A sprinkling of cupcake tips from the experts.
-- Bake cupcakes in paper or foil liners, unless a recipe specifies otherwise. Liners come in a regular 2 1/2-inch size, a 1 5/8-inch mini size and a 3 1/2-inch extra-large size.
-- Don't ever butter a cupcake liner, but when making dense or very moist cupcakes, spray with no-stick canola oil cooking spray for easy removal, recommends Elinor Klivans. When baking extra-large or big-top cupcakes, spray the top of the pan so the batter doesn't stick.
-- Use shiny rather than dark pans for baking. Some experts use nonstick pans to keep cleanup to a minimum. You can also bake cupcakes in specialty cupcake-style pans in flower, star and heart shapes.
-- Fill standard-size cupcake liners 2/3 (1/4 cup batter) to 3/4 (1/3 cup batter) full, depending on recipe instructions. "To streamline the cupcake-making process, use an ice cream scoop (in different sizes) with a spring action lever to fill the cups," advises Anne Byrn, noting that the scoop has changed her cupcake baking forever.
-- Use the toothpick in the center test for doneness. In most cases, if the toothpick comes out clean, it's done and if cake sticks, bake a little longer.
-- Use a small offset spatula (it has a flat rounded blade designed for even spreading) for frosting cupcakes as the crooked handle gives you extra leverage.
-- If traveling with cupcakes (some travel better than others; i.e. frostings and glazes that harden) during the summer, be sure to chill them first and transport in individual cupcake containers or disposable pans with plastic lids (available in 9x13, single serving or other sizes).
-- You may freeze most cupcakes, unfrosted, for up to three months.
-- Natalie Haughton
