The earliest description of what is now often called a cupcake was in 1796, when a recipe for "a light cake to bake in small cups" was written in American Cookery by Amelia Simmons. The earliest documentation of the term cupcake itself appeared in 1828 in Seventy-five Reciepts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats, a cookbook by Eliza Leslie.

Enjoy a sweet treat today on National Chocolate Cupcake Day! Make some at home using your favorite recipe, or check out one here.

If baking isn’t your thing, support a local bakery to get a fix for your sweet tooth! 

On this week in 1928 that Larry Simon Gelbart, the American television writer, playwright, screenwriter, director and author, most famous as the creator and producer of the television series M*A*S*H, was born in Chicago, Illinois.

Larry Gelbart would grow up in Chicago and Los Angeles before he was drafted for World War II. After returning, he would work for Armed Forces Radio Service in LA, eventually obtaining the rank of Sergeant before being honorably discharged after serving 1 year and 11 days, just short of the beginning of the Korean War.

Did you know 114 years ago the Famous American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh was born in Streator, Ill. on Feb. 4th 1906?

Tombaugh was the first astronomer to discover what was identified as the Kuiper Belt, but more specifically he was the man accredited to the discovery of the dwarf planet Pluto. The son of a farmer, Tombaugh’s plans for attending college were stifled by a hailstorm ruining his family farm at a young age. He started to build his own telescopes with lenses and mirrors, drawing images of Jupiter and Mars to the Lowell Observatory which offered him a job.

Did you know the Illinois is home to a top-ranked and two-time Olympic steeple chaser? Evan Jager, an Algonquin native, is the current American record holder and reigning four-time USA champion in the men’s 3000 meter steeplechase, which is foot race that includes ditches and hurdles the runners must clear.

Born on March 8^th 1989, Jager attended Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. During his high school career, he won three individual state championship titles and one relay title.

On this day, January 24, in 1949, the famous comedian, actor and musician John Belushi was born in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Belushi grew up with his Albanian American parents before he started his own successful comedy troupe called “The West Compass Trio.” Belushi would go on to perform at The Second City comedy club in Chicago and would eventually go on to be one of the seven original cast members for the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (SNL).