The Cupcakologist Chronicles reports on the symbolic power of cupcakes.
Cupcakology = cupcakes + psychology.
Cupcakology is the study of how and why cupcakes surged to popularity from 2000 to present.
Cupcakes are single-serving, portable desserts, as are cookies, brownies, candy bars, and so on. Yet it’s cupcakes that persistently inspire people to queue up.
Cupcakes are widely misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, they are not a has-been trend. In fact, they are not a trend at all. They are psycho-social icons of Americana with a 200-year legacy.
The Cupcakologist Chronicles reports on the fieldwork of Andrea Adleman, a cupcakologist researching a book about cupcakes. The book is based on “The psychology of cupcakes,” her Washington Post story that won the 2013 Association of Food Journalists award for Best Newspaper Food Feature.
The author has been a news and features journalist for more than 30 years. Her present inquiry examines the psychological power of cupcakes to evoke feelings of nostalgic comfort and/or aspirational glamour.
Come along for a psychoanalysis of the cultural iconography of cupcakes.
