I don't know what it is about cupcakes (and brownies, especially brownies), but the store-made versions just are never as good as home-made, if done well. I've

I don't know what it is about cupcakes (and brownies, especially brownies), but the store-made versions just are never as good as home-made, if done well. I've been to some of the cupcake bakeries and they just seem to be all window dressing and no meat (to mix metaphors without referring to cake or icing). I think the author was getting at this: cupcakes are simple, so people try to add "features" to justify the price/attract customers.