NPR: The Cake Is the Conduit

The Cake Is the Conduit

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Not all cupcakes are created equal.

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

As Alison correctly pointed out on the show yesterday, you can eat a cupcake this week and feel virtuous. That's because it's Cupcakes for a Cause Week. But before you go off investing your hard-earned dime in just any old cupcake, here are some guidelines to employ when making your donation:

Always remember, a cupcake is a Frosting Delivery System. The cake is the conduit. (Call me the Marshall McLuhan of desserts.)

If you don't like frosting, that's fine, but cupcakes probably aren't for you. Try a slice of pound cake. Or angel food cake. Or devil's food cake. But for heaven's sake, don't buy a cupcake with a giant base and a measly 0.0001-inch-thick layer of frosting. Because when you do, you ruin cupcakes for the rest of us, by encouraging subpar manufacturing. A really good cupcake is 50 percent cake, 50 percent frosting. The cake is just the part you hold on to so you don't get frosting on your hands instead of in your mouth. Think of the cake as a yummier kind of spoon that you can eat. As I said, the cake is the conduit.

Now since I know that the world will never be fully rid of subpar cupcakes, I've spent some time developing methods to improve upon the lesser offerings. First, cut off half of the cake bottom. Second, position the cupcake FROSTING SIDE DOWN as you put it in your mouth. (Anytime you're consuming a layered food, remember that the flavor of whatever layer is on the bottom will be accentuated, because it's closer to your tongue.) Third, give the bottom of your cupcake to your dog. If you follow these three simple steps, even the lamest cupcake will be pretty good.

So remember, as you celebrate Cupcake for a Cause Week, not all cupcakes are created equal. Enjoy!

Dan Pashman

2:35 PM ET | 10-18-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

even a non-dessert eater has to take time to comment and salivate upon this photo and drool-inducing, delectable description...for a cause. i wonder if i could bring such precise sensuality to an unadorned piece of fruit...not. thanks for the vicarious fix! what do you think the relationship might be between the way one experiences music and Food?

Sent by jay | 8:57 PM ET | 10-18-2007

And I thought I was the only one who ate cupcakes upside-down. (The cupcake's upside-down, that is; I'm not standing on my head.) Anyway, thanks for the head's up; now I have an excuse to swing by CakeLove after work today.

Sent by andy carvin | 9:58 AM ET | 10-19-2007

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