Cupcake help!

[morganleeann]

Ok guys im new here and im hoping this can finally provide the answers ive been searching for!! Can anyone recommend cupcake pans that will give my ccakes a very professional look? Also some good liners? Im trying my best to make them the size of the ones sold in bakeries. Im new at ccake making so ANY tips are welcomed and appreciated

 

[Selkie]

For over-sized cupcake pans and liners, go to Bed, Bath & Beyond or Target.

As for making them look "professional," that falls squarely on you, and only practice will remedy that. A good book specializing on baking cupcakes will also help. Betty Crocker puts out a cupcake book that is good for beginners.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC.

Josie

 

[babetoo]

welcome

 

[mommyNY2]

i like and use by Rachel Ray

Amazon.com: Rachael Ray Oven Lovin' Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan, Orange: Home & Garden

they sell it on amazon

 

[LPBeier]

One professional "trick" is to bake them in traditional white papers and then set them in one or more other papers, often with the outermost on in a different colour and/or with a pattern. Kind of "fan out" the non-attached paper but so it still covers up the baked one.

You want your cupcakes to be fairly level with the pan, with a slight rounded look. Get yourself a couple of plain and/or star tips and practice piping the frosting on nice and high.

You don't necessarily need to make huge cupcakes. The ones in the cupcake shops are usually mini and medium sizes.

Hope this helps!

 

[BronnieBakes]

Will you be doing much with the decorating? Personally, i like using plain cupcake liners in brown/black or white so that it doesn't detract from the decoration

 

[vitauta]

i need to rush some cupcake-making. my emphasis will be on the icings and decoration. i need a very good, quick and easy cake recipe, or even suggestions for the best box cake mix out there for cupcake making. please lower your standards temporarily and help me with this quick fix.

 

[babetoo]

i find either betty crocker or duncan hines just fine. i usually do a simple frosting but you could get fancy.

 

[LPBeier]

I agree with Babetoo on the two mixes. You can just buy their canned frosting as well. If you want it a bit fancy without fuss, scoop in on with an ice cream scoop to make a nice round shape on top.

 

[Snip 13]

I use silicone cupcake molds, bake them first then put the pretty paper cups on after to prevent them from getting full of dough and Icing. Edible glitter is also a nice touch, it hides most flaws Hope this helps.

 

[vitauta]

okay, thank you. so far so good. i forgot to ask which are the favorite cake-frosting combinations (especially for kids) > yellow/white, yellow/choc., choc./white? i've almost decided to have the kids do their own decorations with the betty crocker aerosol can icings and a variety of toppings like sprinkles and chocolate. this isn't for an occasion like a birthday or anything - just a fun get-together. i need them for tomorrow afternoon (06-28) is there anything else i'm missing to make this a success?

 

[vitauta]

betty crocker did just fine for me in a pinch. the kids had a great time using the various toppings and colors and came up with some artistic and unique looking little cakes. next time i will take more time and bake from scratch. cupcaking is a lot of fun.

 

[LPBeier]

Do you have pictures of the cupcakes, vitauta?

 

[vitauta]

Do you have pictures of the cupcakes, vitauta?[/QU

regrettably not. i don't even own a cell phone camera. but two of my grandsons blew me away, to my pleasant surprise, with their awesome cupcake designs. one was an intricate web design, spiderman-like in two color precision. another one, a star, visually exploded with its 4th of july accent colors. there were even some lovely flowers with soft pink loops and whirls gracing a few of the cakes, also made by a boy - my little warrior-athlete 9 year old. who knew?

 

[SodiumPentathol]

Boys are excellent decorators when it comes to food. I always recruit my fiance when I'm running behind schedule and need someone to help me fancy things up :P