Everybody wants to show off their baking skills occasionally (or all the time). The perfect cupcake is the best pick-me-up for any occasion. No matter how you feel, a cupcake is here to make you smile! Are you ready to learn 8 tips to bake the perfect cupcake every day? Read this article to find out.
Listen, just how many people can confidently say they can bake cupcakes flawlessly at every attempt? When we say we are going to teach you how to make perfect cupcakes all the time, we mean it! This article will be a guide that shares with you never know you needed the 8 tips to bake the perfect cupcake. The trick, naturally, is to know what works best for you too. It is all part of the baking experience. After reading this, baking cupcakes have never been easier!
You might be comfy now on your chair or bed, but you will be itching to bake some cupcakes after reading this. Here are our Top 8 Tips for perfect cupcakes!
1. Follow the recipe
Until you got your basics right, do not try to be too smart! What instructions for if you are not going to use them? Sure, you can change things a little bit here and there, but it is best to follow the given recipe when you are starting out. It is self-explanatory, isn’t it? Do not try to randomly substitute ingredients unless the recipe tells you so because you might end up giving yourself more work! And it is not always worth the time and effort (and money too). We know it can be tempting to cut corners sometimes, but ingredients and instructions are listed to make things easy for us. Often, we mess up because we don’t follow the recipe. Follow the recipe the first time you try it!
2. Use high quality cupcake liners
Hey, don’t you notice how sometimes cupcakes would stick to the sides of the wrapper and it gets greasy too? It most likely has something to do with the cupcake liner. Aha, you didn’t think something like a cupcake liner would matter so much but it does! Consider getting higher quality and grease-proof liners. We always say trust your gut feeling too. If a cupcake liner you find in a store feels cheap, then it probably is. Look out for the high-quality ones with the ‘grease-proof’ label and get those. They make a world of difference.
3. Mix it right, mix it good.
Balance is key for everything, which includes mixing your cupcake batter. You neither want to over-mix it nor under-mix it. Make sure the cupcake batter you are mixing hits the sweet spot of having the wet and dry combined nicely. Because, what happens when you overmix a batter? You end up with a tough-textured baked good. Read up on the 8 Common Cake Problems and Solutions to learn more. Overmixing causes the gluten to overdevelop, and the results are dense-textured cupcakes that are not airy or fluffy. The best way to mix the batter is to mix it until there are no more flour pockets or lumps. Don’t undermix the batter too because we want our ingredients to be mixed!
4. Fill cupcake pans/liners accordingly
You might think this is not a big deal but is it. Don’t be so shocked to know that this is the step that can make or break your cupcakes. And it does get overlooked too often too as most recipes don’t tell you how much you are supposed to fill in your liners. It isn’t just pouring or scooping batter into your cupcake liners, baking them, and calling it a day. There is a possibility of you pouring too little or too much into the cupcake liners. This could either cause your cupcakes to sink or overflow. Your best bet is to pour the mixture 2/3 full.
5. Use the center of a convection oven.
This tip is for the ones who own a convection oven. Even heat distribution is the key to perfect cupcake batches! If it’s possible, bake only one batch of cupcakes at a time using the center of the oven. Placing only one tray allows the heat to be evenly distributed and focused on it. However, if you need to bake multiple batches in one go, be sure to rotate your cupcake pans from the top rack to the bottom rack a few times during the baking process. This helps them to get a nice even browning on the top! But again, if you have only one batch, the center of the oven it is.
6. Use an oven thermometer.
What if we told you that unless you have a brand new or regularly calibrated oven, your oven’s temperature can be slightly off. Sounds bonkers but it’s true! That can be a problem for your little cupcake babies! Having inaccurate temperature settings can result in dried cupcakes or even burnt ones, yikes! Let’s not talk about the undercooked centers too, oh no! Solution? Trust the oven thermometer! Place one in your oven so you can always read the actual temperature. ecipes don’t tell you how much you are supposed to fill in your liners. It isn’t just pouring or scooping batter into your cupcake liners, baking them, and calling it a day. There is a possibility of you pouring too little or too much into the cupcake liners. This could either cause your cupcakes to sink or overflow. Your best bet is to pour the mixture 2/3 full.
7. Try the bounce-back test.
Whether you leave the cupcakes in the oven or not, all you must do is gently press down on one cupcake with your finger. Be careful not to burn yourself though. If your finger leaves a dent in the cupcake, back to baking they go! And if the cupcake bounces back completely (yes, bouncy bouncy), that means they are good to go! It’s just one of the simplest and efficient ways to tell if your cupcakes are ready to be eaten.
8. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
No matter how rushed you are, good things need time. So perfect cupcakes need love and patience. We know you can get excited to start piping decorations on your cupcakes but please, don’t do that while they are just fresh from the oven. You will end up with melted decorations and all that effort you put into your cupcakes would be wasted! Don’t rush. Let your cupcakes to cool down for at least 10 minutes before taking them out of the pan. Once they are out of the pan, stick them in a freezer for about 20 minutes. When the time’s up, you can start your Picasso moment and decorate away!
Decorate your cupcakes to perfection!
We eat with our eyes first before we eat with our mouth. That means your cupcake presentation must be nailed to a tee! *Coughs* Allow us to take this moment to talk about our offerings. Our choice of whipping creams is a delectable experience for any baker. Whether you are looking to make a gorgeous icing or delicious whipped cream filling, we have some options for you:
Rich’s Gold Label
A delicious and fragrant vanilla flavor, and easy to prepare, this one is known for giving bakers’ the ease to make intricate decorations at ease because the shapes will hold up for a long period of time. For the same quality but less sweet, we also have Rich’s Gold Label Less Sweet for you. Did we mention that it melts in your mouth too?
Rich’s Whip Topping Chocolate
You don’t need to buy chocolates now that we have the perfect chocolatey solution for you! Delicious chocolatey flavor, and an airy, pillowy texture in your mouth, you cannot go wrong with Rich’s Whip Topping Chocolate. Chocolate for the win! It’s great for a topping or filling for the cupcakes.
Rich’s Klasik Crème
A slight savory topping cream that is enhanced with sea salt, this one gives a unique taste in your mouth. This one complements beautifully with salty or savory ingredients. It’s just something different for those wanting to move away from the sweet stuff. We talk more about it here.
Want to get the best out of our offerings in your creations? Read this article on How to get the Perfect Whipped Cream.
Get baking!
This is just the start! Once you can bake like a pro, you can present plenty of cupcakes! Drizzle on some chocolate, sprinkle it with almonds, and even a gold leaf (because you are fancy like that)—you should feel proud with what you bake! Continue to experiment with different recipes and adapt to make one that screams you.
If you found this article useful, there’s more from where that came from. Rich Products Malaysia has everything you need, from amazing recipes to culinary & baking related fun facts, we have it! And if you can’t find something you are looking for? Let us know your thoughts!
