It's Time to Shut Up About Cupcakes

It’s Time to Shut up About Cupcakes

by Eick · April 15th, 2008 · 39 Comments

Dear America,

Remember 5 years ago?

You know, around 2003? The Iraq War was just beginning, President Bush was still popular, and you could actually go an entire day, from morning to night, without hearing or reading something about cupcakes?

Photo via Cupcakes Take the Cake.

Seems like ages ago huh? I mean look at things now: President Bush is one of the most unpopular leaders in history, and unless you live in a cave, you can’t make it 19 minutes in a public setting without hearing about cupcakes.

You’ve got co-workers chattering about the cupcake they had last night. Meredith Viera is on TV dishing about the cupcake party she threw for her girlfriends. Newspapers are writing non-stop reviews of the hot new cupcake bakery in town. Your friends with blogs are obsessed too. At this point, it’s gotten so ridiculous that you can’t even ride in an elevator without seeing someone carrying a little 4 inch-by-4 inch cupcake box – that every other woman in the elevator is salivating over like a pack of blood-thirsty wolves.

I GET IT. No seriously, I GET IT. Cupcakes are delicious and soooooo yummy! OMG pink frosting!

That’s not the point.

What I really want to know is WTF happened? I managed to never once hear the word “cupcake” between the ages of 12 and 25. Then all of a sudden I wake up one day and can’t walk 20 feet down the street without hearing “Cupcake, cupcake, cupcake. Cupcake, cupcake, cupcake. Ooooooo Cupcake!”

Newsflash: Cupcakes are delicious today, they were delicious yesterday, and they were delicious 15 years ago. Nothing has changed. It’s just like in 1998 when everyone was smoking Cigars and celebrities all wanted to appear on the cover of Cigar Afficianado with a Cuban in their mouth. Now every popular actress wants to appear on the cover of Cupcake Quarterly with frosting from a Magnolia cupcake smeared on her face.

So don’t come flocking here to tell me how yummy cupcakes are, I understand. But what I don’t understand is how cupcake saturation has reached the point where I can’t even buy black tar heroin without receiving a flier wrapped around my hypodermic needles advertising the new cupcake store down the street.

The cupcake obsession has peaked, and it has nowhere to go but down. You had your 15 minutes of fame cupcake lovers, but it’s time to face the facts: cupcakes have jumped the shark.

So everyone chill out, regroup, and move on to a new food obsession in a quiet and orderly fashion.

Hugs & Kisses,

So Good

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Tags: Desserts · Rant

39 responses so far ↓

1 Jay // Apr 14, 2008 at 3:29 pm

That’s wrong man, just wrong.

But it needed to be said.
2 J-Coll // Apr 14, 2008 at 3:30 pm

Thank you for pointing out the insanity of it. Now we can all move on with our lives.
3 BellaSlohne // Apr 14, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Well if I was you, I suppose I would hate cupcakes, too. Black tar heroin vs. a cupcake….hmmm, I think that pretty much sums it up.LOL.
4 Your page is now on StumbleUpon! // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:34 pm

[...] Your page is on StumbleUpon [...]
5 jamie // Apr 14, 2008 at 10:53 pm

I couldn’t agree more. I am so glad you said it. I got this annoying feeling inside whenever someone metioned the word and couldn’t put my finger on it.
I’m done.
6 Carrie // Apr 15, 2008 at 10:23 am

i
7 Nora // Apr 15, 2008 at 1:22 pm

Thank you, darling, for finally standing up to those cupcake thugaroos. Cupcakes are just not as good as homemade cookies. Not as good as ice cream. Not as good fresh fruit pie. They’re sugary and vapid, the perfect dessert for our “Hills”/”Real Housewives”-obsessed times.

