How to make sure your cupcakes are moist?

Instant Clearjel or Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix —this is a secret ingredient to a moister cupcake--the modified cornstarch in these ingredients gives your cupcake more stability and a softer texture. That's because it allows the cupcakes to retain more moisture while keeping a soft and light texture.

What is the secret to good cupcakes?

Top Tips for Baking Better Cupcakes Read the Recipe. Read the recipe all the way through first. ... Check Oven Temperature. ... Check the Dates. ... Substitute with Caution. ... Use the Right Temperature. ... Take Time to Sift. ... Measure with Care. ... Cream the Ingredients. More items...

How do you get moisture back in cupcakes?

Using a silicone pastry brush, generously douse your simple syrup. all over your cupcake to really let it soak in . You can store your simple syrup in the fridge.

Are cupcakes better with milk or water?

Baking tip #2: adding milk to your box cake mix in place of water adds a dense texture to your dessert leaving it moist and flavorful like a homemade cake . Or, if you prefer, you can add buttermilk, giving your cake a tangy flavor to balance out the sweetness.

What is the best temperature to bake cupcakes?

Most cupcakes bake well between 325°F and 375°F . Conveniently, these are the same temperatures that cakes are usually baked at too. You can probably use the temperature the cake recipe calls for, or you can adjust it if you're looking for specific results.

What not to do when making cupcakes?

Don't Over-mix , Don't Under-mix. Not too much, not too little. Make sure you're mixing the cupcake batter together *just until* the wet and dry are combined.

What's the most important ingredient in a cupcake?

Flour is the main ingredient of the batter and provides the base for the cupcake. Butter or oil provides flavor, tenderizes the batter and helps provide volume.

What causes a cupcake to be dry?

Baking your cupcakes too long is a sure way to make them dry. And while you are checking the baking time, also check the oven temperature, if the temperature is too high, it's going to make it easier for the cupcakes to over bake as well. Not measuring the ingredients accurately will also make for dry cupcakes.

How to stop cupcakes from drying out?

The easiest way to store decorated cupcakes is simply to put them in an airtight container . There are specialized carriers and storage containers that make it even easier to preserve cupcakes, but any ol' Tupperware will do. Frosted cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

What dries out cupcakes?

Don't Refrigerate Your Cupcakes Cupcakes stored in a refrigerator will dry out. In fact, placing cupcakes in the refrigerator speeds crystallization in the sugar and flour, making the cupcakes go stale quickly.

Why are my cupcakes soggy in the middle?

Oven temperature is too hot : If your oven temperature is too hot, the outer layer of batter will bake and harden too quickly. The centre of the cupcake will still be liquid batter that needs to expand and go somewhere!

Expert Tips for How to Make Cupcakes Moist and Delicious (2024)

It's easy to bake cupcakes (thanks to our Test Kitchen's guidance), but we can't pass up any excuse to update our baking game and learn more tricks for how to make cupcakes moist and delicious. Sisters Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne—the expert bakers and owners of Georgetown Cupcake in Washington, D.C.— gave us the scoop on their artfully crafted cupcakes. Read on for some delicious pro tips on how to make cupcakes moist, fluffy, and super tasty every time.

Expert Tips for How to Make Cupcakes Moist and Delicious (1)

Cupcake Tip 1: Work with the Best Ingredients

When your teeth sink into a cupcake, your taste buds should register nothing but bliss. If you want to know the secret of how to make cupcakes moist and perfect, splurge on top-tier ingredients, say the sisters. Exceptional flavors are essential in something as small as a cupcake, so make those 3 to 4 bites count. "We use Plugra butter, Madagascar bourbon vanilla, and Valrhona cocoa, and they make a huge difference in taste," says LaMontagne.

Cupcake Tip 2: Never Overbake a Cupcake

"We always recommend erring on the side of under-baking," says Kallinis. "If you overbake a cupcake, there's no way to save it. And it won't be moist on the inside." Georgetown Cupcake's team of bakers even set two timers to ensure the cakes make it out of the oven on time. Check your oven's heat with an oven thermometer to determine its actual temperature for even better results. LaMontagne says you're doing it right when your cupcakes look slightly sunken rather than peaked. Test them with a toothpick if you're unsure.

Cupcake Tip 3: Mix Batter with a Light Hand

If there's one thing we've learned as bakers on how to make cupcakes moist and perfect, it's to simply be more gentle, says LaMontagne. "Baking fluffy, moist cupcakes is all about creating air bubbles in your batter that expand in the oven," she says. "If you overmix your batter, you collapse those bubbles and end up with a brick-like cake." Always mix at a low speed to avoid this, stopping just as all ingredients blend.

21 Baking Tools Every Home Cook Needs (Plus 16 Handy Extras)

Cupcake Tip 4: Let All Ingredients Come to Room Temperature

All ingredients incorporate into batter much more easily if they're at similar temperatures, says Kallinis. Sure, it requires a bit more planning to set out eggs, butter, and other refrigerated ingredients 15 to 20 minutes before you set to work—but for a perfect cupcake, it's worth it. (As far as baking tips go, this one ranks among the easiest!)

Expert Tips for How to Make Cupcakes Moist and Delicious (2)

Cupcake Tip 5: Freeze Your Creations

If you're baking ahead, the key to ensuring you have perfect cupcakes for your gathering is freezing them. "If you've baked them to eat right away, we recommend storing cupcakes at room temperature," says LaMontagne. "But if they're for tomorrow, freezing them will retain their moisture much better than leaving them on a countertop overnight."

Try Out Your Cupcake Baking Skills

Now that you know how to make cupcakes moist and delicious, put your skills to the test by trying out a new cupcake recipe.
Mocha Filled Bananas Foster Cupcakes
Pineapple Carrot Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes
Animal Birthday Cupcakes

Celebrate summer with Beach Party Cupcakes, or make these Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes for Halloween or Thanksgiving. If you have a cake recipe you love, here's how to convert it for cupcakes.

You can also practice your piping skills with these cupcake decorating tips.