The Not-So-Great Debate: Cupcakes Vs. Donuts June 3, 2009 2:42 PM | permalink

What is better? The Cupcake or the Donut?

Both of these classic confections have been enjoying surges in popularity via specialty shops and bakeries.

But which treat is more important to our society? To solve this question once and for all, we've brought in two experts to battle it out in the most mature, reasoned format we could think of: the instant message session.

The Participants:

Adam Wade (aka Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut)  is writer, comedian and storyteller who has written for the New York Times, as well as performed at Caroline's on Broadway and the Moth Mainstage. He has been eating donuts since he was two.

Rachel Kramer Bussel (aka CupcakesTakeTheCake) is an author, editor and co-creator or the cupcake blog CupcakesTakeTheCake. She has written or been quoted in articles about cupcakes in the New York Times, Newsday and USA Today.

Ritch Duncan: Your moderator for the debate. He will occasionally eat either a donut or cupcake when it is placed directly in front of him, but rarely craves sweets.

Let the debate begin!

Ritch: Let's have a good debate; keep it clean and come out swinging. Cupcakes won the coin toss, so we'll start with Rachel:
CupcakesTaketheCake: Cupcakes are cute, fun, colorful and portable. They make people instantly, magically happy in a way that other desserts just don't. People go crazy over cupcakes in an unparalleled way.
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: A wise man by the name of HOMER SIMPSON once asked: "Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?" I answer him, "NO!" Donuts bring people together. If North Korea had donuts, they'd be too happy to build bombs!
CupcakesTaketheCake: Cupcakes played a role in the Presidential election last year. Bakeries made Obama vs. McCain cupcakes. They didn't do so for donuts.
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: Cupcakes, are they built for the economy? Me thinks not! After this recession all the cupcake joints will close down and what will we be left with? Donuts for all!
Ritch:  My last name is Duncan, and growing up, my brothers and I were often teased by kids who called us “Duncan Donut.” Should I have been insulted?
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: They were probably hailing you as their god!
Ritch: A lot of the recent popularity of cupcakes has been attributed to their prominence in Sex and the City. On the other hand, there is now a topless donut shop in Maine. Are cupcakes sexier than donuts?
CupcakesTaketheCake: Cupcakes are DEFINITELY sexier than donuts. There are ways you can eat cupcakes that are guaranteed to seduce someone, but donuts? Not so much.
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: This summer i plan on visiting Maine for donuts and lap dances (then make a quick trip to LL Bean to buy a new fleece)

(Editor's Note: Wade will sadly be unable to do this as shortly after this chat, the topless donut shop burned down!)

CupcakesTaketheCake: I think cupcakes are seen as "girly" and donuts as "manly." But both are equal opportunity desserts.
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: One night I was with two of my MANLY pals in the West Village. They wanted to go to Corner Bistro for burgers, and i wanted to hunt down Magnolia. For three years they called me "CUPCAKE"
Ritch:  Could that be the reason you gravitate towards donuts?
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: Nobody ever made fun of me for liking donuts
Ritch: Until today.
CupcakesTaketheCake: Guys like cupcakes just as much as girls, but I don't think they are as into the whole baking/blogging/going nuts over them. They just want to eat them.
Ritch:  Now, what do you guys think of these donut-cupcake combinations?
CupcakesTaketheCake: I'm a fan of the donut/cupcake connection. It's like getting the best of both worlds, no?
Dr. Donut PhD-d-d-donut: I don't care for it
Ritch: And in the end, these bitter rivals and great friends must agree to disagree. We’ll end it there.