Cupcakes Tastes Like Muffins!!

Baking By lhayes1976 Updated 5 Mar 2009 , 2:18am by Necey

lhayes1976 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
lhayes1976 Posted 24 Feb 2009 , 12:28pm
post #1 of 18

We are trying to expand and start selling cupcakes. I consider myself a pretty good cook/baker, but it seems every cupcake recipe I try, taste like and has the texture of a muffin. I really want to sell "fresh from scratch" cupcakes, but I don't know. When I make cakes to sell I almost always use the WASC. I have pretty good luck with the doctored cake mixes. Isthere a secret? Do I need to sift everytime, mix longer? Any tips would be helpful.

Does anyone sell cupcakes that are made from a mix? I don't want to start the scratch vs mix ball rolling, but for the life of me I just don't like texture of scratch cakes.

17 replies
grama_j Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
grama_j Posted 24 Feb 2009 , 12:42pm
post #2 of 18

ALL my cakes are from a mix, with my special touches ...... they are still HOMEMADE.......... Have never had a complaint.... I notice NO difference between the cakes and cupcakes......... that is strange if you are using the same recipe for both....

Deb_ Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Deb_ Posted 24 Feb 2009 , 1:05pm
post #3 of 18

The most important thing to remember when making a "scratch" recipe is to follow the mixing directions EXACTLY. Each recipe will be different. You definitely can't just throw everything in the mixer bowl and turn it on like you might do with a mix.

I bake from scratch exclusively, most of my recipes call for adding the liquid ALTERNATELY with the dry ingredients, ending with the dry. Also over-mixing can make the cake/cupcake tough.

I do sift all the time, I make sure my eggs or egg whites are beat separately before I add them, and creaming the butter/sugar cannot be rushed either. Measure ingredients exactly, a scale also comes in handy.

It's like anything else the more you make a recipe the better it should get as we learn from our mistakes.

Good luck. icon_smile.gif

No-goodLazyBum Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
No-goodLazyBum Posted 24 Feb 2009 , 10:04pm
post #4 of 18

I've had the muffin for cupcake problem ( and sometimes still do). I found thus far that I was over-mixing. I also switched from all-purpose flour to cake flour and that helped some too.

btrsktch Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
btrsktch Posted 25 Feb 2009 , 10:26pm
post #5 of 18

Try beating the he!! out of your butter and sugar. The creaming portion of scratch baking can turn a tough cake into a tender one just by that alone. Also, make sure all of your ingredients are room temperature before starting to mix as well.

lhayes1976 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
lhayes1976 Posted 1 Mar 2009 , 12:44pm
post #6 of 18

Well I tried a different recipe and feel a little better about this one. It was a chocolate one that called for buttermilk. I only had powdered buttermilk. The texture was right on this time, but the cake itself was a little dry.

I'm wondering if I would have used fresh buttermilk if they would have been moister. Also, does anyone use mayonaise in their cakes? I read online some women swear by it for moist cakes.

One other thing I noticed, this batter was very runny, I could literally pour it into my pan. My muffin disaster batter was very thick.
Geez, I can bake cookies and pies, but this cake from scratch is biting me in the b&^&.

My plan is to sell cupcakes at the Farmer's Market this summer, but I've got have an awesome recipe that will keep customers coming back every week for my cupcakes.

JanH Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JanH Posted 1 Mar 2009 , 11:02pm
post #7 of 18

If you like the WASC cake recipe, why not use that for your cupcakes, too. icon_smile.gif

In scratch baking, learning the "basic" techniques will greatly enhance the quality of your finished cakes.

When measuring, do you use the "scoop and drag" method and then shake to level.... You should be aerating the flour prior to gently spooning it into the measuring cup and using a straight edge to level.

Also when it comes to mixing, MORE (as in more speed or longer mixing time) is not BETTER. Overmixing will develop the gluten and result in a tough cake.

Also, cake and AP flour are not 1:1 substitutions.
If your cake recipe calls for AP flour, use bleached unless the recipe specifies otherwise.

Cake troubleshooting charts:

http://tinyurl.com/2p5bdu

http://tinyurl.com/32goqe

http://tinyurl.com/6lpjww

http://tinyurl.com/6c745g

Great site for learning how to scratch bake:

www.joyofbaking.com

HTH

snarkybaker Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
snarkybaker Posted 2 Mar 2009 , 4:22am
post #8 of 18

try starting with a recipe designed for cupcakes. There should be a higher/levening to flour ratio in cupcakes to achieve the same texture a e. cake.

