Cupcakes can be so much fun to make. They’re a deliciously yummy small handheld version of a slice of cake.
Baking cupcakes aren’t too challenging to make. The biggest hurdle though, can be, how long a cupcake recipe should be baked and at what temperature.
Try these cupcakes a sweet and sophisticated twist on a fun treat – Rum & Ginger Cupcakes With A Creamy Rum Frosting
How Long To Bake Cupcakes
Turn your oven on before you start gathering the ingredients. Doing so gives the oven time to reach the right temperature for your recipe.
It is a fact of baking that no two ovens heat at the same rate, and they’re notoriously inaccurate when it comes to temperature read-outs on the front panel.
Therefore, to outsmart your oven, always use an oven thermometer.
Oven Temperature 350 Degrees
Typically, a regular-sized cupcake (about 2.5 inches round) will need from 15 to 20 minutes to bake at 350 degrees.
Whereas, baking them at 325 degrees will need more time, between 22 to 27 minutes.
If you want a flat top cupcake it’s better to lower the temperature to 325 degrees.
If you desire the typical dome on your baked treat, bake them at 350 degrees.
Maple combined with a subtle touch of cinnamon and the addition of blueberries in this – Blueberry Maple Cinnamon Cupcakes
The bake time and temperature setting can also depend on the ingredients used in the recipe and the type of baking pan used.
Keep in mind that darker pans bake quicker than lighter ones (like glass or ceramic).
No temperature is “better” than the other. It’s more of a preference for your desired results.
The rule of thumb when baking is to always follow the recipe closely for the best results.
A cupcake recipe that uses the whole orange, not just the zest or orange extract – Orange Cranberry Cupcakes
Things You Should Know About Heating Your Oven
Check that you haven’t left anything inside your oven before preheating.
Next turn on the oven and set it to your chosen temperature. When it reaches the set temperature, wait another 10-15 minutes.
This will allow the heat to reach the outer walls of your oven to help compensate for any lost heat when you open the oven door.
Every time you open the oven door and close it the oven has to work harder to regain any lost heat.
Buttermilk Blueberry Cupcakes calls for mashing a cup of blueberries and adding them to the batter. This will help produce a very moist cupcake, one that will stay fresh longer.
If you’re at 3,000 feet or higher, you’ll need to adjust your recipe.
First by increasing your baking temperature by by 15 to 25 degrees and secondly reducing your baking time.
For every 6 minutes of baking time stated in the recipe, decrease your baking time by 1 minute.
As an example, baking cupcakes for 20 minutes you would reduce the baking time to 16 minutes.
These steps are recommended for both Electrical and Gas ovens.
Compared to electric ovens, gas ovens tend to heat up faster and tend to be more even in their heating, which can be helpful when you’re baking. Electric ones, on the other hand, often have hot spots.
If you have an “Electric Convection” oven, there should be no hot spots and there should be even baking.
How to Check Cupcakes for Doneness
What if you do follow the recipe, in respects to baking time and temperature setting and you find your cupcakes are not done or worse, they’re burnt.
Remedying this problem can be done by checking your cupcakes for doneness.
There are two simple ways to do this.
- Using a toothpick is the most accurate for checking the doneness of cupcakes. Stick a toothpick or another sharp object, such as a fork, into the center of the cupcake. If it comes out dry, it’s done. If the toothpick is removed with some batter on it, continue baking.
- Another way to check for doneness is the touch test. Gently poke a cupcake with your finger. If the cupcake springs back, then it’s done. If it doesn’t, continue baking.
Sweet banana chunks drizzled with sweet raw honey over dark chocolate cupcakes
Dark Cocoa Banana Cupcakes
Keep in mind that it can be tough to know if a cupcake is properly “springing back” or not, especially if you are new at baking. Therefore, testing with a toothpick or fork is more accurate.
In Conclusion
When baking cupcakes at 350 degrees they should bake within 15 to 20 minutes.
When baking your cupcakes at 325 degrees they should bake between 22 to 27 minutes.
A double chocolate cupcake with a raspberry sauce and topped with almond mocha whipped cream – Double Chocolate Cupcakes With Raspberry Sauce & Almond Mocha Whipped Cream
If you follow your cupcakes recipe with respects to the called for temperature and bake time, you should always end up with a perfectly handheld sweet treat.
Don’t forget to check your cupcakes halfway through baking and at the end as well.
Knowing how to use your eggs in a cupcake recipe is just as important to the success of turning out a batch of deliciously yummy cupcakes. Read more here – Tips For Working With Eggs In The Kitchen.
More Deliciously Yummy Recipes
- French Apple Cake
- Two-Hour Turkey
- Milk-Simmered Mashed Potatoes
- Indian-Style Chapati Whole Wheat Flatbread
- Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
