I got this interesting infographic via Frugal Dad, about the wonders and blunders of the cupcake industry in the United States. The data in the infographic made my eyes grow wide…the gourmet cupcake industry in the United States is worth about $6 billion! That is quite a statistic. I was also introduced to terms I never even knew existed: butter mafia and flour explosions! There is a darker side to this cupcake revolution.

I realized that urban India is also experiencing a cupcake revolution of sorts. So many gourmet bakeries popping up in our metros, all of them with the promise of the finest, word-class ingredients. (Think butter from Norway, cocoa from Denmark and cupcake liners from France.) When I read Adam’s article, I was reminded of cupcakes during my childhood: they were very much part of our goody basket, but they weren’t such a big deal. My friends brought homemade cupcakes in their lunchboxes once in a while, or had them at birthday parties and other festivities. Cupcakes were fun, but they weren’t as exotic, high-end or fashionable as they are today. And certainly not as small!

I’ll admit, I am no food-saint, nor am I very political in my approach to food. I try to eat and buy local whenever I can, but I do shop for and consume imported ingredients and indulge in out-of-season delicacies every once in a while. Yes, this infographic is based on US cupcake consumption, and the statistics may not hold true for urban India. However, in a nation of 1 billion+, the cupcake eating population, while relatively small, does exist. I thought I should pass it on for them. It is an interesting read.

Source: http://frugaldad.com

I too, am guilty of buying overpriced cupcakes from gourmet patisseries and bakeries. Will I stop completely after reading this? I don’t know. Will I think twice before buying gourmet cupcakes? Very likely. But what I know for sure, is that I’m going to start making cupcakes at home, with everyday ingredients I can find around the corner!