The History of the Cupcakes

The cupcake evolved in the United States in the 19th century, and it was revolutionary because of the amount of time it saved in the kitchen. There was a shift from weighing out ingredients when baking to measuring out ingredients. According to the Food Timeline Web, food historians have yet to pinpoint exactly where the name of the cupcake originated. There are two theories: one, the cakes were originall cooked in cups and two, the ingredients used to make the cupcakes were measured out by the cup.

In the beginning, cupcakes were sometimes called "number" cakes, because they were easy to remember by the measurements of ingredients it took to create them: One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one cup of milk, and one spoonful of soda. Clearly, cupcakes today have expaned to a wide variety of ingredients, measurements, shapes, and decorations - but this was one of the first recipes for making what we know today as cupcakes.

Cupcakes were convenient because they cooked much quicker than larger cakes. When baking was down in hearth ovens, it would take a long time to bake a cake, and the final product would often be burned. Muffin tins, also called gem pans, were popular around the turn of the 20th century, so people started created cupcakes in tins.

Since their creation, cupcakes have become a pop culture trend in the culinary world. They have spawned dozens of bakeries devoted entirely to them. While chocolate and vanilla remain classic favorites, fancy flavors such as raspberry meringue and espresso fudge can be found on menus. There are cookbooks, blogs, and magazines specifically dedicated to cupcakes.

1. Hummingbird Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes With Red and Blue Fondant

Ingredients

• For the cupcakes:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• a little less than 3/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 3 tbs unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• For the buttercream frosting:
• 3 cups powdered sugar (approximate)
• 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbs milk (approximate)
• For the decorations:
• Fondant of choice (this recipe calls for red, white, and blue)

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes:
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In bowl of stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter with paddle on slow. When the mixture forms a sandy consistency (this will happen pretty quickly), slowly pour in half the milk. Stop mixing once combined.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the other half of the milk together with the egg and vanilla (this will just take a few seconds.) Pour into flour mixture and mix until smooth (no more than a couple minutes.) Scrape the bowl as you are mixing.
4. Pour into a muffin tin that is lined with cupcake wrappers. Each wrapper should be no more than 2/3 full. This will make 8 cupcakes. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees F. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. For the buttercream frosting:
6. Beat butter for a couple minutes on high, using paddle attachment. Turn mixer to low and slowly add powdered sugar. Add vanilla extract and slowly add milk. Increase speed and beat for another minute or two, until fluffy. For thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. For thinner frosting, add more milk. (Added: This is an Ateco 867 tip.)
7. For the decorations:
8. Visit the Crafty Penguin by clicking here for detailed instructions on this step.

2.Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Ingredients for Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 3/4 C Flour

2 C Sugar

1 C Cocoa

1 1/2 TSP Baking Soda

1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder

1 TSP Salt

2 Eggs

1 C Whole Milk

1/2 C  Oil

2 TSP Vanilla

1 C Boiling Water

Ingredients for Cherry Frosting:

2 C powdered sugar

1/2 C unsalted butter

3 TBSP heavy whipping cream

1/4 C Maraschino Cherry Juice

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

-In a separate bowl add the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla.

-Add the bowl containing the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla to the bowl holding the dry ingredients.

-Mix all together until fully incorporated.

-Beat for 3 minutes on medium.

-Slowly add the boiling water starting with a small amount then pour in the remaining boiling water.

-The batter may be a little runny.

-Scoop  batter into cupcake paper liners until 3/4 full.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

-Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

-Top each cupcake with the Cherry Frosting and add a Maraschino  Cherry.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 C Flour
• 2 C Sugar
• 1 C Cocoa
• 1 1/2 TSP Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 TSP Baking Powder
• 1 TSP Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 C Whole Milk
• 1/2 C Oil
• 2 TSP Vanilla
• 1 C Boiling Water
• 
  
• Ingredients for Cherry Frosting:
• 
  
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 1/2 C unsalted butter
• 3 TBSP heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 C Maraschino Cherry Juice
• 
  
• 
  

Instructions

1. -Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. -Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3. -In a separate bowl add the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla.
4. -Add the bowl containing the eggs, whole milk, oil, and vanilla to the bowl holding the dry ingredients.
5. -Mix all together until fully incorporated.
6. -Beat for 3 minutes on medium.
7. -Slowly add the boiling water starting with a small amount then pour in the remaining boiling water.
8. -The batter may be a little runny.
9. -Scoop batter into cupcake paper liners until 3/4 full.
10. -Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
11. -Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
12. -Top each cupcake with the Cherry Frosting and add a Maraschino Cherry.

3. Watermelon Cupcakes

Ingredients

• White Cake Mix made per instructions
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• Red or pink food coloring
• Pillsbury Vibrant Green Vanilla Frosting
• Or green food coloring if you’d like to make your own frosting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
2. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Add red or pink food coloring to make your watermelon color. I used the neon pink colors that are out now.
3. Softly fold in 1/2 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Reserve 1/4 cup to sprinkle on the frosting.
4. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 to 2/3 full. Bake per package directions. Usually 20-23 minutes.
5. When cupcakes are cooled, frost with Pillsbury Vibrant Green Frosting (or your own) and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.
6. Watch them disappear!

4. Rainbow Cupcakes

These Rainbow Cupcakes make me giddy!  The bright colors, in perfect layers, peaked cupcakes, and whipped cream cheese frosting!  So much goodness going on in one cupcake!  These are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!



When you can slice right through a rainbow cupcake and see the rounded (not sunken) top and layers of colors, that is success right there!


And normally, I’m not a fan of sprinkles, but these little confetti/sequin sprinkles, are just fun!  I do like dots better than lines though.


