Page 18 - Cupcakes

If you detest liners, it might be because the liner grabs a good portion of your

cupcake as you peel it back. And the sides of the cupcake don’t develop a nice
sturdy crust.
As a matter of sheer practicality, cupcakes need liners and muffins do not.
Nearly all cupcake recipes in this book call for paper liners, and you can use the

handy pastel liners found in nearly every supermarket. Or, you can order
seasonal patterned liners from Wilton, or find pristine white liners at baking and
craft shops. You can even find pretty brown paper baking molds (mini panettone
molds) into which you pour the batter and don’t need a pan at all. These molds
can be found in many fine baking shops nationwide, or by mail order (see
Cupcake Mail-Order Supplies, page 19).

10 Steps to Sensational Cupcakes

1. Buy an oven thermometer and check to see if your oven is baking at the
correct temperature. Or call your appliance serviceman for a more accurate
digital test.

2. Place the oven rack in the center position.

3. Preheat the oven for 10 to 15 minutes before baking.

4. Read the recipe before beginning. Make sure you’ve got the right pan
size. Regular cupcakes and muffins go in 2½-to 2¾-inch cups.

5. Find paper liners that fit your pan snugly. For muffins, mist the bottom of
the cups with vegetable oil spray.

6. Measure ingredients correctly. Dry ingredients go into measuring spoons
and cups and should be leveled off with a straight edge. Brown sugar needs
to be packed lightly into the cup. Liquid ingredients, on the other hand, go
into liquid measuring cups and you need to check the measurement at eye
level (unless you have the new liquid measuring cup that you can read from
above).