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Cupcakes designed for a bridal shower, depicting a bridal gown and two bridemaids dresses at Delish Bakery and Coffee Shop on Francis Street in downtown St. Joseph. Cupcakes aren't just for kids anymore, Delish sells approximately 750 a week and owner Cheryl George says she and her two staff members are kept incredibly busy with special orders.

At Delish Bakery and Coffee Shop in St. Joseph, owner Cheryl George always tries to have some freshly baked cupcakes for sale. She bakes them in 18 flavors, with swirls of buttercream or fondant icing in a rainbow of colors. Cakes, pastries and cookies are popular too, she says, but in the last year or so, her customers simply have been crazy about cupcakes.

“We’re swamped,” she says. “We average around 750 a week,” she says. “And for Cupcakes For A Cause (a cancer fundraiser in September), we sold 1,200 for that promotion alone.”

So just like her big decorated cakes, she takes custom orders for the little cakes, and tops them with such things as tiny ballerinas made out of fondant for a girl’s birthday party or witches, ghosts and pumpkins for Halloween. And they are not just for kids, she says. Adults are eating them up too, devouring cupcakes in flavors such as banana split, triple chocolate and key lime coconut for parties or an inexpensive afternoon indulgence.

“It’s a craze going around,” says Magdeline Carmichael, owner of Shirley’s Cake Decorating Supplies in St. Joseph. She’s noticed a big increase in requests for anything to do with cupcakes, including cupcakes stands, papers and toppers. And now you can buy individual cupcake stands and boxes, cupcake wrappers in elegant or fanciful designs and silicon cupcake pans with feet to make three-dimensional characters.

“They are making cupcakes for anything anymore,” she says. “They are even doing cupcakes for weddings.”

“We wanted something different,” says Kristi Rasmussen of St. Joseph, about her decision to have cupcakes at her wedding in 2007, when the trend was just beginning in this area. She had her eye on some fantastic looking wedding cakes at Natasha, Mulberry and Mott in Kansas City, she says, but they were very expensive. Cupcakes, on the other hand, fit their budget. So the bakery made a small cake for the couple to slice at the reception that sat on top of a form with fabric around it that looked like a cake. Then they surrounded it with tiers of chocolate cupcakes iced with chocolate ganache, raspberry, orange and pistachio buttercream frostings, which also matched the wedding colors. They were a hit.

“People kept going back up and getting more and trying more flavors,” she says. “The raspberry ones were to die for.”

There are several theories on how the cupcake craze got started, but the most prevalent one stems from an episode of “Sex and the City,” says Maggie Gilbert, who has researched the phenomenon extensively for her business plan. In mid-November she will be opening a cupcake shop in St. Joseph called Little Cakes Bake Shop & Boutique.

“It all began when the character, Carrie Bradshaw, was licking pink icing off of a cupcake provocatively while talking about her latest conquest,” she explains. “She was sitting in front of Magnolia’s bakery in New York. That’s how it all started. It just went from there.”

And the trend shows no signs of slowing down, she says, which is why she is excited about opening her new shop, which will specialize in jumbo-size cupcakes and “pull-aparts.” Pull-aparts are a group of cupcakes formed into a shape, such as a butterfly. Ms. Gilbert says you ice each one the same color, then using a decorator bag, outline the shape you want and fill it in with bright colors, candies, fruits or licorice. You don’t need a knife. Guests just pull out a cupcake and eat.

“It’s the biggest ooh-la-la for kids birthday parties,” she says. “Kids just go nuts.”

You can make your own cupcakes and have them turn out looking professional. Ms. George says there are just a couple of things you need to know:

Bake from scratch. She says although there are cupcake mixes, your cupcakes will taste better and be less expensive if you make your own. You can use any cake recipe, just add a little extra oil and salt. “It’s to give them a nice flat top and to come out evenly,” she says. “If there is not enough salt, they will poof up like a muffin.”

Rotate the pans. “Every oven has a hot spot, so you need to rotate them,” she says. “Spin the pan at least one time while they are baking to make sure the browning is even.

Use a decorator tip for the icing. Although there is what she calls a “hippie trend” to just smear icing on top with a knife, so it looks homemade, using a decorator tip is what turns cupcakes into something special.

If you decide to get your cupcakes from a bakery, it’s best to order in advance. With the current cupcake craze, they could easily be sold out.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com.

Recipes

Wilton has recipes for a large variety of cupcake batters, icings and fillings on its Web site www.wilton.com. There also are tips and techniques for decorating. Chocolate lovers will want to try these:

Chocolate fudge cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or margarine room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1½ cups milk

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla; beat thoroughly. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate and beat thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on rack; remove and cool completely before decorating. Makes about 24 standard cupcakes.

Cappuccino icing

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1/2 cup milk

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

5 cups confectioner’s sugar

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Combine coffee granules, milk and vanilla; add to butter mixture and beat well. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Continue beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about seven minutes. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until you are ready to decorate. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not using. Rewhip before using. Makes 3½ cups.

Chocolate mousse filling

4 eggs separated

1 cup milk

1½ cups (4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon liqueur of choice (e.g. Kahlua, Chambord)

1 cup heavy cream whipped

In medium saucepan, combine egg yolks and milk. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is almost boiling and is thickened enough to coat spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips, vanilla and liqueur; continue stirring until chocolate is melted. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold gently into the chocolate mixture. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use. Fill cupcake with icing. Makes 5 cups.

— Wilton.com