THE 'CUPCAKE CRAZE' WAS NOT BORN IN DC

I blogged about the cupcake craze a while back, and now that I'm back in DC it seems that the "craze" hasn't simmered down one bit... not here, at least. And that's fine, because no matter how I look at it I think that I personally have an affinity to cupcakes (and all things baked). Blame my inner fat boy. (sigh)

Anyway, I had chatted with a foodie-friend about the DC area's cupcake craze --err, insanity is more like it, and how I'm partially over it not so much because of the cupcakes themselves, but because of some of the ridiculous things that I've been seeing online from my fellow Washingtonians. In the past few months I've read someone comment that the DC area is the "home" of the cupcake craze. Right. (yawn) I've also read someone's inner-most thoughts that DC will somehow become known for the cupcake, much in the same way that Philadelphia is known for their cheese steaks. Preposterous, I know.

Now, I love my hometown. In fact, there probably couldn't be a person more proud to be a home-grown Washington-area local as myself. But at the same time, I like to keep things real, and I always have to put things into perspective. I must refute these so-called ideas of Washington, DC and the cupcake craze...

#1. First and foremost, DC is not home of the cupcake craze. DC did not create the phenomenon, nor is it a pioneer in the process. Look back to 1988. NYC. Hell's Kitchen, to be exact. A little place called the Cupcake Cafe had opened up, and was one - if not the first - original shops dedicated to the cupcake. Then in 1996, NYC's now famous Magnolia Bakery picked up the momentum... blasting the cupcake into stardom through vehicles like "Sex and The City." Local NYCers then went on to other parts of the country to start their own (ie, Sprinkles in Beverly Hills).

NYC's Cupcake Cafe - possibly the birthplace of the cupcake craze (Photo from http://comradechufood.blogspot.com)

Sprinkles Cupcakes in Beverly Hills (Photo from http://www.ozoux.com)

DC's cupcake craze eventually followed, and with much pomp and circumstance. And the craze only continues to flourish. With outposts like DC's Hello Cupcake and Fairfax Corner's Cupcakes Actually --both of which seem to be molded by the Buttercup Bake Shop/Sprinkles format-- the non-franchised aspect of the DC-area cupcakeries make it such an appeal, which can be problematic for franchises such as Long Island's Crumbs Bake Shop and BH's Sprinkles Cupcakes, both of which are expected to make their DC debut very soon. But the craze has only proven that there seems to be room for all. We shall see.

#2. Whoever had the bright idea that DC would become known for its cupcakes is seriously in need of a serious foodie re-eval. Who would compare a "DC" cupcake to a Philly cheese steak, or a NY pizza? I mean, honestly?! I shake my head in disbelief. If there is a food item in the DC area that comes close to taking the fame of being "indigenous" or our "trademark," it would be the half-smoke.

#3. The craze (which is sort of 5-minutes ago) seemed to have picked-up in DC a lot better than the Pinkberry-esque froyo craze that also enveloped the nation at one point. (And, no - DC definitely did NOT start that craze either.) But since DC is much smaller than other major cities, and because the cupcakeries tend to be populated in/around the same general area, one would probably think that - yes, the cupcake craze surely has its roots in DC. But yeah, not so much.

DC's own Baked & Wired in Georgetown (Photo from http://cupcakesomg.blogspot.com, a pretty cool blog if I say so myself...)

Anyway. I just had to set the record straight. I love that DC has embraced cupcake culture with open arms, but - as it is with everything else - a little humility will go a long way. Know history, know truth; no history, no truth.

(Haha.)