How to Make Cupcakes

This is a basic tutorial on how to make cupcakes. For some, you may not need this lesson, but many throughout the world are just learning the fun and enjoyment of baking and decorating mini size cakes. There are several supplies you need to make cupcakes such as a muffin tin and muffin liners. Beyond that all it takes is cake batter and an oven.

Making Cupcake Directions

You can use any homemade cake recipe or a box mix to make cupcakes.

Line a muffin pan with muffin liners or spray or grease each muffin tin. Muffin tins come in mini size or normal size. Either pan works great depending on the size you'd like your cupcakes. I like to make mini size cupcakes when I bring them into school functions because they are bite size and less messy. Normal size cupcakes are easier to do elaborate decorating.

Use a muffin scoop or measuring cup and pour batter into each muffin tin. Try to keep the same amount of batter in each tin so your cupcakes will be the same height and cook evenly. Make sure to fill them 1/2 full to leave room in your muffin cups to rise. Having all your cupcakes the same height and level is more important if you are planning to make a cupcake cake with them.

Using a 1/4 or 1/3 Cup measuring scoop to fill muffin tins works well.

If you have a muffin scoop available, it is perfect for making cupcakes.

Bake 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the cupcakes. Test to see if your cupcakes are done by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake. If it comes out clean its done.

Allow to cool and decorate! Here are some tips on frosting cupcakes.

Silicone cupcake liners work well also!

Cupcake Add Ins

You don't have to make boring cupcakes - put some extras in your cupcakes by adding to the batter any of these ideas:

Nuts - Walnuts/Pecans
Cranberries
Chocolate Chips
White Chocolate Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Chopped up bits of Andy Mints
M&M's
Red Hots
Chopped up bits of Snickers bar/Milky Way/Your favorite candy bar

If you're going to add any of the above into your cupcakes for kids just add it to the batter at the very end and pulse the mixer slightly for a couple of seconds to just lightly blend everything together.

Supplies

Besides the basic cupcake supplies you can really have fun with different liners or fun items.

Muffin Liners

You can buy muffin liners in various colors and designs as well as silicone liners you can wash and reuse.

See more supplies here.
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