While cake itself in some form or another has been around since ancient times, cupcakes first came about in America. It is thought that the first ever reference to ‘a cake to be baked in small cups’, rather than as a layer cake, was in Amelia Simmons ‘American Cookery’ in 1796.

Amelia Simmons invented the cupcake, And if that wasn’t enough for the history books when she first published her cookbook in 1796, she cemented herself as the author of what is now recognized as the first American cookbook.

What cupcakes called in the past? Back in the day cupcakes were “Number Cakes” or “1234 Cakes”. This was because the recipes back then were simply 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour, 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk and 1 spoonful of baking soda.

National Cupcake Day is a holiday that falls annually on December 15th and celebrates the single serving cake that’s baked in a paper or aluminum cup and topped with icing or other cake decorations.