Cupcakes Baking Advice

The key to baking perfect cupcakes is preparation. Read the entire recipe to ensure full understanding of the methods being used. Gather all necessary cookware, utensils and tools, and then measure out all the ingredients. Fill the sink with hot, sudsy water to aid in cleaning bowls, utensils and tools as they are being used to prevent an unmanageable mess when the cupcakes are done. Place paper or foil liners in the pain, or grease and flour each individual cup on the muffin tray. For larger cupcakes, lightly grease the sides of the pans to ensure that any spillover will not stick. When all this is done, it is time to start mixing ingredients.The best tasting cupcakes start with high quality ingredients. Using cheap cocoa, sugar, or flour might not only affect the taste, but can also change the texture of the cake. The ingredients should be added gradually, not all at once, to ensure they are incorporated and well mixed. Prepared batter should be allowed to rest for three to five minutes before poured or spooned into tins. An ice cream scoop will make filling tins easy and will keep the amount of batter consistent from cup to cup. Equal amounts of batter will help the cakes cook evenly, as will rotating the trays halfway through cooking time. In the absence of cupcake tins, the tasty treats can be baked in coffee cups or ice cream cones.Preparing cupcakes for people with special dietary needs sounds challenging, but it can be quite easy. Substitute one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and three tablespoons of water for each large egg the recipe calls for, or replace the egg with barley malt. Applesauce can take place of eggs and oil and makes a great addition to spice cake recipes. When using a cake mix, replace the eggs, oil and water with 12 ounces of soda. Compliment yellow or white cake mixes with clear sodas like lemon-lime, or use strawberry or orange soda to add a bit of flavor. Cherry soda or black forest soda works great in a chocolate cake mixes, while spice mixes blend well with root beer or cream soda. Soda cakes taste great with whipped cream topping or whipped vanilla frosting.Although cupcakes are best when eaten within 48 hours, they can be frozen for up to three months. Cupcakes should be tightly secured in freezer wrap and frozen before they are frosted. When it is time to use the cupcakes, make sure the cakes are fully thawed before icing, glazing or frosting. Colored sugar or sprinkles is a nice treat, and they should always be applied over a layer of wax paper to keep the mess to a minimum. Once finished, the sugar or sprinkles on the wax paper can be returned to the original container to replenish the supply and prepare for the next round of cupcakes.