Cupcake Queries

Trilby · 03-31-2007, 01:24 PM

I'm baking cupcakes from a Betty Crocker mix and I always end up with HUGE high crowns when what I want is a delicate hill. How do I fix this problem? I've googled and I can't find anything addressing this.

Cloud · 03-31-2007, 01:27 PM

How full are you filling your cups?

. . .

I mean, of course, that the baking cups should be no more than 2/3 full. Other than that, the only thing I can think of is it might be an altitude-adjustment problem.

Trilby · 03-31-2007, 02:02 PM

I'm filling them NO more than 2/3 full. maybe I need to go to 1/3 full...or less. do your cupcakes do this?

footfootfoot · 03-31-2007, 08:17 PM

You shouldn't be getting high crowns from a box mix. Shit it was over twenty years ago that i worked in a bakery, I think high crowns are the result of rampant leaving activity. Out of the box means it is not likely you used too much baking powder so the problem may be too much liquid. Things getting too loose allowing the crowns to go bonkers. Although the difference is minimal a dry cup measure is different from a wet cup measure. I don't recall which is greater. Try decreasing your liquid by a very small amount, say 10% (remember the whole potato question? tw can help)

The old Joy of Cooking used to have muffing trouble shooting. I'll check some of my books, but off the top of my head it is from either too much leavening, or too slack a batter.

Is your oven temp correct? Singed outside and raw ish inside = too hot, dry and not so well browned = too cool.

Just checked. reasons for peaked muffins: Oven too hot, over mixing (will also give you a tough and chewy muffin, mix should be just barely incorporated, lumps ok), mix too dry ( I had it wrong, but the kind of peaks from too dry a mix are rough and craggy and you see it when you fill the cups. smooth peaks are from one of the other reasons) and finally over filling the cups. 2/3 is correct. Another cause can be greasing all the way to the edge of the cup. (assuming you aren't using paper cups)

Trilby · 03-31-2007, 08:22 PM

Ok--maybe I AM using too much liquid. that makes sense (I cheat and use a dry ingred. cup instead of a liq. cup measure) but my oven temp. is fine--they come out v. moist--just with these weird high crowns. remember the movie Encounters of the Third Kind? Well, my cupcakes look like that mountain.

footfootfoot · 03-31-2007, 08:27 PM

you have no green light either...

the plot thickens.

Cloud · 03-31-2007, 09:35 PM

Yeah, I agree--check your oven. Get an oven thermometer and stick it in there. Some ovens run hot.

I also suggest you try to make cake from scratch. It's not that much harder, and you can control the amount of baking soda or powder in it. Making it from scratch also lets you control the quality of your ingredients, and reduce your intake of food additives.

footfootfoot · 04-01-2007, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

Yeah, I agree--check your oven. Get an oven thermometer and stick it in there. Some ovens run hot.

I also suggest you try to make cake from scratch. It's not that much harder, and you can control the amount of baking soda or powder in it. Making it from scratch also lets you control the quality of your ingredients, and reduce your intake of food additives.

(psst! It is Brianna we're talking to here...

)

melidasaur · 04-02-2007, 12:57 PM

I sometimes let my batter sit a few minutes before I proceed to filling the baking cups. Sometimes the "settling time" helps with the crowning.

Flint · 04-02-2007, 01:02 PM

Don't know if this helps, but I believe some queries reduce the size of the mound by taping it back.

Sheldonrs · 04-02-2007, 02:22 PM

Implants?

footfootfoot · 04-02-2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flint

Don't know if this helps, but I believe some queries reduce the size of the mound by taping it back.

Sheldon told you that, didn't he?

Trilby · 04-02-2007, 04:22 PM

all very clever and nice.

NONE of this is helpful, re: cupcakes, re: need for slight mound.

Flint · 04-02-2007, 04:33 PM

Sorry. Big cups will make a nicely shaped mound, but you'll need plenty of batter. So try jiggling the cups while you heat the batter up, then quickly pump it all on there once you've got enough pressure built up. Be careful not to spill any, or you might end up with a bun in the oven.

