Okay well this has bugged me for a while now....

are cupcakes and muffins the same thing? I mean they are both smallish cake sorts of things right?

not really. cupcakes are just plain with frosting on it. sometime the cupcakes can be chocolate or vanilla-but the same non the less. muffins can come in much more variety, such as fruits (blue berry muffin, strawberry muffin, etc) or even veggies. (carrot muffin, vegan muffin, etc. )

Oh haha thanks LOL
I totally just googled it and this site came up and some person had wrote this to the question
---->

Muffins are just boring cupcakes with low self esteem.

I've always considered the two to be very similar. They're pretty much the same shape and usually have a little paper cup on the bottom. I think the main difference would be that cupcakes are more... Cakey. Muffins are more breadish. >_> For lack of better words to describe them. XD And cupcakes usually have sweet stuff on top like frosting or sprinkles and muffins usually have stuff inside them like chocolate chips in them, rather than on top.

D: You've given me something to seriously give some thought into. They must be cousins or something, because I swear, they really do look alike. I think more decorative though.

they could be cousins!!!!!! OMGoodness I never thought of that! wow OMGoodnes!

Cupcakes are more like miniature cakes. In fact, I've made cupcakes and all you have to do is take cake mix and put it into little cups and then when they are done baking, putting frosting on them, just like a cake!

While muffins are more like miniature flavored breads. I've had banana nut muffins and banana nut bread. Also, I've had lemon poppy seed muffins and lemon poppy seed bread, etc., etc.

They're not that similar in my opinion except in shape. Cupcakes are sweet and muffins are flavored and not so sweet.

Well, the recipes I use for basic muffins and basic cupcakes are different, and they both require different preparation.
Cupcakes are pretty easy, it's just a basic white cake recipe, but muffins are a bit more difficult and you have to be really careful not to over-mix the batter, or they end up too dry.

So I guess they are both smallish cake things, but they're different types of cake.

If I could find my notes...or even my text book I could give you the exact reason why they are very different. I know off the top of my head that they use different methods of preperation. Cant remember which ones, just that they are different. I'll have to find my text book and then get back to you on it.

Either way, they're both nomtastic cake-like things. n_n But yes, cupcakes are more or less just tiny cakes, and muffins are a completely different animal. For one thing, it's okay to have a muffin for breakfast, but not a cupcake. Even chocolate muffins! Now tell me if this makes any sense whatsoever. xD

From observation i find cupcakes generally to be plain with something icing like on the top. Muffins have things in them.
I can't say much as to their preperation and whatnot, not being very kitchen proficient.

Originally Posted by Draciolus

If I could find my notes...or even my text book I could give you the exact reason why they are very different. I know off the top of my head that they use different methods of preperation. Cant remember which ones, just that they are different. I'll have to find my text book and then get back to you on it.

If you do find your notes, post away. As I for one am quite curious about what you will post. As for my unqualified observations, I have noticed that a lot of the differences come down to cultural differences. That is what is classified as a muffin or cupcake will greatly be at the mercy of the cultural understandings being applied. For instance in Aotearoa, New Zealand muffins can look like the pic I have included in this post. For clarification purposes, I took the photo due to disagreements I was having with someone over what a muffin is.

They really are close to the same darn thing. Muffins do have the opportunity to be healthier and have more nutritional value, but they rarely take advantage of this. =D

I like what reddeath has to say about the matter.

Point taken, they're very similar in the fact that they're cake treats. However the big difference and the only difference is that cucpcakes are sweeter treats and muffins are more healthy for a person....
<------Really wanting apple cinnamon muffins now.

Whoops, I always thought that cupcakes were a smaller version of muffins, and muffins were a smaller version of cakes... they're all pretty similar to me o.o

They all taste good~ :D

@Wolf: I agree xD
Though personally I prefer a nice chocolate muffin to a cupcake. Unless it's made of carrot cake. Those things are heavenly ~

muffin:

A small, domed cake or quick bread made from batter or dough.

cupcake:

A small cake baked in a cup-shaped container and typically iced.

So, I'd say they're pretty much the same thing, although cupcakes are "typically" iced. XP

yeah like thats what everyone was saying to me that day. and so i was like h okay but theres gotta be more than that!

Cupcakes happen to have frosting on them. Not only that but they are more of a dessert. Muffins are for breakfast, and have no frosting on them. Muffins tend to have a softer texture to them, have you ever realized that? Besides that fact, muffins usually have fruits in them. Hoped that helped! ;D

I make cupcakes without frosting sometimes. x.x
That's because I'm weird and lazy at the same time, so eh.