By TERRY TANG
Ever since the cupcake bakery chain Crumbs crumbled in the
U.S. earlier this year, people have declared the mini cakes dead several times
over. If only the cupcakes here could get a spa weekend in England.
Our neighbors across the pond crowned several winners at
Britain’s National Cupcake Championship earlier this month. The final judging
round in Birmingham on Nov. 8 was clearly a huge deal. It was not a bunch of
bakers getting together in someone’s kitchen or rec room. The contest was held
on the second day of Cake International, or The Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating
& Baking Show, at the National Exhibition Centre. It was organized by
British Baker magazine, an industry publication. The judges included the chair
of England’s Association of Pastry Chefs. The finalists had been whittled down
from more than 150 entries covering categories open to amateurs and professional
bakers.
Martyn Leek, a British Baker editor, said this is the sixth
year the competition has been going on.
“For trendsetters in trendy parts of London, cupcakes are
passé. They’ve moved on,” Leek said. “For the child coming home from school,
they want a treat. There’s still that wow factor, an innocence.”
As a cynical American,
I was surprised that someone went to the trouble of organizing such a
competition. But what was even more surprising was the number of people in
attendance at Cake International. The cupcake was alive and kicking. Crowds of
women and men (but mostly women) were snapping up cake decorating supplies as
well as photos of cakes and cupcakes on display.
I was left overwhelmed by The Sugarcraft, Cake Decorating
& Baking Show. It was like Comic-Con but for baking geeks. I saw some cake
decorating implements I have yet to see in U.S. stores. There were authors of
cake decorating books doing signings at booths throughout the hall as well as
demonstrations with everything from gum paste to melted chocolate. The only
thing missing was people dressed as their favorite cake or dessert.
Leek said he’s seen items like cake pops and whoopee pies
being hailed as the next cupcake but they haven’t succeeded on the same level.
“You’re either a fan of the cupcake or you’re not. There are
some bakers in Britain that don’t do cupcakes. But there is an audience,” Leek
said. “Whether it’s growing or waning, who can tell. Bakers who do it well sell
well.”
Manjit Reyat, who came from Coventry, which is a 10-minute
train ride, said the crowd is much bigger than when she came in 2012. She said the
interest likely stems from the TV baking competition show, “The Great British
Bake Off.” The show, which airs on BBC One, just finished its fifth season. Twelve
contestants vie to be declared the best amateur baker. Each episode has bakers
facing three challenges and one person is eliminated every episode. But they don’t just do cupcakes but tarts, croissants and desserts I can’t
pronounce.
“I think people are definitely fans of the ‘British Bake-off’
and fancy a go at it themselves,” Reyat said.
She also thinks the size of the country may have an effect
on cupcake fatigue.
“You’re bigger out
there (in the U.S.). They come and go quite quickly. It’s still thriving here,”
she said.
Alan Whatley, chair of the
Association of Pastry Chefs, said “cupcakes are not on the decline, not at all.”
"I think in England
we’re very good at revisiting things and making them fresh,” Whatley said. “We’re
good at keeping momentum going."
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For a complete list of this year’s winners of the 2014
National Cupcake Championship, go to http://www.nationalcupcakeweek.co.uk/page/2014_winners.html.
