I searched and couldn't find anything so I'm sure I'm doing the search wrong LOL...but......
Does anybody have a secret for baking cupcakes with flat tops instead of a cone/volcano look?
Next week is my 3rd Wilton Course 1 class and we're supposed to take in cupcakes. I'd LOVE to be able to walk in and show off flat topped cupcakes 
I think you just turn the oven down a bit. The reason cupcakes dome is because the outside gets set sooner and then the middle continues to cook and rise up. I would think if you got them to cook more evenly they won't dome as much. Why do you want them to have flat tops?? Just curious(From someone who is on the search for the perfect doming cupcake) 
I used wasc from this site, and the majority of my cuppies came out flat. i did get a few to dome. i tried to fill the cups uniformly, 2/3rd full. I would say just keep trying. I am also a newbie, 2nd wilton class is coming up 
to this site, and i'm sure you'll get great/sound advice from all these wonderful cakers!
Why do you want them to have flat tops?? Just curious(From someone who is on the search for the perfect doming cupcake)
Just so the icing will sit "flat".
I'm going to try reducing the temp of the oven. I wonder how much I should adjust? Twenty five degrees or 100 degrees. Hmmmmmmmmm....
Ahhh. OK I would say just 25 degrees. I think that is what I read HTH
I wish I could get a dome! I always get flat tops.
Just goes to prove that the grass is always greener on the other side......
In the same batch, I often get flat tops, concave tops and domes. And I use an ice cream scoop, so I'm using the same amount of batter for each. Go figure.
Wow, I would check your oven or watch to see where the variations happens. It sounds like you are getting uneven heat and may need to rotate the pan.
I wish I took a photo of the batch I made last night. I forget to set the timer for the top oven and had to guestimate. I guessed wrong and they were underbaked. The tops were all concave. The bottom oven I had set the timer and they were perfect. If I had just given the top oven maybe one minutes more, I would have had total perfection. Oh well, frosting hid all the damage!
Use shortening/margarine NOT butter! Butter is good for volcano effect, shortening keeps the tops flat. Also, don't open the oven door until the cakes are almost done!!!
Use shortening/margarine NOT butter! Butter is good for volcano effect, shortening keeps the tops flat.
Even if the recipe specifically states butter? And (shhhhhhh) I often use a spit-n-mix and not margarine or butter is added. I guess I'll give the temp adjustment a shot...at least until I've been doing this more than 2 weeks and start making from scratch
Also, don't open the oven door until the cakes are almost done!!!
My mommy trained me very well LOL.
Go to cake journal . com all one word...she has an article on there all about the order in which you mix ingredients that gets whichever end result you are after, either flat or rounded.
Oh interesting!! I will check that out.
Use shortening/margarine NOT butter! Butter is good for volcano effect, shortening keeps the tops flat. Also, don't open the oven door until the cakes are almost done!!!
I'm sorry. I have to disagree with this. Creamed properly, butter will not contribute to a volcano effect. I use nothing but butter in my cake recipes. I love the taste buttery taste in cake and do not want to use shortening in a cake. It is just my personal preference. I never get a volcano top unless I do other things to promote it happening. Two things I have had success with are leaving the scratch batter out for 20 minutes before baking and raising the temp of the oven to 400 and then reducing to 350 once I put the cupcakes in the oven.
Your recipe can be a factor also. Too much leavening or too little leavening can affect this also. The way you prepare your cake batter (like CakeJournal has written about) will effect, even when you don't do it properly but use the same method.
But shortening being the final answer - no. If it did I would have nothing but volcano tops every time I baked because butter is all I use.
I've never had scratch cupcakes dome when baking at the temp recommended - always flat. To get a dome, you can up the temperature by 25 degrees, supposedly. When I've used a box mix for class purposes, they always seem to dome. You could try turning the temp down. Or you could try a scratch recipe if you haven't yet. Be sure you are filling them the right amount as well.
Or you could try a scratch recipe if you haven't yet.
I actually bought 2 cupcakes books from Half Price Books the other day. I'm going to start with the first recipe in one book and work my way (through the ones our kids will eat) to the last recipe in the 2nd book. The first one is Cinnamon and Apple.
Be sure you are filling them the right amount as well.
That's an issue. I need to break down and buy a scoop.
Well sorry, was just trying to help!
I don't see where she meant it offensive...just giving her opinion from her kitchen/experience
I know, sorry, bad day 
no excuse, I know 
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