National Today Wednesday October 18 * National Chocolate Cupcake Day *

National Chocolate Cupcake Day
A day when office break rooms fill with joy only brought by chocolate cupcakes.

What is National Chocolate Cupcake Day?

National Chocolate Cupcake Day is every year on October 18 – a day where office break rooms everywhere fill with a special kind of joy only brought by chocolate cupcakes (thanks Jan). Chocolate cupcakes were born out of a 1796 cookbook called American Cookery and have since grown into a worldwide craze and dessert staple. So let’s appreciate all there is about deliciously chocolate cupcakes and the happiness they bring to everyone who enjoys them.

National Chocolate Cupcake Day Related Holidays

National Chocolate Cake Day 


The big brothers of chocolate cupcakes, you get the same deliciousness in a larger, richer, denser, decadent method on national chocolate cake day. Consider this an opportunity to show off your baking skills and treat your friends and family to something special, scrumptious, and full of chocolatey goodness. 

National Hot Chocolate Day 


We’re not saying you should melt down that chocolate cupcake and drink it, but what would go better with a delicious chocolate cupcake on a cold, winter’s day? Hot chocolate. This day is an appreciation of that warm, contentment that a nice, steaming cup of hot chocolate brings us all. 

National Cupcake Day


National cupcake day is a nationwide celebration of every and all kinds of cupcakes. Yes, that means red velvet, vanilla, caramel, carrot, you name it – this is for all the cupcakes out there. And, of course, this also includes chocolate cupcakes. They’re so special they get two days.

History of National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Chocolate cupcakes made their first written appearance in what was also the first cookbook to be penned by an American. That American was Amelia Simmons who, in 1796, simply titled her book American Cookery, and featured novel, individual-sized cakes. But these delicious delicacies weren’t called cupcakes until about 1828, when another cookbook first coined the phrase. In fact, before muffin tins were more widely available, people baked cupcakes in whatever small vessels they could find – ceramic cups, ramekins, vases. What initially started as a new, American idea has since spread into a worldwide, confectionery darling. 
 
The cupcake craze may have ultimately peaked in the mid-00s, with a famous Manhattan bakery making a cameo in the Sex and the City movie, but chocolate cupcakes make appearances in every baking show, contest, or competition and are a staple at the vast majority of office birthday or holiday parties. Whether you’re dozing off to the Great British Bake-Off or trying to impress your friends, chocolate cupcakes have so joyously woven their way into our lives they deserve their own holiday.

National Chocolate Cupcake Day Activities

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Whip up some homemade chocolate cupcakes

Spend some time in the kitchen (try not to eat all that delicious batter before it hits the oven) and bake some homemade chocolate cupcakes. There are more chocolate cupcake recipes on the internet than anyone could get through in a lifetime, but you have to start somewhere.
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Try out a local bakery

If you live by a legendary cupcake favorite, like Sprinkles or Buttercup Bake Shop, today is a great day to stop by. That said, National Chocolate Cupcake Day is also a great opportunity to give some love to the local business in your area. Head over to a local bakery and try some of the best chocolate cupcakes they have to offer!
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Watch a baking show

Once you’ve settled onto your couch with a cupcake to enjoy, turn on The Great British Bake-Off, Cupcake Wars, DC Cupcakes, or Cake Boss to celebrate the bakers who work so hard to get those perfectly-crafted cupcakes on the shelves.
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Why We Love National Chocolate Cupcake Day

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They're too whimsical not to love

Chocolate cupcakes are adorable slices of goodness, and pop culture seems to agree. Most cupcake fans will never forget the iconic episode of Sex and the City that featured Magnolia Bakery, one of New York City’s most beloved cupcake destinations; or the pilot episode of Two Broke Girls, whose main characters dream of running a successful cupcake business. In our stressful world, chocolate cupcakes are tiny pieces of joy and whimsy—they’re impossible not to love!
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Chocolate cures all

Countless research has been conducted on the health benefits of chocolate, and over the years, the treat has been thought to be associated with lower risk of heart disease, improved mental performance, and lower risk of stroke. Oh yeah, and shall we remind you that chocolate is also just plain delicious?
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The cupcake craze paved the way for a host of other delicious dessert trends

These days, we have the luxury of waiting in line for hours outside bakeries to try unique desserts like edible cookie dough, “raindrop cake,” and cronuts. Treats like these are just the tip of the iceberg: since cupcakes swept the nation and made a name for themselves as a dessert worth clamoring over, talented chefs have concocted all kinds of other tasty goodies in hopes that they might compete with cupcakes’ popularity. That all adds up to some very happy taste buds for sugar-loving customers.
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