If you couldn’t tell, I was having a lot of fun photographing these!  Too many pictures to choose from, but the awesome thing is, I’m going to show you how to make these, and I’m sharing TWO TRICKS to baking the perfect cupcake!


Let’s start with these rainbow cupcakes.  It’s a boxed mix people!  Grab a white cake mix from the store, mix it up with the ingredients on the label (do the egg whites over whole eggs, if there are two options), then divide the batter into 6 bowls.

Using food coloring or paste, mix these 6 colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.


This next part may be an extra, unnecessary step, but I’m OCD to getting as even of layers as I possibly can…

Put each batter into a zip-top sandwich bag and cut off one corner to pipe with.  It’s best if you cut one bag at a time, so the cake mix doesn’t spill out as you layer the batter.


Squeeze the colored batters into paper lined cupcake tins in the order the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.  Smooth each layer of the batter as close to the edges as you can with your finger.

You can optionally spoon the colored batters into the cupcake liners and spread the batter with your finger to save time and plastic bags.

You can see the succession of layers below.


Now, the trick to getting peaked cupcakes (or muffins) is to first, FILL EACH CUPCAKE MOLD 2/3 to 3/4 full.  I HIGHLY recommend only doing 18 cupcakes even when your boxed cake mix says it makes 24 cupcakes.

The next trick is to BAKE AT 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 to 13 minutes.  Depending on the batter and your oven, it may take less or more time.  You want the cake to spring back when touched lightly.  Baking cupcakes at a higher temperature forces the cake to grow upwards and bake quicker, so it doesn’t have time to spill over the top and get sunken in the middle.  I do this with EVERY cupcake and muffin recipe.  Times may vary depending on the type of batter, but the 11 minute bake time is a great gauge to start checking the doneness from.

Voila!  Beautiful cupcakes rounded over the top of the cupcake liner, ready to be frosted.  Baking them this way also helps you use less frosting to get that towered look on top!

Rainbow Cupcakes

These Rainbow Cupcakes are made with a simple boxed white cake mix, colored, and layered to make a rainbow, with whipped cream cheese frosting on top!

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 (15.25oz) box white cake mix (I like Pillsbury)
• Ingredients for cake mix as stated on box (Use only egg whites if that is an option. My box said 1¼ cup water, ⅓ cup oil, 4 egg whites.)
• Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple Food Coloring/Gel
• 1 recipe The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
• ½ (8oz) tub whipped topping (Cool Whip)
• Rainbow Sequins/Celebration Confetti/Rainbow Sprinkles

Instructions

1. Prepare cake mix according to directions on the box (do the egg whites version over whole eggs, if there are two options), then divide the batter evenly into 6 bowls.
2. Using food coloring or paste, mix these 6 colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
3. Prepare cupcake pan(s) with 18 paper liners.
4. Put each batter into a zip-top sandwich bag and cut off one corner to pipe with. It’s best if you cut one bag at a time, so the cake mix doesn’t spill out as you layer the batter.
5. Squeeze the colored batters, one at a time, into the paper liners in the order the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Smooth each layer of batter with your finger, getting as close to the edges as possible. *TIP: Do all the red batter first, then all the orange, etc.
6. Once all the layers are finished, bake the cupcakes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 to 13 minutes. Baking them at a higher temperature forces the cake to grow upwards and bake quicker, so it doesn’t have time to spill over the top and get sunken in the middle.
7. Prepare The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat in half of an 8oz tub of whipped topping with a handheld electrical mixer. Fit a piping bag with a coupler (no tip or band) and then fill the bag with the frosting.
8. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake from the outside in towards the middle. Sprinkle with rainbow sequins. (*Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 or 5 days.)

5.Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 whole eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1/3 cup assorted brightly colored sprinkles + more for top of frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in assorted sprinkles. Pour into cupcake tins and fill 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool, then frost.

Vanilla Buttercream

2 sticks of butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon of milk, if needed

Cream butter in the bowl of an electric mixture until completely smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low speed, add in powdered sugar slowly. Gradually increase mixer speed and add vanilla, then beat for 2-3 minutes, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl. If frosting is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached If it’s too thin, add sugar gradually until it thickens. Frost cupcakes and top with sprinkles. 

6. Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Ingredients

• !Cupcakes
• 3 cups all purpose flour, Stir flour before measuring, then scoop and level each cup carefully
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Tablespoons
• 1 cup milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Blue & Pink Food Coloring
• !Icing
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Instructions

1. !Cupcakes
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Using a hand mixer slowly add the butter, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the butter breaks down and the mixture crumbles, scrap the sides as needed.
4. In a large glass measuring cup, measure the milk and then whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
5. Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients, Do not overmix.
6. Pour roughly ⅓ to ½ the batter into a bowl
7. Mix in blue or pink food coloring until you get the color you want
8. Pour batter into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for a good 15 minutes.
9. Press a small heart shaped cookie cutter in the colored cake and gently pull out the hearts. Cut enough hearts for the amount of cupcakes you need.
10. Fill a cupcake pan with paper liners and fill ¼ to ½ full of batter.
11. Stick colored hearts in the center of the batter.
12. Scoop additional cake batter over the colored heart to fill the cups about ⅔ to ¾ full.
13. Be careful not to overfill.
14. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 to 18 minutes until cake is baked and bounces back when touched.
15. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

Butter Cream Icing

1. Make 2 batches of Butter Cream Icing and fit a plastic piping bag with large decorating tip.
2. Draw one thin line of pink food coloring and one thin line of blue food coloring on either side of the plastic bag.
3. Gently fill the bag with icing, being careful not to touch the food coloring with your spatula.
4. Twist the end and squeeze until both colors are coming out the tip.
5. Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake, from the outside in towards the center, covering the secret colored heart.