Ordinarily, when I work my part time job at the warehouse I bring a coffee in my travel mug and refill it from the coffee maker at work as the day goes on. On Friday, however, the cream curdled and when I checked, sure enough, it was past the expiry date. So off to McDonald's I went (just a short walk from the warehouse) at morning coffee break. When I got there I was feeling a bit peckish and so when I saw the deal that would get me a coffee and a muffin, for just about the same price as a coffee, I took the deal. I returned to the warehouse with a coffee and a double chocolate muffin (chocolate muffin mix with chocolate chunks) and crushed Oreo on the top. A colleague took notice as he drove by on the fork lift and shook is head. A little while later he drove up again with the question of the day, the question that I now pose to you:
"What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?"
I thought about some possible answers but had to admit that when your muffin is double chocolate with Oreo topping, any differences would just be semantics.
Thoughts?
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Ok so I don't know for sure but from someone who often bakes both, in my opinion, the difference is in the density. Muffins are heavier, more like bread consistency. Cupcakes tend to be lighter and usually has more sugar and oil than muffins (at least the ones I make do...). But really when it is chocolate base with chocolate chips and chocolate topping I don't think it makes difference.
ReplyDeleteI would agree, I thought a cupcake should have the consistency of cake and then be topped like a cake. Of course double chocolate with Oreo sprinkles sounds more like a cupcake to me. I think the difference for McDonald's is a marketing one. Muffin just sounds like it is ok for breakfast and could be rationalized much more easily. A breakfast cupcake just sounds unhealthy, but a muffin...well next to a sausage McMuffin with Egg that just sounds healthy!
ReplyDeleteHere down under, cup cakes are just called 'little cakes', working with Heather's theory of sugar and oil, with lighter density. I also am sure that McDonald's version of a muffin is all about marketing, as are most of their 'healthy' options. The funny thing in our house is that Adam throws ground flax into most of our cookies and cakes so they are more healthy than muffins anyway. In that way, shouldn't I be able to justify chocolate cake for breakfast? The kids sure would like it if I let it slide for them!
ReplyDeleteI say "if it is good enough for McDonald's than it is good enough for home"...cake for breakfast, go for it!
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