with your definition of both, Elegran!

Well, I have just got my book Madame Elegran (Basic Baking circa 1968) and they call them fruit ones fairy fruit cakes! [sniff!]

But then there's Queen cakes. And Iced Cherry cakes.

I didn't mean to say them fruit ones! I don't talk like that - honest. (well, not all the time)

But they're all cakes. And I got a food mixer.......

I do like "Show-biz entertainers of the cake world." Great!

Actually I think the Gransnet emoti for [cake] should be a nice slice of Victoria sponge sandwich with a filling of raspberry jam (seedless for obvious reasons) and a minimal layer of buttercream. A light sprinkling of caster sugar or icing sugar on top.

Thank you.

I will shut up now as nobody is listening anyway.

You have got it in one, jingles, it's boring.

We called them buns too. Still do. Mind you, we didn't plaster them with quite so much sugar. Some seem more icing than cake nowadays. Yuck.

As elegran says.

My oldest (Victorian) recipe book calls them small cakes.

I agree that [cake] would be better than t'other.

I don't call them, I just eat them.

And the birthday cake has gone!
Pity. It was useful for any GNers birthday!

lona

Let's start a campaign to bring back the fairy cupcake icon. I've never 'got' the craze for over-iced cupcakes but the icon reminded me of the pictures I used to envy in children's Anuals & comics - like the ice cream cones too.

The huge depth of topping on what is quite an ordinary little bun, allows them to be called cupcakes and cost an extraordinary price for what they are.

Your fairy cakes might have had dead flies in them jing but mine never did!