Flat cupcakes? Sounds like a nightmare. While cupcakes have many defining qualities, one of the biggest (aside from delectable frosting) is the perfect rise. But if youre struggling with your cupcakes rising, youll be left with a visually sad cupcake. Whats the deal?
3rds of the way full. Ensure youre using active leavening agents, swap for self-rising flour, and dont overmix.There are many ways to make cupcakes rise perfectly. The most important thing is to make sure youre pouring the right amount of batter into the pan or liners, which is 2
Hey! Im Shea, a self-taught baker experimenting with cupcakes for the past ten years. Cupcakes are the perfect handheld treat for any occasion. I love the versatility and flavor, so I make them quite often. Ive discovered how to make them rise perfectly, and Im sharing my tips today.
Lets make some cupcakes!
How to Make Cupcakes Rise Perfectly (6 Tips)
Perfectly-risen cupcakes arent reserved for professional bakers. You can make the same great cupcakes youd find at the store right in your very own kitchen. Just make sure you follow these simple tips and tricks to make your cupcakes rise perfectly.
1. Fill Pan/Liners 2/3rds Full
Having the right amount of batter is one of the critical elements to perfectly-risen cupcakes. Too much, and the batter will fall off the sides and create an ugly handheld cake. Too little, and there wont be enough batter to rise up over the edges as desired.
So whats the right amount? Typically three tablespoons of batterfor a normal-sized cupcake, one tablespoon for mini cupcakes, and a half cup of batter for jumbo-sized cupcakes.
Three-quarters of the way filled. Some people have found that ice cream scoopers work like a charm.Regardless of the size, your goal is to fill the cupcake pan 2
2. Use Self-Rising Flour
Is your cupcake recipe repeatedly rendering flat or sunken cupcakes? Consider swapping the traditional flour and leavening agent for self-rising flour. Simply skip the leavening agent and reduce the salt by a pinch when using the self-rising variety.
3. Don’t Use An Expired Leavening Agent
If you prefer to use the all-purpose flour and leavening agent method, make sure that your baking soda or powder is still active. Expired leavening agents will not allow the cupcakes to rise, leaving you with a sad and sunken cupcake.
That said, double-check that your leavening agent is not expired and is active. You can do this by doing the following:
- Baking powder: Mix teaspoon of baking powder with cup of boiling water. Expect a bubbling response.
- Baking soda: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of an acidic ingredient such as white vinegar or lemon juice. Expect a bubbling response.
If your leavening agent does not react, you will need to buy a fresh batch. Otherwise, you will end up with a sunken nightmare.
4. Double-Check the Oven’s Temp
Most cupcakes bake at 325F or 350F. But just because your oven says its a specific temperature doesnt mean it actually is. Yes, its true your oven can lie to you. Dont trust the display without checking with an oven thermometer.
What is the significance of this? Well, if the oven is too hot, your cupcakes will rise and fall and probably end up with burn marks in the process. If its too cold, it wont have the chance to heat and rise properly, rendering flat or sunken cupcakes.
The correct temperature is essential for perfectly-risen cupcakes. That said, you should also avoid opening the door too often, as this will cause temperature fluctuations that damage the rise of your cupcakes.
Let the cupcakes work their magic. Check about ten minutes before the recipe says theyll be done to get an idea of where your cupcakes are at. They will likely need more time, but its better than finding out your cupcakes have burnt to a crisp when the timer goes off!
5. Don’t Overmix
Its no secret that cupcake batter needs to be mixed, either by hand or with a stand mixer. But overmixing can be a terrible thing for the rise of your cupcakes. Thats because too much mixing will weaken the protein structure that allows for the ideal rise.
Needless to say, you need to be extra careful when it comes to mixing your cupcake batter. If youre using a stand mixer, you should only need to mix for about two or three minutes. By hand, you may need up to six minutes.
6. Use Room Temperature Ingredients
Time and time again, recipes say to use room temperature ingredients. Theyre not just trying to be a nuisance. Theres a reason, and that reason is that room temperature ingredients will mix better, allowing for cupcakes with a perfect rise.