Trilby · 04-02-2007, 05:20 PM

See what i mean?

03-31-2007, 01:24 PM	#1
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Cupcake Queries I'm baking cupcakes from a Betty Crocker mix and I always end up with HUGE high crowns when what I want is a delicate hill. How do I fix this problem? I've googled and I can't find anything addressing this. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

03-31-2007, 01:27 PM	#2
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	How full are you filling your cups? . . . I mean, of course, that the baking cups should be no more than 2/3 full. Other than that, the only thing I can think of is it might be an altitude-adjustment problem. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

03-31-2007, 02:02 PM	#3
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	I'm filling them NO more than 2/3 full. maybe I need to go to 1/3 full...or less. do your cupcakes do this? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

03-31-2007, 08:17 PM	#4
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	You shouldn't be getting high crowns from a box mix. Shit it was over twenty years ago that i worked in a bakery, I think high crowns are the result of rampant leaving activity. Out of the box means it is not likely you used too much baking powder so the problem may be too much liquid. Things getting too loose allowing the crowns to go bonkers. Although the difference is minimal a dry cup measure is different from a wet cup measure. I don't recall which is greater. Try decreasing your liquid by a very small amount, say 10% (remember the whole potato question? tw can help) The old Joy of Cooking used to have muffing trouble shooting. I'll check some of my books, but off the top of my head it is from either too much leavening, or too slack a batter. Is your oven temp correct? Singed outside and raw ish inside = too hot, dry and not so well browned = too cool. Just checked. reasons for peaked muffins: Oven too hot, over mixing (will also give you a tough and chewy muffin, mix should be just barely incorporated, lumps ok), mix too dry ( I had it wrong, but the kind of peaks from too dry a mix are rough and craggy and you see it when you fill the cups. smooth peaks are from one of the other reasons) and finally over filling the cups. 2/3 is correct. Another cause can be greasing all the way to the edge of the cup. (assuming you aren't using paper cups) __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs Last edited by footfootfoot; 03-31-2007 at 08:26 PM.

03-31-2007, 08:22 PM	#5
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Ok--maybe I AM using too much liquid. that makes sense (I cheat and use a dry ingred. cup instead of a liq. cup measure) but my oven temp. is fine--they come out v. moist--just with these weird high crowns. remember the movie Encounters of the Third Kind? Well, my cupcakes look like that mountain. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

03-31-2007, 08:27 PM	#6
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	you have no green light either... the plot thickens. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

03-31-2007, 09:35 PM	#7
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Yeah, I agree--check your oven. Get an oven thermometer and stick it in there. Some ovens run hot. I also suggest you try to make cake from scratch. It's not that much harder, and you can control the amount of baking soda or powder in it. Making it from scratch also lets you control the quality of your ingredients, and reduce your intake of food additives. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

04-02-2007, 12:57 PM	#9
melidasaur Traded your soul for pogs. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Champaign, IL Posts: 646	I sometimes let my batter sit a few minutes before I proceed to filling the baking cups. Sometimes the "settling time" helps with the crowning. __________________ I love England, what can I say?

04-02-2007, 01:02 PM	#10
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Don't know if this helps, but I believe some queries reduce the size of the mound by taping it back. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

04-02-2007, 02:22 PM	#11
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	Implants? __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

04-02-2007, 04:22 PM	#13
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	all very clever and nice. NONE of this is helpful, re: cupcakes, re: need for slight mound. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

04-02-2007, 04:33 PM	#14
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Sorry. Big cups will make a nicely shaped mound, but you'll need plenty of batter. So try jiggling the cups while you heat the batter up, then quickly pump it all on there once you've got enough pressure built up. Be careful not to spill any, or you might end up with a bun in the oven. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

04-02-2007, 05:20 PM	#15
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	See what i mean? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

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