Don’t overmix! Overmixing will cause your cupcakes to be chewy rather than cakey and moist. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.

Choose a good cupcake pan. Better pans will make about 6-12 cupcakes. Large muffin tins are not suggested. If you have two pans, use one for cooling while the other is in the oven baking. Two 12-unit cupcake pans will usually work for one batch of cupcakes.

Cupcake liners are your friend. Paper or foil wrappers make for easy clean up, look nice and keep little fingers off of cupcakes. Many recycled paper liner options are now available, or you may choose to grease your pan with a nonstick cooking spray. If using the spray, coat the pan very well.

Baking temperature matters. Preheat your oven to the correct temperature before putting cupcakes in the oven. If you know your oven cooks faster at the rear of the oven vs. the front, simply rotate cupcake pan halfway through baking.

Create the perfect-sized cupcake. It may be tempting to make a “big” cupcake — but filling the cup more than 2 / 3 full will mean a gooey mess! On the other and, filling less than ½ full will mean very small cupcakes.

Watch the bake time. As cupcakes are relatively small, they can easily be overbaked. Start with the minimum recommended cooking time, then add time if necessary. Cupcakes are baked when they are springy to the touch or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Be a cheater. Boxed cake mixes work just as well as a cupcake recipe from scratch. Simply follow the directions on the package, and then spoon batter into your cupcake pans.

Freeze any leftovers. If you can manage to keep them from being eaten right away, undecorated cupcakes that are wrapped well can be frozen for up to three months.

 

How to fill an icing bag

Step 1: Turn the top section of the bag over so that the outer edge folds over your hand. Place desired tip in the bottom of the bag and push into the pointed end.

Step 2: Fill the bag with icing, then unfold top of bag and begin to work the icing down towards the tip.

Step 3: You may have to push the tip back a little in order to cut enough of the bag. Snip excess until tip is exposed, then work tip back into pointed end and squeeze icing down into bag/tip. Hold the top of the bag to prevent icing overflow.

CHoosing tips for DecoRatinG

SmALL
ROunD TIp
Use this tip for writing
words or precise
decoration.

LARgE
STAR TIp
Use this tip for
creating stars,
flowers and swirls.

LARgE TIp
Use this tip to make
large frosting swirls
on cupcakes or
for filling the inside
of cupcakes.

LEAF TIp
Use this tip
for borders, leaf
shapes or unusual
patterns.

Batter Recipes

CHOCOLATE CupCAKES

Ingredients:
1 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 / 8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and unsweetened cocoa. Set mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar. Beat with mixer until they are pale yellow and fluffy, then add eggs one at a time until incorporated.
4. Add vanilla, flour and milk. Beat until combined.
5. Fill muffin tins 2 / 3 to 3 / 4 full.
6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, decorate, then eat!

Special Tip : Place a bite-sized peanut butter cup in the center of each cupcake just before baking. This will result in a peanut butter center once the cupcakes are baked.

Vanilla CupCAKES

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter (softened)
2 / 3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar. Beat with mixer until they are pale yellow and fluffy, then add eggs one at a time until incorporated.
4. Add vanilla, milk and flour mixture. Beat until just combined.
5. Fill muffin tins 2 / 3 to 3 / 4 full.
6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, decorate, then eat!

CARROT CAKE CupCAKES

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely shredded raw carrots
1 cup finely chopped apple
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Set mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar and oil. Beat with mixer until combined and slightly thickened, then add flour mixture and beat until incorporated.
4. With a spatula, gently fold in the carrots, apple, coconut and nuts.
5. Fill muffin tins 2 / 3 to ¾ full.
6. Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, then eat!

Special Tip :

Experiment with your own version of this recipe. For instance, if you dislike coconut, leave it out. Or, try chopped pineapple in place of the chopped apple in this recipe — just drain the pineapple very well first

RED VELVET CupCAKES

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 tablespoon white vinegar
¾ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1 / 3 cups vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large measuring cup, mix together the buttermilk, food coloring, white vinegar and vanilla. Stir lightly until mixed.
4. In a large bowl, add the oil and eggs and mix with mixer until combined, then add buttermilk mixture to oil/egg mixture and mix.
5. Add flour mixture to the oil/egg/buttermilk mixture and mix until incorporated.
6. Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, then eat!

Special Tip :

Since the goal is to achieve a deep-red-coloured cupcake, add more cocoa powder if the colour of your batter is not dark enough.

Pineapple coconut CupCakes

Ingredients:
1 1 / 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter
2 / 3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon orange extract
1 8oz can crushed pineapple (drain & save juice)
1 / 3 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can)
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with mixer; then beat in eggs, egg yolk and orange extract.
4. Add drained crushed pineapple and beat – batter will be lumpy.
5. Mix in flour and pineapple juice until just blended, then gently stir in coconut.
6. Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, decorate, then eat!

ROOT BEER FLOAT CupCakes

Ingredients:
1 cup root beer soda
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1 / 3 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
1 / 3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons root beer extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners.
2. Combine the root beer and the vinegar in a small glass container and let stand for a few minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil until slightly frothy. Add root beer extract, then add flour mixture until just incorporated.
5. Bake about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool, decorate, then eat!

ICING Recipes

Tint icing various colours by mixing small drops of food colouring into homemade or store-bought white-coloured icing. Mixing two or more colours will give you a variety of options.

Vanilla (WHITE) buttercream icing

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla and milk with mixer until creamy.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE ICING

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk and salt with mixer until creamy.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!

CHOCOLATE ICIng

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla, milk and cocoa powder with mixer.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!

ICING Recipes

Tint icing various colours by mixing small drops of food colouring into homemade or store-bought white-coloured icing. Mixing two or more colours will give you a variety of options.

Vanilla (WHITE) buttercream icing

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla and milk with mixer until creamy.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE ICING

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla, milk and salt with mixer until creamy.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!

CHOCOLATE ICIng

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons milk
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
3 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, vanilla, milk and cocoa powder with mixer.
2. Begin adding powdered sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick.
3. Spread onto cupcakes or cake, and enjoy!