Candy Corn Confidential Trivia Quiz

Answer: Candy Corn

The Wunderle Candy Company (Philadelphia, PA) not only created candy corn, but was also the first company to commercially produce and market it. However, the Goelitz Confectionery Company of Cincinnati, OH (circa 1900) also began manufacturing the sweet and over time has become the oldest producer of candy corn.

In fact, during the 1970s when sugar prices soared the demand for candy corn helped Goelitz avoid bankruptcy.

Answer: Yellow, orange and white

The traditional yellow, orange and white hued combination of candy corn was originally chosen due to its resemblance to the coloration of organic corn kernels. The tricolor appearance of candy corn was considered novel and revolutionary when first introduced even by the candy industry.

Answer: Manufacturing limitations

Candy corn was originally a handmade confection. Labor intensive production required cooking sugar, corn syrup, and water until a pastelike substance formed and then adding fondant and marshmallow. The mixture was then divided into thirds and dyed yellow, orange, and white respectively.

The separate mixtures were then reheated and poured in successive passes into prepared molds to make layers. Hours (typically overnight) then had to pass until the candy could be unmolded and prepared for sale. Considering the handmade process it's no wonder that the development of industrial machinery for making candy corn was necessary for it to become available year-round.

Answer: Halloween

Seventy five percent of all commercially produced candy corn is sold during the Halloween season. That means that out of 20 million pounds of candy corn produced in a year, 15 million pounds of it are used for Halloween alone!

Answer: Fat

Although candy corn is not exactly a health food, it is fat free, which makes it a healthier choice for snacking than many other sweets. However, let us not fool ourselves, there is still plenty of sugar and corn syrup (and in some cases honey) in them to help the mallow and fondant be more readily digestible.

Answer: 6.4 calories

Aside from the fact that candy corn per serving offers a generous amount of sweets for few calories (22 pieces/140 calories) and contains no fat it also does not promote tooth decay any more than other starchy and/or sugary foodstuffs. Therefore, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that just as you would brush after eating bread, crackers, or cereal it would be wise to brush after eating candy corn.

Answer: 3 times bigger

Oddly enough, in the early days of production candy corn became a very popular snack with farmers. Being true to form, other candy companies rushed to cash in on the candy-that-looks-like-a-vegetable fad (e.g., peas and carrots), but none garnered the success that candy corn generated.

Answer: 4.25 times

Brach's manufactures the #1 most popular brand of candy corn. What makes their recipe unique is that it contains honey, which apparently for Brach's is a form of philosopher's stone that readily transmutes candy corn into gold. In fact, Brach's Confections, Inc. just celebrated its 100th anniversary (2004) during the month of October when they sell approximately 2 billion kernels of candy corn.

Answer: All of the answers are correct

Since candy corn has become available year-round the number of varities available have greatly increased.

For the autumn season there is "Indian Corn", which is brown, orange, and white and has a chocolate and vanilla flavor.

In celebration of Valentine's Day there is "Cupid's Corn" that tastes exactly like traditional candy corn, but is colored red, pink and white.

Easter offerings include pastel (e.g., pink, green, yellow, purple) and white candy corn deemed "Bunny Corn" that follows the same recipe without any special flavoring as the candy corn for Halloween.

There is also candy corn for Christmas called "Reindeer Corn" that comes in red, green and white and retains the original taste of candy corn.

I suspect that the reason that the only variety of candy corn that differs in taste from the original yellow, orange and white candy corn is for marketing purposes. "Indian Corn" is sold during the autumn, so a flavor difference converts it from a competitor to a companion of traditionally flavored candy corn.

Answer: October 30

National Candy Corn Day is celebrated the day before Halloween. Cruising the internet did not reveal any parades and/or formal celebrations of this holiday. It appears that the holiday is merely a formal recognition of candy corn popularity and was placed where it was already being appreciated by both manufacturers and consumers.

It's kind of nice to have a holiday where you don't have to buy anything you wouldn't have already.