What do room temperature ingredients mean, exactly? When discussing cupcakes, the focus is on butter and eggs. Cold butter and eggs will be challenging to break up and intermingle, which means your batter wont break down and rise as its supposed to.
To ensure you get the best mix and rise, use room temperature eggs and butter. The butter shouldnt be melted, but it should have a little give to it when you push it down with your finger.
Keep in mind that butter thats too soft can also hinder the rise of your cupcakes, so be picky about the temp of this essential dairy product!
FAQs
Everyone wants their cupcakes to rise like the local bakery cupcakes, and now you can with the simple suggestions mentioned above! If youre still curious about this topic, check out these frequently asked questions below.
Why are my cupcakes doming?
If your cupcakes are coming out with an unappealing dome, its likely an issue with the oven temperature (too hot).
Thats why it is essential to check the temperature of your oven regularly using an oven thermometer. You may need to lower the temperature by 25F if you keep ending up with domes.
Why is my cupcake so dense?
Dense cupcakes are almost always an issue with excessive flour (and other dry ingredients). When making a homemade batch of cupcakes, use the correct measurements. If you havent already, invest in a good pair of measuring cups and spoons.
How do you make boxed cupcakes rise more?
3rds of the way full, and dont overmix!If youre using a boxed cupcake mix, you can try adding teaspoon of a leavening agent to the dry ingredients. The added pinch of leavener will ensure that your cupcake rises high. Also, use the right oven temperature, fill the pan or liner 2
Final Words
3rds of the way full.liners should be filled 2Ensuring that your cupcakes rise perfectly is relatively simple. The biggest thing to remember is that cupcake pans
You should also double-check that your leavening agent is active or swap to self-rising flour. Lastly, bake at the right temp and always use room temperature ingredients for the batter!
Do you struggle with your cupcakes sinking, ending up flat, or doming? What do you do to fix it? Share your insider tips and tricks so we can try them, too.
FAQs
Why are my cupcakes not rising properly?
If the oven temperature is too high, it will cause your cupcakes too rise too quickly, causing them to then fall flat later. Try baking them at a lower temperature. It might be also that your oven isn’t calibrated correctly either.
How do you get the perfect level cupcake?
2 filled) and the cupcakes won’t rise over the edge of the cupcake liner.3 full which is the perfect amount of batter for each cupcake. Too little batter (liners 1The trick to perfect consistently shaped cupcakes is an ice cream scoop. We use a 3 tablespoon scoop which fills the cupcake liners 2
Why do cupcakes come out flat?
This can leave everyone a little deflated, right? Flat cupcakes exist due to lots of contributing factors. Oven temperature, wrong amounts of leavening agents, and overfilling cupcake cases are the main culprits.
What makes cupcakes rise?
Baking soda and powder are the essential ingredients that get the chemical reactions rolling in most baked goods. They play an especially important role in cupcakes–they’re the team players that get the cupcakes to rise and create the pretty top.
What happens when you overmix cupcakes?
When you overmix cake batter, the gluten in the flour can form elastic gluten strands – resulting in a more dense, chewy texture. The white batter looks airier, while the red looks thick and dense. You Can Taste The Difference: The overmixed cupcakes were gummy.
Why are my cupcakes dense and flat?
Why are my cupcakes so heavy? Dense cupcakes happen for almost the same reasons as the dry cupcakes. Adding too much flour and dry ingredients will absorb the moisture in the batter, resulting in a dry crumb. Not whipping the butter enough may cause your cupcakes to be dry and dense.
What affects the height of cupcakes?
dome and crack during baking. But did you know that foil cupcake cases can have a similar effect?Temperature has a big effect on how your cupcakes and cakes will rise during baking. When your oven temperature is too high for the type of batter you are using, your cupcakes or cake will peak
What temperature is best for baking cupcakes?
Most cupcakes bake well between 325°F and 375°F. Conveniently, these are the same temperatures that cakes are usually baked at too. You can probably use the temperature the cake recipe calls for, or you can adjust it if you’re looking for specific results.