If you are an experienced scratch baker, you should be able to fool with your favorite cake recipes and add a little baking powder and get a good cupcake.

The real key to a good cupcake is good icing. regular powdered sugar frosting is way too sweet to make a good cupcake, since the frosting to cake ratio is so much higher than a cake..

BTW, we sold over 53,000 made-from-scratch cupcakes last year so I know of what I speak.

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 2 Mar 2009 , 5:40am
post #9 of 18

Since you are use to mixes try this recipe...

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/one-bowl-chocolate-cupcakes

It's Martha Stewart's "One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes" recipe. There are no fancy steps like folding, whipping, or creaming. icon_wink.gif Just very simple and I have read really good reviews all over the net. Just google it and you will find food blogs, etc praising this recipe. Here is one...

http://howtoeatacupcake.net/2008/09/marthas-one-bowl-chocolate-cupcakes.html


I am not sure how well the powdered buttermilk subs for the real stuff in cake baking. I have used the milk and vinegar trick with good results.

lhayes1976 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
lhayes1976 Posted 2 Mar 2009 , 1:00pm
post #10 of 18

txkat--Funny you should mention the "too sweet" icing. My husband who usually loves alot of icing on his cake complained that the cupcakes were way too sweet.

With that said, what icing do you use that's not as sweet?

53,000 cupcakes--WOW! I'd be happy with 500 a month. Of course we do not have a shop. My goal is to establish a following this summer at a few of the local farmer's markets. I would love to find a few killer recipes that keeps them coming back for more.

snarkybaker Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
snarkybaker Posted 2 Mar 2009 , 11:19pm
post #11 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by lhayes1976

txkat--Funny you should mention the "too sweet" icing. My husband who usually loves alot of icing on his cake complained that the cupcakes were way too sweet.

With that said, what icing do you use that's not as sweet?

53,000 cupcakes--WOW! I'd be happy with 500 a month. Of course we do not have a shop. My goal is to establish a following this summer at a few of the local farmer's markets. I would love to find a few killer recipes that keeps them coming back for more.




I can't give out recipes due to a "trade secrets" provision in my employment contract, but before we had one I posted a recipe. Do a CC search for " cupcake icing/frosting"

JanH Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JanH Posted 3 Mar 2009 , 3:15pm
post #12 of 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by snarkybaker


I can't give out recipes due to a "trade secrets" provision in my employment contract, but before we had one I posted a recipe. Do a CC search for " cupcake icing/frosting"




I did a search with your user name and "cupcake icing/frosting"...

The resulting thread was, What do YOU call 'regular icing' - but the thread was lost in one of the CC server crashes...

snarkybaker Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
snarkybaker Posted 3 Mar 2009 , 4:25pm
post #13 of 18

It's a hybrid of IMBC and powdered sugar frosting.

JanH Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JanH Posted 3 Mar 2009 , 5:23pm
post #14 of 18

Mixing meringue and American b/c's:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-78611-.html

I recall a post where another member made a "special" b/c that wasn't too sweet (like American b/c) and didn't taste like butter (like meringue b/c) by combing the two for the best of both!

HTH

Necey Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Necey Posted 4 Mar 2009 , 6:10pm
post #15 of 18

After trying many, many, "cupcake from scratch recipes" and having them turn out more like muffins in texture and taste, then going to just a mix, which was blah to say the least,I decided to use The Cake Doctor recipe book and am happy to report that all is well and tasty in my little corner of the baking for profit world. The chocolate cupcakes in that book, made with sour cream, are amazing to taste and make. I have been baking for many tears and do not know what happens to cupcake recipes from scratch, when I try to make them. First it seemed like not sifting could be the problem, but I sift everything that can go into a sifter, so that's not it either. Tried more oil, less flour, nope not that either. So, I finally discovered that it wasn't worth the torment on my poor old brain to puzzle thru this cupcake delimma any further. Now the cake doctor and I are great friends. Hope this helps you too. icon_biggrin.gifthumbs_up.gif

lhayes1976 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
lhayes1976 Posted 4 Mar 2009 , 8:46pm
post #16 of 18

Necey--Is it the Cake Doctor Cake Book or the Cake Doctor Cupake Book (which I already have)?

JanH Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JanH Posted 4 Mar 2009 , 11:09pm
post #17 of 18

Combining IMBC and regular buttercream:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-28824.html

HTH

Necey Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Necey Posted 5 Mar 2009 , 2:18am
post #18 of 18

It's the Cake Doctor "cake' book. I haven't seen the cake doctor cupcake book yet, actually didn't know there was one. Hope this helps. icon_biggrin.gif

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%