Cupcake shops abound in the Triangle including the Cupcake Shoppe Bakery in Raleigh and the Cup Cake Bite in Fuquay Varina. Additionally, many cake decorating boutiques offer elaborate morsels like Sweet Memories Bakery in Apex.
While such artisan goodies can be delish, they also come at a hefty price compared to making your own cupcakes. You can make beautiful and yummy cupcakes at home using this examiner’s cupcake secrets.
Step 1
Use the best boxed cake mixes you can find at your local grocer; this examiner prefers Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker.
Step 2
Start with your eggs and other ingredients at room temperature so your cupcakes rise to their optimal volume. In fact, place your eggs in a bowl of about 100-degree Fahrenheit water then cover the bowl with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Beat your eggs for one minute on low in your mixing bowl prior to adding the oil or butter, water and dry cake mix.
Step 3
Line your cupcake molds with cupcake paper liners because these keep your little cakes moist.
Step 4
Bake one to two, 12-mold cupcake pans for only 16 minutes on one rack in your oven; most boxed cake mixes call for 18 to 21 minutes which leads to overcooked and even burnt cupcakes.
Step 5
Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
Step 6
Use a beveled, small cake decorating spatula to apply about 1 tbsp. of frosting to the center of your cupcake. Holding the cupcake in your non-dominant hand and the spatula in your dominant hand, turn the cupcake and spread the frosting. Leave a 1/4-inch border on the perimeter of the cupcake so your decoration does not get messed up as you pack or arrange the cupcakes.
Step 7
Decorate the tops of your frosted cupcakes with a cake decorating bag fitted with decorating tips. You must apply sprinkle decorations immediately over the frosted cupcakes; if the frosting dries, the sprinkles will not stick.
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