Chocolate vs. vanilla? It’s not even a contest, Instagram analysis finds

By Lulu Chang May 16, 2016

instagram chocolate screen shot 2016 05 16 at 2 52 18 pm — Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a reason we use “vanilla” to describe things that don’t elicit much excitement. Don’t take it from us –- take it from the Instagrammers of America, who have proven once and for all that when it comes to the great chocolate-versus-vanilla debate, there’s really no room for argument. Chocolate reigns supreme.

Cakejournal recently took a close look at the most Instagrammed desserts across the country and their flavors of choice, and the results are clear. When it comes to America’s sweet tooth, it’s all about the chocolate.

When Cakejournal analyzed geotagged Instagram baking posts based on flavor mentions, they found that 44 states mention chocolate most often, with just a few states mentioning other flavors like coffee, cinnamon, raspberry, strawberry, and peanut butter as their favorites. But absolutely no state cited vanilla as their go-to flavor.

The great American cookie appears to be social media’s dessert of choice, with 36 states posting most frequently about this particular baked good. Cake is also particularly popular, with 11 states Instagramming these sweet confections the most. And while shops like Sprinkles and Crumbs may be sweeping the nation, cupcakes aren’t all that Instagrammable, it seems. Only two states saw the most posts about the little cousin of the full-sized cake.

20160526_Confections_of_Perfection_asset2 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite the fact that there aren’t all that many posts about cupcakes across the country, there’s certainly more variation when it comes to flavor. While chocolate is the most popular cake flavor across 46 states, it seems that bakers and fans get a bit more creative when the mini version is involved. Sure, chocolate is still the overall winner, but vanilla gets a shout-out from six states, whereas four prefer caramel. There’s also quite a bit of love for fruits and vegetables, with apple, strawberry, carrot, and pumpkin cupcakes favored. And of course, there are spice lovers too, with cinnamon, red velvet, and coffee topping the charts in a few states.

20160526_Confections_of_Perfection_asset4 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

So the next time you’re baking, be sure to Instagram your sweet creation. You never know what sort of important database your flavors may be contributing to.

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