Don’t let the door muss up your perfect swirl of buttercream on the way out, cupcake!
8 Ashley Best // Apr 15, 2008 at 10:36 pm

It’s just people have fun with a cute little cake. Get over yourself honey!
9 Ruca Bangs // Apr 16, 2008 at 10:10 am

carrie said it best…

but also, get over yourself, honey!
10 dhess // Apr 16, 2008 at 10:48 am

http://www.redkid.net/generator/punk/newsign.php?line1=Eick+Loves&line2=Cupcakes&Anarchy=Anarchy
11 Carrie // Apr 16, 2008 at 11:03 am

Thanks, Ruca.
12 Firkin // Apr 16, 2008 at 11:11 am

Really? This many comments on an angry rant about cupcakes?
13 Sarah Grace // Apr 20, 2008 at 4:54 pm

Your friends don’t just have websites about cupcakes, they have new nonfiction books coming out about them too – so you’ll have to tolerate it a bit longer.
14 Jen // Apr 22, 2008 at 1:43 pm

“I managed to never once hear the word “cupcake” between the ages of 12 and 25.”

—> what happened to you in your tween years? didn’t you get invited to a birthday party ??

oh wait, probably not ….
(j/k)
15 Endless Simmer - A Food Blog » Blog Archive » Who Cooked It Better? Bacon Cupcakes // Apr 29, 2008 at 6:38 am

[...] quite the ubiquitous presence over the past few years, to the extent where some are declaring them so over already. I liked them better myself in grade school, when they weren’t trendy and didn’t cost [...]
16 chambana: Cupcakes on Walnut? // Apr 30, 2008 at 2:44 pm

[...] enchanting. I agree with this blog post, the fad of cupcakes has officially jumped the shark.http://www.sogoodblog.com/2008/04/15/its-time-to-shut-up-about-cupcakes/And did you see the latest Alton Brown episode? He lampoons the trend of cupcake bakeries.(Reply to [...]
17 The Blotnick Blog » Blog Archive » Let’s Hear It For Hoover SteamVac // May 9, 2008 at 3:00 pm

[...] you should totally do a pingback to this: http://www.sogoodblog.com/2008/04/15/its-time-to-shut-up-about-cupcakes/ Leave a [...]
18 Anonymous // May 9, 2008 at 4:37 pm

you know what’s more annoying than the cute hipness of cupcakes? the cute hipness of vegan cupcakes.
19 Anonymous // May 16, 2008 at 5:01 pm

You might have to wait this one out– I’m still waiting for the pomegranate fad to pass. Pomegranate cupcakes?– I’m leaving the store/website/house.
20 e // May 20, 2008 at 8:52 am

Amen.
21 Living On The Vedge: Vegan Donut Diaries // Jun 22, 2008 at 5:11 pm

[...] who never eat vegetables, but I don’t mind you. I really don’t.You know why, though? Because, it’s time to shut up about cupcakes.Available at Govinda’s on Thursdays, before they sell out. Posted by kdubz at 11:30 [...]
22 Sweet, Sweet Washington - Diner’s Journal - Dining & Wine - New York Times Blog // Jul 23, 2008 at 2:49 pm

[...] http://www.sogoodblog.com/2008/04/15/its-time-to-shut-u p-about-cupcakes/ [...]
23 Cupcake Craze Culminates in Contest « absurdities! // Aug 1, 2008 at 4:55 pm

[...] see if cupcake hater, Jon Eick, from SoGoogBlog.com has anything to say on the matter. But for now, get cooking [...]
24 lrf // Aug 3, 2008 at 11:38 pm

I so agree! I am sick of cupcake boutiques with the only thing being sold is cupcakes. How unimaginative!!!
25 Cupcake Wars « brunch and the city // Sep 9, 2008 at 10:01 pm

[...] know plenty of cupcake lovers and cupcake haters…I admit the tasty treats are getting a bit too trendy but I am still a lover. Honestly, I [...]
26 The Capital Spice Cupcake Showdown « Capital Spice // Sep 29, 2008 at 8:03 am

[...] we go full throttle. Designer cupcakes are no exception. While others may claim the cupcake has officially jumped the shark, the recent openings of Hello, Cupcake in DuPont and Lavender Moon in Old Town indicate DC [...]
27 James // Oct 15, 2008 at 11:16 am

Vegan cupcakes … give me a bloody break! First off, give me a REAL cake instead.

