500 Cupcakes

A Quintet Book

Published by Sellers Publishing, Inc.
161 John Roberts Road, South Portland, Maine 04106
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eISBN: 978-1-4162-0675-0

500 Cupcakes copyright © 2011 Quintet Publishing, Limited. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American copyright Conventions. By Payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form, by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without the express written permission of Sellers Publishing, Inc. e-books.

September 2011

This book was conceived, designed, and produced by
Quintet Publishing Limited
6 Blundell Street
London N7 9BH
United Kingdom

ORIGINAL EDITION:
Project Editor: Jenny Doubt
Associate Project Editor: Rebecca Warren
Editor: Marianne Canty
Art Director: Roland Codd
Photographer: Ian Garlick
Home Economist: Fergal Connolly
Publisher: Judith More
Creative Director: Richard Dewing
Managing Editor: Jane Laing

UPDATED EDITION:
Food Stylist: Lorna Brash
Photographer: Ian Garlick
Art Director: Michael Charles
Editorial Assistants: Carly Beckerman-Boys, Holly Willsher
Managing Editor: Donna Gregory
Publisher: James Tavendale

Whether it’s their individual size, their pretty frosting, or just their ability to bring back fond memories of childhood, cupcakes really do have ultimate treat-appeal. Every generation seems to love them, and even the most curmudgeonly among us will find it hard to fight off a smile when presented with a plateful of cupcakes.

Cupcakes come in many shapes and guises, but the one thing they all have in common is that they’re small, individual-sized cakes baked in a muffin pan or cup-shaped molds, which are often lined with pleated foil or paper baking cups. You can make cupcakes by baking almost any cake batter in a cup-shaped mold. Classic yellow cake or pound cake mixtures are particularly popular, but gingerbread, carrot cakes, fruit cakes, yeasted cakes, and brownies can all be transformed into cupcakes. They can be frosted, decorated, glazed, dusted, or left unadorned — and whichever you choose, they’re sure to be delicious.

As well as making traditional baked cupcakes, you can steam some mixtures to make dense, moist desserts, like bread pudding. You can make other cupcakes using the no-bake method, in which you spoon a mixture of melted and dry ingredients into cupcake molds and chill or leave them to set. These unbaked cupcakes are usually served unfrosted, or simply dusted with a little confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder.

types of cupcakes

Cupcakes go by many different names. Some describe specific types of cakes, while others are more generic, but whatever name they go by, cupcakes can be found worldwide. Even in Southeast Asia you’ll find little cupcakes. In the Philippines, mooncakes — rice cakes steamed in banana leaf cups — are a delicious treat.

Many great classic cupcakes can be served frosted —
chocolate buttercream cupcakes
are served with a generous smear of rich chocolate frosting. Others, such as
vanilla cupcakes
are delicious without frosting. Madeleines are classic French cupcakes that are also served plain. Baked in a shell-shaped mold, they are traditionally made with a mixture of egg yolks beaten with sugar and lemon zest, then combined with flour, hazelnut butter, and whisked egg whites. You will find a modern recipe for
madeleines
.

Queen cakes are a traditional British cupcake made with a creamed butter mixture combination not unlike the vanilla cupcake mixture, with currants, and lemon zest added. Traditionally, Queen cakes were baked in small, fluted molds, but today they are usually baked in paper-lined or greased muffin pans.

frosting cupcakes

Although some cupcakes are served plain, it is the frosting that makes many cupcakes. Whether it’s a thick smear of cream cheese frosting or an intricately decorated cake topped with fondant decorations, it’s the topping that often causes the greatest delight, not just for the sweet, luscious flavor it adds to a simple cake. Once frosted, cupcakes are best eaten right away, and if you intend to store or freeze them, don’t frost them first. Whether you are a child or adult, beginner or advanced baker, once you get started on the recipes in this book, you’ll realize just how fun baking and decorating cupcakes can be!

Most cupcakes are incredibly simple to make, and you’ll only need a few pieces of equipment.

scales, measuring cups & spoons

Accurate weighing scales and/or calibrated measuring cups, as well as proper measuring spoons, are essential for successful baking. If the proportions of ingredients are incorrect, the cupcake may not rise and/or set properly.

mixing bowls and spoons

You will need a medium-sized bowl and wooden spoon for mixing most cupcake batters. Smaller-sized bowls are useful for mixing small quantities. A large metal spoon is useful for folding ingredients into delicate whisked mixtures. Unless otherwise stipulated, use a medium-sized bowl for the recipes in this book.

