Cupcakes vs Cake: How to Decide Between the Two
When you’re thinking about dessert, particularly dessert for a special occasion, you have a lot of options. Will you serve cake? Cupcakes? Mousse? Pie? Tiramisu or something similar? Ice cream? There are so many different ways you can go, depending on the occasion, the menu, the theme of the event, and more. You might want to think about any potential dietary restrictions, flavor preferences, and more, particularly if you’re going to be serving dessert for someone else’s special day. When it comes to cupcakes vs cake, however, it can be a really difficult choice for your special occasions. There are absolutely pros and cons to both options. Whether you're gearing up to bake your favorite cake recipe or place an order from your favorite bakery, here, we’re breaking down some of the various considerations if you’re trying to decide between the two.
Presentation
Cupcakes: Cupcakes are cute, but they don’t have the drama of a fully decorated cake. If you’re thinking that cupcakes might be the right choice for your event, consider arranging them in some way that’ll give them more oomph than just a bunch of cupcakes on a table. Use cake stands, cupcake trees, and the like to help give the arrangement a little height.
Cake: You can use a traditional cake as a central focal point at your event. Bold and dramatic, a gorgeously decorated cake—especially a tiered cake—draws attention.
Serving Sizes and Portions
Cupcakes: One of the best things about cupcakes is that there’s zero math involved because you end up with individual portions in their own paper liners after baking. Each cupcake is one serving if you’re using a standard-sized muffin pan or cupcake pan. While you may want to add extras to cover anyone who wants a bit more dessert, especially if you’re not serving any other sweet treats, it makes serving a breeze, with no slicing and portioning required. Cupcakes are great for portion control!
Cake: Slicing a cake is a skill, but one of the great things about working with a cake is that, particularly at smaller celebrations, you can cut a larger or smaller slice for each guest as requested—one person can have a small slice of cake and someone else can have a larger size. Although that can make calculating how much cake you need on hand, it can also help you slice servings that each guest is happy with.
Customization and Personalization
Cupcakes: Because cupcakes are individual servings (basically miniature versions of cakes) vs one larger bake that’s meant to serve everyone, you’re more easily able to mix and match various flavors of both cake and frosting. Mix things up with chocolate, lemon, red velvet, and more.
Cake: Though it’s a little bit more difficult, you can do some customizing and personalizing even with a larger cake. Use different flavors for layers or opt for different fillings between each layer. Frost the outside of the cake with vanilla or another flavor of frosting that will go with everything going on inside. It’s harder to make everything completely personalized, but you can give it a shot.
Occasions
Cupcakes: Ideal for casual gatherings, a birthday party, or an office event, cupcakes are an easy treat and a popular choice thanks to their compact size. They're low-commitment but high-reward.
Cake: Weddings? Milestone birthdays? Extra-special celebrations? Formal event? Serving larger groups? A cake is a better choice. Cake works so well for all kinds of different occasions.
The truth is, cupcakes and cake each have their place. If you’re hosting a casual party or need a grab-and-go dessert, cupcakes are your BFF. But if you’re celebrating something epic or want to flex your decorating skills, cake is the way to go.
What to Consider if You're a Home Baker
If you’re going to bake your cake or cupcakes at home, there’s a bit more to think about when you’re trying to decide between cupcakes and cake. Here’s what you need to know:
Time and Effort: Cupcakes vs. Cake Prep
Cupcakes: Short on time? Go for cupcakes. You can whip up a batch in no time, portion out your cupcake batter in cupcake liners, and bake them up quickly—usually around 15-20 minutes. That's perfect for when sweet cravings suddenly hit! If you're a newbie baker or need a last-minute dessert, cupcakes are the way to go. You’ll still want to wait until your cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting them, but no need to stress over creating picture-perfect layer cakes.
Cake: Cakes are more of a commitment. While they have a longer baking time, as well as a longer overall assembly time (especially if you're making multiple layers or filling), they do give you a little more room to flex your baking muscles and are great for larger events. If you’ve got the time and want to show off your skills with some intricate decoration, go for cake. But remember: it’s not just about the baking time—it's also about the cooling, frosting, and decorating time. Cakes are a whole process.
Decorating Skills
Cupcakes: You can go super simple or make your decorations much more elaborate. Cupcakes are a great option if you’re looking for something to help you practice your beginner decorating skills. Small, quick, and easy, cupcakes are lower stakes than a whole cake that very well might be the centerpiece of the whole event.
Cake: Cake decorating is a whole other level. It’s a larger canvas, which can be good and bad. Cakes are great for practicing larger-scale design techniques and intricate designs or showcasing your skills, just make sure you have the right tools and plenty of patience.
Space and Storage
Cupcakes: Cupcakes are easy to store and transport. Throw them in a cupcake carrier or airtight container, and you're good to go. If you’re using a dairy-rich frosting, however, you’ll have to refrigerate them. If you're limited on space, cupcakes win the storage game because you can tuck individual cupcakes into various storage spots if need be.
Cake: A cake, especially a multi-layered one, requires a bit more TLC. You'll need a cake stand or box to transport it safely. And let’s not forget about the chilling factor—cakes with lots of frosting or intricate decorations should be kept cool to prevent messing up the design.
Takeaway for Home Bakers
At the end of the day, both cupcakes and cake are totally doable in your home kitchen, but your decision depends on the occasion, your experience, and how much time you're willing to spend in the kitchen. Cupcakes? Quick, cute, and ready to party. Cake? A little more time and effort, but the result can be a showstopper. So next time you're hosting an event remember, it’s ultimately up to you and your own personal preferences.
FAQs
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A batch of cupcakes, which are basically just small cakes, generally take less time to bake (and can be much less intimidating to decorate), but cakes mean you’re portioning and baking fewer items (with a sheet cake it might just be 1 large pan!), which some people might prefer.
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Definitely! Cupcakes are smaller cakes, so they use similar ingredients (the components really don't change!). Instead, you’ll want to pay close attention to the baking time, which will be shorter for cupcakes than it would be with cake. Keep a close eye on the cupcakes after about 15-20 minutes so that you don’t overbake them.
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It depends on what you’re doing. If you’re a home baker, cake may be more affordable, while if you’re ordering (particularly if you’re ordering something highly decorated), you might find that cupcakes are less expensive. It really depends on who is doing the baking and decorating and—if you’re ordering—where you’re ordering from.
Whether you absolutely love cupcakes or want to show off your baking talents with a highly decorated cake, we can surely agree on one thing: they're staple desserts, so cake in any form always makes a party or event better.