But, if you’re going to serve me a cupcake, there’d better be some kind of dairy fat or chicken embryos in it! Icing just isn’t icing without using eggs or butter.

Or, and please … don’t try to make a “cake” by shoving together a bunch of cupcakes and making a huge icing sheet over them. Why not just bake a sheet cake then? Doesn’t that seem simpler?
28 When Cupcakes Go Bad | So Good // Nov 13, 2008 at 12:09 pm

[...] this time. Now I dig a good cupcake as much as the next hipster, despite the protest of one So Good blogger. That said, someone needs to draw a line in the sand. Vanilla icing, vanilla cake, fine. Same [...]
29 Greg Fitz // Nov 20, 2008 at 5:44 am

i blame SNL digital short “lazy sunday”…

“But first, my hunger pangs are stickin like duct tape!
Let’s hit up Magnolia and mack on some cupcakes!
No doubt doubt that bakery has got all da bomb frostings
I love those cupcakes like McAdams loves Gosslin!”
30 sophie // Dec 6, 2008 at 4:22 pm

haha

totally

I absolutely concur

I do hate the balenciagaficionados putting that measly pastry everywhere but their mouths.
31 So Good's Top Stories of 2008 | So Good // Jan 9, 2009 at 1:31 pm

[...] It’s Time to Shut Up About Cupcakes [...]
32 Daniela // Jan 20, 2009 at 2:42 am

how can you say no to a Mega Reese’s Pieces Cupcake sold at NYC’s & LA’s CRUMBS Cupcake shop?!?!?!?! The amazing deliciousness just explodes your taste buds like a big O. And this coming from a sexy young female model.

http://www.littleviews.com/lv_art/ny_cupcakes_crumbs_02.jpg

Hope this trend never dies. NEVERRRR
33 Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | New Recipe Source: The Printed Blog Chicago // Jan 27, 2009 at 3:46 pm

[...] Our edition also included a plea to end the cupcake craze and a rant against the institution of going out for brunch. In response to the latter, may we suggest a browse through our archive of homemade brunch posts? The Printed Blog Cloves and Cream: Bourbon Hot Tea Toddy So Good: It’s Time to Shut Up About Cupcakes [...]
34 The Printed Blog Has Some Food Articles In It - Eat me daily // Feb 3, 2009 at 4:03 pm

[...] MySpace (originally published May 2008), a hot toddy recipe from Cloves and Cream (Jan 2009), and an anti-cupcake rant from So Good, that we’d call out for being old news, except that it was first published in its [...]
35 Toni Rae's Version of Life: Eight Random But Not Deep Thoughts // Mar 3, 2009 at 2:09 pm

[...] issues and trends that have lately taken space in my head as I plod through my daily routine. CupcakesWhat Michelle Obama is (or isn’t) wearingVoix de Ville LulumonTransparencyDeliciousHEASGoogle [...]
36 chocolate cupcakes with banana cream cheese frosting | pete bakes! // Mar 26, 2009 at 5:33 pm

[...] not going to keep hating on cupcakes, because, well, it’s been done more cogently elsewhere, but when i can make an entire batch in the time it takes to wait in line for one, i’m [...]
37 things that thrill my heart...: Battle of the Cupcakes // Jul 28, 2009 at 7:05 pm

[...] and ahh-ing at them through the window whenever I see a store, but here is a blogster who wrote 'It's Time to Shut Up About Cupcakes' that has put my current feelings into words perfectly:You’ve got co-workers chattering about [...]
38 Chris // Dec 12, 2009 at 12:55 am

I don’t think your assumption is accurate. I think if you know anything about growing trends and following them,and branding yourself well enough you would’ve seen this article in the NY times. You’re entitled to your opinion though.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/smallbusiness/26cupcake.html?_r=1
39 Why Everyone Should Stop Arguing about Cupcakes (BitchBuzz Life) // Feb 3, 2010 at 6:04 am

[...] new domesticity’, Cath Kidston homewares, shabby chic and ‘make do and mend’.And by 2008 – the backlash had begun. Who hasn’t seen a good few blog posts and newspaper articles wondering why everyone’s just so [...]