Time, temperature, and oven mode
At what temperature is it best to bake the muffins?
Preheat the oven to the temperature specified in the recipe before baking. The only way to know for sure if your oven is heating properly is to check it with an oven-resistant thermometer. If you’re having trouble with brownies, I recommend investing in one of these thermometers (you can buy them inexpensively). You may find that the dials on the oven don’t quite match the actual temperature inside.
Bake your cupcakes at 160 degrees, which is the temperature most often listed in the recipe. Be sure to read the recipe for exact instructions, as the density of the batter may vary. The baking temperature of the cupcakes depends on the specifics of your oven and may vary from the temperature listed in the recipe.
Because all ovens bake differently, you may need to lower or raise the temperature by 5-10 degrees. For example, if you have a gas oven, it usually bakes harder, so it’s better to lower the temperature by 5-10 degrees. In this case, the baking time increases by about 10 minutes.
How long does it take to bake cupcakes?
If the oven heats evenly and a special thermometer is installed, the time of baking muffins at 160 degrees, on average, takes 30-40 minutes. This is enough time for the muffins to rise well and have a proper crumb inside.
Keep in mind that even if you take the cupcakes out of the oven at the right time, they will continue to bake in the mold. Therefore, you should let them cool for just a few minutes first, and then transfer each muffin to a rack.
What is the best oven mode for cupcakes?
Here it’s simple, the mode for baking cupcakes always put the top – bottom, without the use of convection. This mode allows the baked goods to rise and bake evenly. If convection is not turned off, it is better to reduce the baking temperature by 5 degrees.
About the gas oven: in such an oven only mode bottom and most often the oven strongly bakes, so we recommend that your students buy a thermometer for the oven and immediately reduce the temperature by 5-10 degrees to muffins rise evenly and without cracking. To prevent the bottoms from sticking, use a thick baking tray, and you can also put a sheet of parchment under the cupcakes.
How do I know if the cupcakes are ready?
Insert a toothpick into the deepest part of the cupcake. If it comes out with dough stuck to it, it’s not ready yet. If the skewer comes out clean, the cupcake is ready (correctly).
Another way to check if your product is ready is to lightly press the top of the cupcake with your thumb. If it bounces right off, it’s ready; if not, give it a couple more minutes, then check again. If the cupcakes need more time in the oven but look like they might burn on the outside, reduce the oven temperature by at least 5-10 degrees.
What should be the consistency of muffin batter
The final consistency will depend on the ingredients used in the recipe and the correct proportions of the recipe. Wheat flour dough comes out smooth and uniform.
There are 3 key things to look for in order to get the perfect dough:
- Room temperature products. Prepare all products in advance, they must be at room temperature.
- Butter consistency. But what exactly does room temperature butter mean? Butter should NOT be so soft that it feels greasy and has no resistance when pressed. Properly softened butter does not sink completely when you press it, nor does it leave an oily residue on your fingertips.
- Duration of Kneading. Kneading the dough long enough can also affect the texture of the finished dough . Do not leave the mixer on and do not get distracted. another common problem is an under-mixed dough. Such dough does not have enough volume and airiness, so you get fewer cupcakes in quantity. The baked cupcakes turn out greasy with a hard crust on the outside with a high dome.
Stirring the batter too much creates too much air, and then the cupcakes shrink as they cool, leaving a depression in the middle.
How to make sure the cupcake doesn’t stick to the mold
I recommend using disposable paper capsules. They are very handy to work with, the capsules can easily be pulled apart to get the cupcake. Also, such a capsule perfectly holds its shape and does not require an additional metal mold to hold the dough capsules.
First of all, many people wonder if it is necessary to oil the paper forms – they are made of a special material that prevents the dough from sticking, so you do not need to grease anything extra.
Cupcakes stick to metal molds?
Before pouring the dough, be sure to grease the form with butter (vegetable or butter). Do not forget to cover a thin layer of both the bottom and the sides. Additional protection – a layer of breadcrumbs, semolina or flour.
Are the muffins sticking to the paper form? Then grease the liners with cooking spray or vegetable oil before placing the batter in them. This will help the finished muffins come off the paper molds more easily.
How do I get out of the silicone molds?
Silicone molds are convenient in that they do not need to be oiled – just a splash of water if necessary. After baking, let the cake stand for five to seven minutes. Then simply tilt the mold – the finished product will fall out of the mold with no extra effort on your part. If it’s still stuck and won’t come off, bend the edge of the mold outward, thankfully the silicone lets you do this with no problem.
Helpful instructions for using the silicone mold:
- Wash and dry the silicone mold thoroughly before using it for the first time.
- Place the silicone mold on a flat baking surface.
- Lubricate the inside of the muffin mold with non-stick cooking spray or wipe it down with oil if necessary. No additional lubrication may be necessary if the molds are made of good quality silicone.
- Fill the molds according to the instructions in the recipe.
How you can substitute the baking powder
Baking powder is baking powder, which means it helps baked goods rise in the oven. When muffins are exposed to the heat of the oven, the leavening agents react with other ingredients to create small air pockets that expand. The dough bakes around the air pockets and holds its shape, creating a light, airy crumb. However, if the leavening agent has expired, it will not help the pastry rise.
With baking powder for cupcakes or other pastries, the most common baking powder used is leavening agent, but many recipes also use baking soda, which is another leavening agent. The main difference between baking soda and leavening agent is that leavening agent already contains acid in the chemical mixture, whereas baking soda needs an acidic ingredient to cause a reaction. If the batter doesn’t have the right acid in it, the baking soda won’t work.
Baking soda is used in recipes with acidic ingredients. And leavening agent is used in recipes that have no or little acidic ingredients, such as cupcakes, biscuits, cookies, and other pastries.