Reply #1: Fun article, but now let's get down to really serious business:

[beachmom]

American cake. You know, I lived in Europe for only 6 months, but I have to say I have completely lost my taste for American cakes you get at the bakery, grocery store, etc. (and I have always disliked bakery frosting). My complaint? TOO SWEET. Recently, I went to a b-day party where everyone was raving about this fabulous bakery and how great their cakes were. I tried a piece, and to me it was the same crappy too sweet cake you could get at Publix. So .... if I get to DC, I will try a cupcake but I am a tough crowd. Seeing that so many desserts came originally from Europe (from immigrants) I can't figure out the sugar disparity between the States and the Continent. My theory is that people were so excited they were in America, that maybe after finding some success here they really loaded the sugar into the cake. Then everyone got used to it, and now we are stuck with the too-sweet-cake (especially the frosting -- yuck). Only exception to me is the cake mixes. I still like making those, but even there the German cake mixes are better. More subtle flavoring. Not just eggs, flour and SUGAR.

Okay, snooty rant over. (Hmmmm ... I question the "JK is an elitist" canard if he is downing American cupcakes, lol)