6 Great Cupcake Tin Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is there a difference between muffin tins and cupcake tins? ›

Muffin pans and cupcake pans are exactly the same.

However, in yet another difference between cupcakes and muffins, cupcakes always use liners and muffins are often baked without liners.

This will keep the muffins from spilling over the sides as they bake. If you've used all your batter but still have empty cups remaining in the tin, fill each empty cup with a few tablespoons of water. This will promote even baking, and can help keep the tin from warping as the muffins bake.

Fill your cupcake cases 2/3 full – around 3 tablespoons – or one decent ice scream scoop. Avoid filling your cupcake cases with too much batter as they will not bake properly and might overflow when they rise.

To start, simply cut a piece of parchment paper (not wax paper!) into about 4- to 5-inch squares for regular-sized muffin cups. For extra-tall muffins or cupcakes, make 6-inch squares. Lay the paper atop the muffin pan and roughly estimate the inner corners of the cup (I know, circles don't have corners).

They were smaller than the cupcakes we know now and were made in shallower tins or pans (patty pan tins). Nowadays most people would think of a fairy cake and a cupcake as being pretty much the same thing.

Well, they do prevent cake from sticking to the paper – sometimes just to a minor degree, as illustrated above (that's greased paper on the left, ungreased on the right). But sometimes, with more delicate cupcakes, greasing the cups actually prevents chunks of cake sticking to the paper when you peel it off.

Scoops are typically numbered, to differentiate between sizes, and a #20 scoop is ideal for portioning cupcake batter. These scoops hold 3 tablespoons of batter, making them perfect for achieving uniform, well-sized cupcakes.

"Baking fluffy, moist cupcakes is all about creating air bubbles in your batter that expand in the oven," she says. "If you overmix your batter, you collapse those bubbles and end up with a brick-like cake." Always mix at a low speed to avoid this, stopping just as all ingredients blend.

Butter is a classic choice that helps to make baked goods taste rich, creamy, and buttery, and is commonly used in cupcakes, cakes, and flaky pastries. Vegetable and canola oil, on the other hand, have a neutral flavor and are often used in baked goods such as brownies, muffins, and quick breads.

For chocolate, vanilla, and most other cupcake recipes, you'll want to bake for 15 to 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If the toothpick is clean when you remove it, the cupcakes are done.

Can I use a cupcake tin for muffins? ›

Is there a difference between cupcake and muffin pans? If you're wondering if a cupcake pan is the same as a muffin pan, the answer is yes! Though generally called muffin pans, they can be used to bake cupcakes, muffins and even savory items, like egg cups.

Cupcake recipes generally have more sugar and fat (butter, oil, or dairy) than muffins and may include ingredients like whipped eggs or even mayo for texture. And yes, cupcakes almost always include frosting. Muffins, on the other hand, are typically mixed with the muffin method no matter their flavor.

Our recipes suggest you bake using muffin cases rather than dainty little fairy cake cases so that you get a more satisfying sponge. When filling your cupcake cases, only pour the batter until it is two thirds full… then stop! Overfilling leads to overflowing, so always leave some rising room for your cupcake sponge.

Whether they're made out of ceramic, silicone, or paper, baking cups can definitely go in the oven! While ceramic baking cups can generally withstand very high temperatures, when it comes to paper baking cups, there are limits to how high the oven temperature should be.