Valentines Day In Miniature
February 3, 2022
Cupcakes have been on the sweet scene for a long time; our love affair with them knows no end. Giant cupcakes, mini cupcakes, two-flavored cupcakes and clever cupcake cakes for weddings instead of a huge cake! There’s no denying their popularity.
True, the cupcakes of my youth have undergone a radical change; no more just vanilla, yellow or chocolate ones. Now there are marbled cupcakes, carrot and ginger cupcakes, caramel and coarse salt cupcakes, spiced cupcakes, banana and peanut butter cupcakes, even health cupcakes! And they have gourmet frostings to match!
Cupcake sales are hot on the web and bakeries dedicated to the little bites have sprung up everywhere. Now here’s the thing…cupcakes are just so darn easy and cheap to make and taste better. I have seen many beautiful looking cupcakes BUT they can often disappoint with a taste that is dull, and a texture that is dry and crumbly. A cupcake should taste as good as it looks. With Valentines Day just around the corner, cupcakes are ideal as a little gift of affection.
To make really great cupcakes, follow these simple rules for your favorite recipe. Don’t over-mix the batter because this could cause the texture to be dry. Use the right size pan and make sure that it is a shiny, heavy duty one. Never bake more than one pan at a time for even heat circulation. Fill the cupcake pans 1/2 to 2/3 full. Try using buttermilk based cake recipes; the result is outstandingly moist cupcakes. In general, batter for an 8-inch layer cake will yield between 20-24 cupcakes. For guiltless pleasure, use mini muffin pans to make cupcakes. Cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are made.
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