Cupcake dilemma

[Lisa2k]

I received a cupcake cookbook from a friend last Xmas called '125 Best Cupcake Recipes' by Julie Hasson. I hadn't really checked it out until recently, (as I have many of my own 'favorite' and 'base' cupcake recipes that I use), but, after reading through it a few days ago, I decided to try some of the recipes.

Every recipe is scaled to make 12 cupcakes, in a standard muffin/cupcake pan. The problem is, every time I scoop the batter so I have 12 equally filled cups (I would estimate each cup gets filled about 3/4's full), the result is cupcakes that over rise, then flatten around and over the edges of each well.

Now, being an experienced baker, I know that a cupcake that puffs up too much, then flattens around the outer edge of the baking well it's in, (making it hard to remove, and not as 'aesthetically pleasing' as one would like), usually means the well was overfilled with batter. However, her recipes state emphatically - 12 cupcakes.

My questions are 1) Does anyone have this cookbook, or have they tried the cupcake recipes from it? If so, did you get similar results? and 2) If none of the aforementioned applies, would anyone be willing to try one of her recipes and let me know if the same thing happens?

I have to admit, her recipes make a really moist, fluffy, and delicious cupcake, hence why I want to try and figure this out. I know I could simply fill each well with less batter, and get more cupcakes, but since these are 'tried and true' recipes, I want to know or try to decipher what I could be doing wrong, unless it's actually due to some kind of error in her base recipes.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated

Edited April 5, 2008 by Lisa2k (log)

[Tri2Cook]

I'm sure you've already considered this but I have a fairly large collection of "standard" muffin/cupcake pans that in actuality are of assorted sizes. The differences aren't huge but they're definitely different and make a difference in the end product when you put an equal amount of batter in them.

[Lisa2k]

I'm sure you've already considered this but I have a fairly large collection of "standard" muffin/cupcake pans that in actuality are of assorted sizes. The differences aren't huge but they're definitely different and make a difference in the end product when you put an equal amount of batter in them.

←

You know, Tricook, I was thinking about that. The 'standard' muffin pans I have were purchased by my parents when I was a child, and given to me years ago, Hmm..I would say they each hold exactly 'give or take' 1 cup of batter. I haven't bough a new muffin pan since, except for jumbo and mini.

I forgot to add, the 'standard' size paper cupcake liners fit perfectly into each well.

Edited April 5, 2008 by Lisa2k (log)

[alanamoana]

I'm sure you've already considered this but I have a fairly large collection of "standard" muffin/cupcake pans that in actuality are of assorted sizes. The differences aren't huge but they're definitely different and make a difference in the end product when you put an equal amount of batter in them.

←

You know, Tricook, I was thinking about that. The 'standard' muffin pans I have were purchased by my parents when I was a child, and given to me years ago, Hmm..I would say they each hold exactly 'give or take' 1 cup of batter. I haven't bough a new muffin pan since, except for jumbo and mini.

I forgot to add, the 'standard' size paper cupcake liners fit perfectly into each well.

←

i have a pan where the 'standard' cupcake liners fit into the cavities. i just took a cup of water (one cup by volume, 8 oz) and it filled three cavities completely full. so, yes, you're probably over filling the cups.

however, there are a couple of other troubleshooting tips you might want to consider:

oven temp - if the batter rises properly but doesn't have a chance to set up and then settles down, it could be that you're baking at too low a temperature. if you're following the directions in the recipe, you should check your oven temp to make sure that it is calibrated. also, it will make a difference if you're using convection or still air.

leavening - could the recipes in the book have a different amount of chemical leavening than your 'tried and true' recipes?

[Lisa2k]

I'm sure you've already considered this but I have a fairly large collection of "standard" muffin/cupcake pans that in actuality are of assorted sizes. The differences aren't huge but they're definitely different and make a difference in the end product when you put an equal amount of batter in them.

←

You know, Tricook, I was thinking about that. The 'standard' muffin pans I have were purchased by my parents when I was a child, and given to me years ago, Hmm..I would say they each hold exactly 'give or take' 1 cup of batter. I haven't bough a new muffin pan since, except for jumbo and mini.

I forgot to add, the 'standard' size paper cupcake liners fit perfectly into each well.

←

i have a pan where the 'standard' cupcake liners fit into the cavities. i just took a cup of water (one cup by volume, 8 oz) and it filled three cavities completely full. so, yes, you're probably over filling the cups.

however, there are a couple of other troubleshooting tips you might want to consider:

oven temp - if the batter rises properly but doesn't have a chance to set up and then settles down, it could be that you're baking at too low a temperature. if you're following the directions in the recipe, you should check your oven temp to make sure that it is calibrated. also, it will make a difference if you're using convection or still air.

leavening - could the recipes in the book have a different amount of chemical leavening than your 'tried and true' recipes?

←

I just realized I made a mistake. I didn't mean to say the wells in my muffin pan each take 1 cup of batter, they each take about 1/3 cup. My comment about filling it '3/4's full' threw me off since I was in a rush. Sorry for the confusion.

That said, I followed her recipes to a T. Yes, I have an oven thermometer, and my oven was the right temperature when I put the cupcakes in. The cupcakes bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

As far as the leavening goes, I used the amounts in her recipe, which are a little different than some of the cupcake recipes I usually use, but it seems to work for well for her. Regardless, from her book, she gets a perfect rise, with no large, flat tops, making a total of 12 cupcakes, so I'm pretty stumped!

Edited April 5, 2008 by Lisa2k (log)