We all know and love cupcakes. They are my favorite treat of all time. But I must admit, the new trend of making everything in bite-sized pieces is so much fun! Although mini cupcakes are not new, I have never made them more than once or twice in the past. During the past month I have put more than ten batches in the oven! And let me tell you, these bite-sized treats are no easy feat. Today, we have a few tips to help you achieve the best results on your first try.
Adjust your recipe to make them sturdier
If too light and fluffy, mini cupcakes will topple with the weight of the buttercream you will use to decorate. If they fall over, your display will not be the best, and we do not want that!
My advice is to use a recipe that calls for buttercream and/or sour cream instead of just milk or water. This will make the whole mix thicker, which results in mini cupcakes that can hold their own.
Be careful about how long -and hot- you bake them!
Check out this article to understand the whole math behind it, but essentially you will need to at least half the amount of time these treats stay in the oven. As they are smaller, they will not take as long to bake. Always make sure to check if they are ready with a toothpick!
You can also bake them at a lower temperature. They will take a bit longer to bake -and to burn, in case you forget about them for too long- and it is definitely a failsafe!
The buttercream recipe you use matters- a lot!
Mini cupcakes are usually used not only as a treat but as a display. This means that their look, as well as their flavor and texture, needs to be spot on! The buttercream recipe you use can let you down in this respect.
You should aim to use buttercream that is shelf-stable for longer, so that it does not melt, wilt or sweat. For this purpose, I recommend you avoid using ONLY butter.
Instead, try incorporating half butter – half shortening into your recipe. Shortening is much more stable than butter and will not let you down when it comes to staying hours outside the fridge for your guests to admire and then enjoy.
It will also create a delectable crust, that I find makes the experience that much better!
I think mini cupcakes are the perfect treat for any occasion. They can help you measure your portion if you make them for yourself and family and they will also look beautiful if you want to make an elaborate display.
No matter why you want to make them, they are an easy treat. The biggest hurdle to overcome is to decorate them, but you can always share that task with your little ones or a housemate. You can also use this opportunity to experiment with different colors and decorations – so much fun!
What do you think? Do you make mini cupcakes often? If so, did you know about these tricks? Tell us below!
Cakedecorist
Karen Rutherford is founder and editor in chief at Cakedecorist. You will often find her in the kitchen creating edible works of art or trying out some new recipes. As a pâtissière and baking enthusiast, Karen has decided to share her abundant knowledge with the internet audience and provide only the best tips and recipes for baking and decorating your favorite sweets.
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