Cupcakes are nothing but baby cakes. Any cake recipe can be a cupcake. All that is needed is a muffin tin and the desire to be cute. And what cake wouldn't aspire to be cute?
Cupcake Rules
Cupcakes are easy enough to make, as long as you adhere to a few simple rules.
If you have enough leftover batter for a few more cakes, fill the cups in the center of the muffin pan first. They will bake and brown more evenly than if you only fill the corner cups. Never fill empty cups with water. The water gets hot and you can easily be burned by it and its steam.
Cool cupcakes 5-10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the pan. If they are removed too soon, they will fall apart. If they are removed too late, there is chance they may stick. Wait until the pan is cool enough to touch, but still warm.
Don't dump the cupcakes upside down out of their pan. You will damage their beautiful tops.
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting. If they are even a little warm they will melt any frosting that contains fat (which is all of them).
Make it easy on yourself and bake cupcakes ahead. Unfrosted, they can be wrapped and kept at room temperature overnight, or frozen for up to a week. Prepare the frosting ahead too, but ice them just before serving for the neatest, freshest looking cakes.
Finally, never bake cupcakes when you're hungry. It's a tummy ache waiting to happen.
Broiled Cupcakes
This old-fashioned recipe is quick, easy, and always impresses. The icing is browned under the broiler for a deep, toasty, caramel flavor.
Makes about 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
- [3/4] cup cream, divided
- 4 eggs
- 1 [2/3] cup sugar
- [3/4] cup all-purpose flour
- 1 TB. baking powder
- [1/2] tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a muffin tin with pan spray, and insert paper cups. Melt [2/3] cup butter and [1/2] cup cream together over medium heat. Set aside.
- Combine eggs and sugar, and using an electric mixer, or hand whisk, whip until pale yellow and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, and add alternately to eggs with melted butter and cream.
- Transfer batter to prepared muffin tins, filling to the rim. Bake 20-25 minutes, until firm. Cool completely.
- Preheat broiler (500°F). Combine remaining butter, cream, and brown sugar, and beat until smooth. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet and top with frosting. Place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until dark golden brown. Cool before serving.
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