History of the Cupcake Market

The cupcake market boomed in 2000 when an episode of Sex and the City showed Miranda and Carrie indulging in cupcakes outside New York's Magnolia Bakery.  Now, there are fan pages for cupcakes all over the internet, from Facebook pages with thousands of 'likes' to Twitter accounts with thousands of followers.  Blogs, YouTube channels and much more tools are being used by businesses and fans alike, adding to the massive growth in popularity for the tasty treats.

YouTube

There are thousands of videos on YouTube relating to cupcakes.  These include stop motions, recipes, 'how to' videos and much more.  At the moment, if you search 'cupcakes' on YouTube there are over 33,200 videos, some having millions of views.  This shows the extent of their popularity and the vast amount of interest people have in this market.  

Why are cupcakes so popular?

What makes cupcakes so popular? Are they really the perfect dessert? The answer may be in their individual size; small enough to eat by yourself but big enough to satisfy a craving for something sweet. Is it their decoration? They can be plain or fancy, casual or formal, crazy colored or pristine white. Is it because they bring back memories of childhood? The delight of having a cake small enough to fit in tiny hands and not having to share…the peeling off of the wrapper like a little present.  Perhaps it is the versatility of a plate of cupcakes. Suitable for a midmorning coffee break, afternoon tea or even a wedding reception, cupcakes are always welcome. They can be decorated for specific events or seasons, making them current and exciting. Everyone loves a cupcake.

Cupcakes are also very popular with celebrities, which obviously is why they are seen as trendy and fashionable.  Even Kim Kardashian has launched her very own cupcake!

Statistics


In 2011 cupcakes sales rocketed by 11% and they account for 9.9% of all cake sales worldwide.  The cupcake market is growing year-by-year despite the recession, and shows no sign of slowing down.


According to www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk total cupcake consumption occasions (in home/carried out/out-of-home), excluding homemade, reached 44 million, up 11% year-on-year; this rises to 65 million occasions if you include home-baked cupcakes, up 52%.  These figures show that there's still a massive, growing demand for cupcakes. It's craft bakeries, coffee shops and independent cake decorators that are behind the growth - data shows they are by far outperforming the supermarkets, which struggle to match them on skill and creativity.