My cupcakes tend to look like this strawberry one: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/strawberry-cupcakes?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/our-best-cupcakes#slide_2 i.e. smaller at the bottom and then larger at the top .... I find them a bit too small and would rather have them look like this chocolate one: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/devils-food-cupcakes-book?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/classic-cupcakes#slide_1 i.e. more uniform from top to bottom (i'm referring to the cupcake itself - the cake part not the topping/icing)... does anyone know what size pan and liners I need to get the second look? and can you share an online source? links would be greatly appreciated!!!

currently I use a standard muffin pan and regular medium sized liners...

I use the wilton cupcake pans. I've found they have straighter sides so the liners fit in perfectly and they are more uniform. Wilton has several cuppie pans, its the most expensive one, $20 in US. HTH

I use the wilton cupcake pans. I've found they have straighter sides so the liners fit in perfectly and they are more uniform. Wilton has several cuppie pans, its the most expensive one, $20 in US. HTH

i use wilton's cupcake pans too. the sides are straight so you won't get the flaring at the top. you can get them either from the wilton website Wilton.com or at Michaels or Hobby lobby. i bought mine at a walmart!!

I went to Michaels but they didn't have these ones... several others that have the more slanted 'standard' sides but not these... then off to Walmart - same thing ;( then off to the local bulk food store that also has some cake items - they had them! But they were $25 each! Ouch! but I had to get them (2).... will look online to see if I can find them cheaper this week and if so can return otherwise these are going to be some expensive cupcakes!

What's the name of the Wilton ones with the straight sides? Is it Performance brand or another one of theirs?

chilz822 - the ones I got (which i believe are the ones folks are talking about) say "Wilton 12 cup Standard Muffin, each up 1 1/8 in. deep" the big thing that makes them 'look' different then the other Wilton ones I saw was that they were the only aluminum ones and when you look at them from the side they are clearly different - far less of an angle side - more straight - not perfectly straight but far more then regular muffin pans.

I would be interested in this as well as I am making cupcakes for niece's graduation party. However, I have looked on Joanns website and they have the Wilton standard for 19.99 and I also looked on the Wilton site and they have a TriTanium for 21.99. Which 1 of these would be better? TIA

woops, i lied. my mini muffin pan is a wilton, my regular size is a Good Cook http://shop2.goodcook.com/item/04031/Premium_Nonstick_12_Cup_Muffin_Pan
it's pretty cheap, only about 8 bucks but it has a nonstick finish and straight sides. this is what i use and i always get perfect cupcakes!

Chonte, can you share a pic of one of your cuppies so we can see? It's hard to tell from the photo of the pan... and I'd be very interested in buying a few...

I also use the wilton ones, but the differences that I see in the cupcakes are one is a smaller more normal if you will cupcake (12 to a pan) and the other seems like it is also a Wilton pan but the bigger pans that only hold 6 cupcakes per pan. I know that the are about $8.00 per pan at our Michaels store but I got them with coupons of 40% - 50% off so they were much better and they make an awsome cup cake.

this is the best picture i have that you can see the actual cupcakes. hope it helps!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=182042571827025&set=a.145398602158089.18863.145397452158204#!/photo.php?fbid=182042571827025&set=a.145398602158089.18863.145397452158204&pid=452704&id=145397452158204

NO, I'ts a 12 cup Good Cook pan. i posted the link earlier. i don't have a wilton pan

so now I wonder if the ones I got are the right ones? still haven't used and don't want to at $25 each if they aren't the right ones ;(

just look at the cups, are the sides straight? thats all that matters. you just don't want cups that flare at al.

I have a wilton cupcake pan that has striaght sides that I bought about 1.5 years ago, but I think that particular pan has be discontinued. I like this pan because I can put the large cup cake liners in and I don't have to purchase another pan for the larger cupcakes.

OP, pans are somewhat important, but the two original Martha recipes you posted I think look the way they do because of chemistry, probably not the pans.

I have actually made her strawberry cake - the very recipe you posted, and it shrinks like crazy and sinks in the middle from all the fruit it calls for, the lack of baking soda to counter the acid in the fruit, and I think the baking powder is too much. When it is made into a cupcake (which I also did) the cake looked exactly like that picture - it set on the tops but the cake under it shrunk and the cakes turned into up-side down bells. Anyway, no pan would have changed the outcome or shape this cupcake ended up in.

On the flip side, chocolate is the easiest of cakes to bake from scratch, and it sets really well in cupcakes because of the baking soda as well as powder.

If your cupcakes look like the strawberry cupcake, it's probably your recipe.

the Wilton pan I got has 'almost' straight sides...a very slight angle ... but now I'm wondering how much impact the liners have - all the liners I have have a smaller base then the pan - thus smaller at the bottom and wider at the top .... so even if the pan is better (or more like what I want) the liners may still create very angled cuppies ;( ???


FromScratchSF - I understand what you are saying but most pans have the shape so i'd think that even if they recipe is good you'd still get that angle - ie the bottom is smaller then the top...??

yeah, my Good cook pan has the slighest lil slant

Thanks Chonte!

I used one of my 2 pans over the weekend - the pan is much better! however the liners are not! I used the Wilton linters (pack I got from Michael's of pink, green and pink) and foudn that the liners were smaller at the base then the pan so since the pan was larger when I added the cake batter is almost 'smooshed' the liners a bit and they didn't look good once done ;( so now I'm on the hunt for liners that will work.

Any suggestions for the liners? I've looked everywhere locally and they have nothing other then Wilton (which I have), the Renolds (which have a smaller base then the Wilton) and some no name that also have a smaller base ;(

it's not gust you. alot of people have issues with the wilton liners, i do all the time. i never have issues with the reynolds liners but they just don't have the selection wilton does, i just deal with the wilton, usually after i frost them you can't tell anyway

thanks Chonte! Good to know it's not just me! I appreciate all your help!! and that of everyone else!

But I have a solution!!! instead of repeating/retyping just read the second half of this post on my blog: Altered Cupcake Liners @ http://cloesspace.blogspot.com/2011/02/altered-cupcake-liners.html

OMG!! what a great idea!!! and so simple! thanks for the tip