Cupcake Baking Tips

If I had to pick just one thing to eat for the rest of my life, it would be cupcakes!  I love them.  I also bake tons of them.  I started baking several years ago after taking cake decoration classes.  But over the last couple of years, I have evolved into just cupcakes.  I am still perfecting some flavors but I have a few that are pretty darn yummy.  


I wanted to share some of the basic things I have learned over the years so that you can make pretty and yummy cupcakes too!


Items needed:

• Cake mix or ingredients- I prefer the Betty Crocker mix.  Butter Recipe chocolate, vanilla and lemon are my favorite.  
• Mixer
• Cupcake liners
• Cupcake pan

My favorite chocolate cake recipe can be found on the back of Hershey's baking chocolate. If for some reason you live in an area that does not sell Hershey's baking chocolate I will include the recipe below.  

My favorite vanilla cake recipe is The Cake Boss' vanilla cake recipe.  I love The Cake Boss.  We watch it as a family and have had so many good times watching.  Last year we went to New York and made a trip to Hoboken to his bakery.  It was definitely a major highlight of our trip.  We even got to meet Buddy!  

I hope these simple tips help you get started.  If you have questions feel free to send me a note! 

Hershey's Chocolate Cake

2 c.  sugar
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp.  baking powder
1 1/2 tsp.  baking soda
1 tsp  salt
2 eggs
1 c.  milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.  Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on med speed 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).  Pour into cake or cupcake pans.  Bake 30-35 minutes for cake and 22-25 for cupcakes or until toothpick comes out clean.


Cake Boss Vanilla Cake
The custard cream is optional.  If you want the cake to be supermoist and dense, you need it, but it will be delicious without it.  It doesn't affect the yield.


2 c. cake flour
2 c.  sugar
2 c.  italian custard cream, optional
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk

Put the flour, sugar, custard cream (if using), vegetable oil, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a standard mixer.  Using paddle attachment ( hand mixer can also be used) Mix on slow just until the ingredients are blended together, a few seconds, then raise the speed to low-medium and continue to mix until smooth, approximately 1 additional minute.

With the motor running, add 1 egg at a time, adding the next one after the previous one has been absorbed in the to mixture.  Stop the motor periodically and scrape the bowl from the bottom with a rubber spatula to integrate ingredients, and return the mixer to low-medium speed.  After all the eggs are added, continue to mix the batter for an additional minute to ensure the eggs have been thoroughly mixed in.  This will help guarantee that the sugar is dissolved and that the flour has been thoroughly mixed in, which will help produce a luxurious mouthfeel in the final cake.

With the motor running, add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stopping the motor to scrape the sides and bottom between the two additions.  Continue to mix for another minute or until the mixture appears smooth.  Before baking, be sure the batter is at 70 degrees F to 73 degrees F or the cake will crown.

Divide batter into two greased 9" baking pans or cupcake pans.  Bake until cake begins to pull from the sides of the pan and is springy to the touch, 25-30 minutes.  15-20 for cupcakes

HAPPY BAKING!