Chocolate Cupcakes With Oil and Cocoa: Why Hot Coffee or Water Makes Them Better
A thin, pourable batter of cocoa, oil and hot liquid bakes into a dark, soft cupcake that stays moist for days. Here is the standard ratio and the science behind it.
Category: Cakes & Cupcakes
Layer cakes, sheet cakes, loaf cakes and cupcakes, plus frosting basics, pan sizes and why cakes dome, crack or collapse.
Why Cakes Dome and Crack on Top (and When It Is Perfectly Normal)
A peaked, split top on a layer cake is a heat problem you can fix. On a pound cake or loaf, the same crack is a sign the bake went right.
Why Is My Cake Dry? 8 Causes and How to Fix a Dry Cake
A few extra minutes in the oven or an extra half cup of scooped flour is enough to turn a tender cake dry. Here is how to pinpoint the cause and what to do with the cake you already baked.
Why Did My Cake Sink in the Middle? Causes, Fixes and How to Save It
A dip in the middle almost always means the center had not set when the cake cooled. Find the cause in the table below, then use the doneness checks so it does not happen again.
Simple American Buttercream: The Basic Ratio, Piping Consistency and a Dairy-Free Swap
Butter, powdered sugar, a splash of milk and vanilla make the easiest frosting there is. Getting it smooth and pipeable is all about ratio, temperature and beating time.
Vanilla Cupcakes: A Standard Recipe With Cups and Grams, Fill Level and Cooling Tips
Twelve classic vanilla cupcakes from a standard butter-cake ratio, plus the details that decide the result: room-temperature ingredients, a two-thirds fill and prompt cooling.
Christmas Cupcakes From One Base Recipe: Peppermint, Eggnog Spice and Gingerbread
Start with a standard vanilla cupcake and change only a few ingredients to get peppermint, eggnog spice or gingerbread cupcakes for the holidays.