Cupcake or Muffin?

(Picture by Cakespy)

I love chocolate chip muffins. When I make them or buy them, inevitably someone will ask "Hey, is that a cupcake or a muffin?" It is humorous to see people's expressions when you ask this very simple question. But, seriously!? - is it a cupcake or is it a muffin?

Is a muffin merely a vessel on which all yummy icing travels and then is called a "cupcake" ~ or ~ can muffins harmoniously coexist with lusciously coated cupcakes and remain individual entities?

The quick-and-dirty answer on this is that cupcakes have frosting, whereas muffins do not. However, in researching, I found an excellent formulaic definition of the difference courtesy of Diana's Desserts "A basic formula for muffins is 2 cups flour, 2-4 tablespoons sugar, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 egg, ¼ cup oil, shortening or butter and 1 cup milk. When the fat, sugar and egg ratio in a recipe reaches double or more than this, you have reached the cake level.