What is the technical distinction between a muffin and a cupcake --or is there one?

Question

After all, you can have sweet (or even glazed) muffins. So what gives? Is there a difference between the two or not?

Answer 1

It is a common misconception that muffins and cupcakes are the same thing. While some people have answered that they are different because cupcakes are sweeter or muffins have fruit and nuts in them, these two are incorrect. The difference lies in the basic formulas. Cupcakes are exactly as described....very small cakes. The preparation is the same as a large cake. Now, muffins, on the other hand are not cakes at all. There is no similarities between cupcakes and muffins, except for the fact that they are baked in the same fashion. Most basic muffin formulas call for an oil, as the fat, instead of butter. Most cake recipes will have you cream the fat(butter) and sugar. A muffin is actually classified as a bread, a quick bread to be exact. Muffin formulas contain all purpose flour, bread flour, or cake flour.....or a combination of any of these. A cake recipe will generally only contain cake flour or all purpose. while muffins might contain these too, the actual preparation is different. A muffin recipe might contain a bread flour for added gluten. This gluten helps form the stronger texture that a muffin has. All muffin recipes I use employ the same methods of procedure as scones and biscuits. I hope this helped!!

Answer 2

Cupcakes have icing. Muffins have glazes and possibly fruit and nuts. Cupcakes are just that a cup sized cake with icing Yummie! But a nice hot-out-of-the-oven blueberry muffin turns my head everything. Can you smell em? Where's the milk!!!

Answer 3

Muffins are made from batter that is more like a bread.
They are classified as a quick bread.

Cupcakes are cake batter. It's like the difference between a nut bread and a layer cake.

I♥♫→mia☼☺†

Answer 4

A cup cake is cake mix put in muffin tins and it is usually iced. A muffin is not a cake but a mixture of bread like ingredients with added things like fruit, nuts, oats, etc., and is not usually iced.

Answer 5

muffins are more on the line of a bread cupcake is just cake in a smaller package

Answer 6

It's the texture that determines which it is. Muffins should have a soft, somewhat grainy texture. Cupcakes should be light and super soft like a good cake.

Answer 7

Plain and simple:
Muffins are made from bread batter
Cupcakes are made from cake batter

You could argue about which is sweeter and about add ins and glazes versus icing, but that's the straight basics.

Answer 8

they are made in the same shape but cupcakes are made from cake muffins are made from a batter with fruits and grains

Answer 9

Muffins are supposed to be a little bit more halthier, cuz they don't contain as much sugar!!!