sieves

You will need a large sieve for sifting dry ingredients such as flour and a small one for dusting icing sugar or cocoa over baked cupcakes.

baking cups

Pleated paper or foil baking cups are available in many sizes, from tiny petit four cups for making mini cupcakes, to giant baking cups for extra-large treats.

muffin pans

Muffin pans are the most user-friendly pans for making standard cupcakes. The standard muffin pan has 6 or 12 cup-shaped indentations. You can line them with paper baking cups, or simply grease them before filling them with batter. The standard muffin cup is approximately 2 1/2 in. (6 cm.) in diameter. Mini and jumbo muffin pans are a great way to vary shapes and sizes of your cupcakes. Mini muffin pans have 12 or 24 cup-shaped indentations and are 2 in. (5 cm.) in diameter, whereas jumbo muffin pans have 6 cup-shaped indentations, with each cup measuring 4 in. (10 cm.) in diameter.

other cupcake molds

You can bake cupcakes in other molded pans. Shell-shaped madeleine pans are widely available. You may also find other pans with decorative, ridged cups in a variety of sizes. Individual stainless steel molds or ceramic cups can also be used to bake cupcakes.

timers

Perfect timing is essential for success, so always use a timer when baking. Accurate digital timers are inexpensive and well worth the investment.

wire racks

Leave most cupcakes in the pan to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Wire racks come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

other equipment

Electric mixers can save time and are great for combining all-in-one cake mixtures. The mixer should be set on medium speed unless otherwise indicated. A sharp, serrated knife with a pointed end can help slice the tops off cupcakes or make a hollow in which to spoon filling.

Most cupcake mixtures have four basic ingredients: fat, sugar, eggs, and flour. Other ingredients, such as chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit, are frequently added.

eggs

Eggs enrich cupcake mixtures and help to bind ingredients together. For the best results, use eggs at room temperature. When whisking egg whites, be sure to use a clean, grease-free bowl. Eggs should always be lightly beaten before adding to the recipe unless otherwise stated.

butter & other fats

Sweet (unsalted) butter is usually best for cupcake mixtures; it gives a wonderfully rich flavor. For creamed cupcake mixtures, use butter at room temperature; for cut-in mixtures, use cold, firm butter; and for melted mixtures, dice the butter before gently warming it. Margarine, white cooking fats, and mild-tasting vegetable oils sometimes replace butter and are a good choice for those with a dairy intolerance or allergy. Butter and cream cheese should always be softened before adding to the recipe unless otherwise stated.

flour & flour alternatives

Most cupcake mixtures call for self-rising flour or all-purpose flour, with the addition of a leavening agent. Whole wheat flour is sometimes used, but it produces cupcakes with a heavier, denser texture. Non-wheat flours, often combined with wheat flour, may also be used. These include cornmeal, oatmeal, cornstarch, and rice flour. Ground nuts may be used in place of flour and are particularly good for gluten-free cupcakes.

sugar & other sweeteners

There are many different types of sugar, all of which add their own unique taste and texture to cupcake mixtures. Refined white sugars add sweetness, while brown sugars add flavor and color as well. Brown sugar should always be packed when being measured. The texture of the sugar will also affect the cupcake. Granulated sugar is most frequently used for cupcakes, but raw sugar, and moist sugars such as brown sugar, are also used. For a finer texture, substitute granlulated sugar for superfine, or make your own by pulsing granulated sugar in a food processor until very fine. confectioners’ sugar is generally used for dusting cupcakes and making frosting. Light corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, and molasses can also be used in cupcakes, either in place of, or alongside, sugar. They give a distinctive taste and texture, and are a frequent addition to melted cake mixtures.

other ingredients & flavorings

Dried fruits, nuts, and seeds are a popular addition to cupcake mixtures. Dried fruits add natural sweetness, so you may be able to use less sugar than in a plain cupcake mixture. Different dried fruits are often interchangeable in recipes.

Fresh fruit such as mashed bananas, apples, pineapples, and berries may also be folded into cupcake batters. Frozen fruit may be substituted for fresh in the recipes in this book. Thoroughly thaw and drain before adding to the recipe. Chocolate may be used to flavor or bind cake mixtures or to decorate baked cupcakes. For the recipes in this book, you’ll need unsweetened cocoa powder, chocolate chips or chunks, and different varieties of baking chocolate in your pantry. Vanilla-flavored pudding or pie filling may be substituted for custard. Always assume that herbs used in the recipes are dried, unless fresh is specified. Other ingredients and flavorings include marshmallows, spices, cheese, vanilla, coffee, citrus zest, almond extract, orange flower water and rosewater, and liqueurs.