All About Muffins and Cupcakes

Small, fine, and inviting they seem as they stand there presenting themselves, usually in a group.

Muffins and cupcakes are seen at many different events and gatherings: whether it’s a girls’ night, baby shower, christening, confirmation, children’s birthday, Halloween – or just because.

The small cakes are easy to make in different flavors, colors, shapes, and sizes, so they easily adapt to almost any occasion. And they are cleverly pre-portioned.

But what exactly is a muffin? What is a cupcake? And is there really any difference between the two, other than one being decorated with a good layer of icing and decorations?

Most of us Danes would call both muffins and cupcakes “cakes,” and indeed, that is how we have already referred to the two in this article. For one of the two, however, it is not always the completely correct term – at least not unconditionally.

The origin of the muffin

It is not so surprising that we Danes tend to categorize muffins as cakes. When the muffin came here, it was not introduced in any other way than as a sweet pastry. In its country of origin, the matter was different.

American muffins

In America, the muffin is a baked good that was developed during the 19th century in North America. When muffins – the so-called “American muffin” – came to Denmark, it already had several years of history.

The American muffins first arrived in Denmark at the end of the 20th century, and here, the little pastry quickly rose in popularity. However, it was only perceived as a sweet pastry here.

In America, muffins are something that is also eaten for breakfast, and for Americans, muffins are just as common in unsweetened versions, for example, baked with cornbread or with cheese, as they are in the sweetened versions – for example, the classic blueberry muffin.

In England, muffins are likewise something eaten for breakfast, although the British would consider muffins as something completely different from a sweet pastry.

English muffins

English muffins are a so-called flatbread, meaning a small round, flat, and unsweetened pastry that is first baked and then cooked on a griddle. Like Americans, it is eaten for breakfast, but can actually be traced back to the 18th century.

Not many Danes are familiar with the English version of the muffin, and therefore we will stick to describing the American muffins and how they are fundamentally different from cupcakes. Cupcakes are not just a muffin decorated with icing.

The origin of the cupcake

The cupcake was first mentioned in 1828 in an American cookbook, although as early as 1796, there was a recipe for a small cake that would today be classified as a “cupcake.”

Cupcakes are a miniature cake eaten as dessert, and they are always topped with a generous layer of frosting and possibly cake decorations. True cupcakes are only baked in sweetened versions, and the cake got its name because it was originally baked in small, individual ceramic cups (ramekin).

The difference between muffins and cupcakes

Muffins

Muffins are small, mold-baked cakes, typically baked in either paper or Teflon-coated aluminum molds.

The base for the batter can be any type of flour along with sugar, milk, and a liquid fat, typically vegetable oil. The batter becomes thick, and the ratio between flour, sugar, and fat is approximately 2-3:1:1.

The muffin batter rises to spread well over the edge of the baking mold, giving it the characteristic, round muffin top. Baking occurs at such a high temperature that the top becomes slightly crispy, and the crumb often has some texture.

Muffins can subsequently be decorated with powdered sugar, sprinkles, icing, frosting, and so on. Here, many Danes would say that the muffin has become a cupcake as soon as it is just decorated with icing or frosting.

A muffin with icing or frosting is nothing more than, yes, a muffin with icing or frosting.

Cupcakes

In addition to always being sweet, cupcakes are baked from a completely different and much thinner batter: The base is cake flour, a large amount of sugar, no or only a little milk, and soft butter. The batter becomes smooth, and the ratio between flour, sugar, and fat is approximately 1:1:1. Cupcakes are thus significantly richer than muffins, and the result is a light, airy cake with a very fine structure.

In England, cupcakes are known as “fairy cakes,” but other than that, the British and Americans agree on ingredients, mixing ratios, and so on. Fairy cakes are often smaller in size than cupcakes, and they are typically decorated with a less extravagant amount of frosting.