Strawberry Short-Cupcakes and Baking Tips

Here's a few tips I promised that I've learned while baking.  There are many more so I'm just going to give you a few tonight.

1.  Read the recipe that you're using multiple times.  Just like your teacher used to tell you read carefully.  There are some things you don't want to find out later.  For example, many recipes call for reserving flour or sugar for later.  I've made many things where I used the whole cup only to find out later 1/3 was for the top of my dessert, oops!

2.  Make sure you have all the ingredients that sounds simple but I've run out of butter, eggs and all kinds of stuff that if you're baking you absolutely need.

3.  Use the highest quality you can afford.  I like to use the better vanilla if I can get my hands on it etc.  I like to use unsalted butter.  Most baking books will tell you to use this to control your own salt in the recipe.  This can throw things off.

4.  Preheat that oven and make sure to set out eggs and butter at room temperature, most recipes call for this and it will give your dough the right consistency.

5.  For most baking you should mix wet ingredients followed my dry, I don't always sift everything unless I'm making a cake.  I don't thing it really makes a difference in other kinds of desserts. 

6.  This is probably the most important one.  Always measure things...always.  Unless the recipe says to adjust to sweetness follow it completely.  They have been tested for just the right amounts and it can throw everything off.  I once used baking powder instead of baking soda it got much different results. 

Here's a PW version of my step by step of making these cupcakes!  They were very tasty.  My kids ate them up!


Strawberry Short-Cupcakes

my inspiration picture

I just love those full page dessert photos in magazines on the covers.  It's so hard to resist walking by them at the checkout stand. 

Ruby (aka my kitchen aide) is here to lend a hand and she never lets me down.  Yep, I named her LOL! Here's step one cream butter and sugar together.

Here's what it looks like in the bowl

my favorite vanilla

This is the final result, in this recipe you add the wet at the end and it says will be slightly curdled looking.

My secret weapon in getting the batter out of the scoop, spray with a little bit of cooking spray and it comes clean.  The icecream scoop is the perfect size when you need to make a cupcake or muffin.

Here they are ready to go into the oven

supposed to fill 2/3 full

Out of the oven

Assemble the short cake, cut them in half cut side down

The filling was super easy to make

            Final result                                                                             So whatcha think??

Click here to get the recipe

The top was kinda wobbly so I would make changes next time.  However, that said I would make this again.  Here' some more recipes to check out and don't forget my give away closes Sunday at midnight!

Have a great day!

Carey