Who doesn’t love a good cupcake? I mean, really– perfectly portioned fluffy, moist cake with delicious frosting in as many different flavors as there are cupcake lovers. It’s part of why cupcakeries are all the rage. And, despite many news articles saying that the cupcake is dying, more and more cupcake shops open up across the country, and even around the world. It appears the cupcake is here to stay…. and now, I’m going to give you all of the tips to get the perfect cupcakes at home.
The trick to a million kinds of cupcakes is actually in the frosting. Most cupcake bakeries only really make 2-3 kinds of cupcakes on a regular basis. When you see the varieties of cupcakes on the shelves, that’s really only 2, maybe 3 cupcakes in a variety of frosting combinations. For example, you may buy a cookies and cream cupcake, a hot fudge sundae cupcake, and a peanut butter cup cupcake, but in reality, you’re getting 3 chocolate cupcakes: one with a cookies and cream frosting, one with hot fudge sundae toppings, and one with a peanut butter frosting. To streamline our baking and provide you with the most flavor options, most cupcake stores are going to have a really great chocolate cupcake recipe, a really good vanilla cupcake recipe, and a really good other cupcake recipe– usually a red velvet or a pumpkin cupcake or another flavor that changes seasonally. While some larger cupcake stores will offer a wide variety, the smallest shops operate on quality cupcakes in a few flavors with a variety of frosting combinations.
If the idea of making a variety of frosting flavors intimidates you, you also need to know that you can make a ton of flavors with just a couple of base recipes… for example, a mint frosting is very similar to a vanilla frosting with a different delicious extract. A peanut butter frosting can be quickly created by replacing the cocoa powder in a chocolate frosting recipe with a peanut butter powder like PB2! With just two base frosting recipes and two base cupcake recipes, I recently created 7 different kinds of cupcakes by modifying an ingredient here or there (stay tuned for recipes next Monday!)
Cupcakes are best same-day. While many stores often push a special that encourages you to purchase 6 or 12 for cheaper than the same number purchased individually, you’ll want to be sure you have enough people to eat them. Once the frosting goes on, a cupcake’s “shelf life” is limited. The same goes for home baking– if you know you won’t be able to eat the whole batch that day, don’t frost them! Instead, put the cupcakes in an airtight container, put that airtight container in a freezer bag, and pop them in the freezer. Thaw them out before you frost, and you’ll have great cupcakes later! A refrigerator will dry them out, and you never want to try to save frosted cupcakes in the freezer!
The reason most cupcake stores use just a round piping technique (rather than the fancy star-style) is because you can achieve it without a frosting tip! Want to frost a bunch of cupcakes quickly without much effort? Grab a disposable bag and fill it, then cut the tip off. Your bag’s natural tip will spread out a bit when the frosting comes through, creating the look of a round tip without any extra dishes! Once you’re done, just toss the bag (though, most cupcake stores use a reusable piping bag in an extra large size!)
Different tips can make a difference in what a cupcake looks like, however. A simple round tip (if you’re using Wilton tips, it would be a Wilton 12, 1A, or 2A) can give a classic, fun look. An open star-shaped tip can give a more delicate look (21, 32, 4B, 1M are all good choices here). And a closed star (27, 31, 35)? That’s a very upscale look, similar to a rosette!
The trick to frosting is in the elbow, not the wrist– start on the edge of the cupcake, and move your entire arm around the cupcake, working your way in. If you use your wrist, you risk wrist strain, or even carpal tunnel if you’re frosting enough cupcakes over the long haul… always move your entire arm and you’ll prevent that extra strain.
There’s a super, super easy trick to getting those two-tone cupcakes for special occasions (like sporting events– Go Team!) or two add two flavors to a cupcake (chocolate peanut butter swirl anyone?). You put one frosting in one bag, the other frosting in another bag, and then put BOTH of those bags into a slightly larger piping bag after you cut the tip. Do a few test swirls to make sure the frostings are coming out evenly, then start piping on your frosting for the perfect two-tone or two-flavor swirl. It’s SO easy that you’ll want to make them for every occasion!
If you want to get perfectly baked cupcakes every time, measure to make sure you have the same amount every time. An ice cream scoop makes perfectly sized cupcakes every time, and by keeping your size even, it ensures your cupcakes will bake evenly– no more over- or under-baked cupcakes!
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The real secret, though, is that while many cupcake shops and home bakers employ some of the same tricks and tips– like having base recipes and using a scoop to create equal sizes, baking is as creative as it is scientific. That means if you learn the basic principles of the science of baking, you can make a perfect cupcake every time no matter how creative you start to get with flavors!
For me, baking cupcakes is a great way to stretch my creativity and also a great way to try new flavors. You’ll want to come back next Monday, because I’ll be sharing recipes for all of the cupcakes you saw in this post and then some! Trust me, this will be your ultimate cupcake guide for any occasion– you do not want to miss out!
What’s your favorite cupcake/frosting combo? Let me know in the comments below!
Who knew? Thanks for all the great tips!
I recently bought a set of Wilton cupcake scoops. I always have trouble getting my cupcakes filled just right. I’ve used the regular size scooop a couple of times, and it’s been great.
Renee @ Awesome on $20 recently posted…Croissant French Toast with Maple Bacon Whipped Cream
I’m a huge fan of cupcake scoops for getting the right amount! I’d be lost without some form of measurement.