Why can't I bake cupcakes?

[Blacksquirrel]

I have lost count of the recipes I have tried for making simple cupcakes & they always turn out flat & dry.
Today I tried the hummingbird recipe baked at 150 in a fan oven for approx 30 mins (by the time they had some colour) & again stuck to the paper cases & dry. :(

Can someone provide a foolproof recipe with exact instructions as if teaching a 5 year old? I must be doing something wrong & just can't work it out.

By the way I only have a n electric whisk type hand mixer (about 60 yrs old...from my mum...who incidentally also isn't very good in the baking dept).

I am determined to one day turn up to a school cake sale with delicious cupcakes!

Thank you.

This is by Delia:

4oz margarine
4oz caster sugar
4oz self-raising flour
2-3 drops vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl, then bung in everything else and use electric mixer to combine. Mixture should fall off spoon easily when tapped against side of bowl.

Put into cupcake holders (should be enough for 12) and bake at 170degC (or 150degC in a fan oven) for about 10 minutes or until a chopstick inserted into the centre comes out dry.

Leave to cool on a rack for a bit, then decorate with icing when they're completely cold.

Hope this works for you - it's my failsafe recipe :)

Thanks.
Is 10 minutes really enough time? I can't imagine them gaining any colour that quickly.

4 oz marge (always stork)
4 oz caster sugar

put in a bowl and beat to within an inch of it's life with electric whisk

weigh out 4oz self raising flour

add 1 large egg to the sugar/marge mix and beat to within an inch of it's life

add 1 tablespoon of the flour and beat it a bit more

add another egg and a couple of drops of vanilla essence and beat it some more

bung in the rest of the flour and give it a final beating until it is dead (or all the flour is mixed in whichever happens first)

spoon into cake cases and cook at 170 for 12-15 minutes in the middle of the oven

make sure oven is hot when they go in and leave the door shut for at least the first 15 minutes

don't need to faff with sieves if you are using a hand whisk

Cupcakes? What are they and how do they differ from standard fairycakes?

I would say 150 in a fan oven is too low, try 180 for 15-20 minutes. Test them at 15 mins.

Sounds as though your oven might be on the cool side. They do vary - I have a double oven andvthe top one is definitely hotter than the other one even at supposedly same temp. Hummingbird recipe is normally foolproof - the one time it didn't work perfectly for me was when i couldn't be a@@@d to wait for the oven to heat up to full temp before putting them in. I'd have another go at 170 fan or 180 non- fan.

I normally use 6oz caster sugar, 6oz flour, 6oz of stork, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Mix it all together with a hand whisk and also with a metal spoon by hand for a while (my Nan used to do this to get the air in and she was fab at cakes), then in the oven at gas mark 5 for 15mins. I've just made some now and they have come out golden. 30 mins for cupcakes sounds a long time.
Good luck.

The Delia rfecipe is foolproof. What I am more concerned about is the fact that you have a fan oven. Fan ovens are notorious for producing dry results in baking. Can you switch the fan off or use the top oven without a fan?

I have a gas oven and use the Delia all-in-one method all the time and it never fails. I bake my cakes at gas mark 4 for about 20 minutes - 10 minutes is no way long enough. (The electric non fan equivalent is 180 deg)

Oh I meant to say I am using the large cupcake cases hence the 6,6,6 3 recipe.

100g caster sugar
100g stork
Beat by hand or with a mixer
Add 2 eggs
100g sifted self raising flour
Teaspoon vanilla essence mix all together

Into cases and bake for 18 minutes at 175 degrees

I think it depends on your oven though I turn my trays after 10mins as I have a hot spot and if I don't those cakes at the end burn.

All ovens vary mummybookworm! I'd send you a photo of some I made earlier but they are covered in icing now

However, I promise that they did have a golden tint before that! If the op is having an issue with dryness then less cooking time sounds like a good idea to me.

I also use silicon cases, don't know if that makes any difference....

Thanks all.

I think the key must be using the right oven temp. I'd previously baked at 170 & 180 with the same sad results...will keep trying!

I use the Delia recipe and it works every time - you may need to vary the time though dependant on how hot your oven is and also how big your cases care - I usually set the timer for 12 or 13 minutes (10 would not be enough in my oven) and then take them out, check them, and maybe give them a little longer if needed.
This recipe does not keep though and ideally I would eat them on the day they are made.

I'll also turn the fan off next time (if I can work out how) :).

All replies much appreciated

Ah! If you have the fan on try baking at 160 degrees instead.

Sz of your cake case too, if you are using standard sz fairy cake cases with a cupcake recipe they'll have been baked for too long ( does that make sense? I know what I mean)

If I can be bothered I put an oven dish of water in the bottom of my oven. Put it in when the oven goes on, leave it in whilst the cakes are baking. I find it counters the dryness of a fan oven, and the extra steam helps the cakes to rise nicely.

This sounds all airy fairy and I'm not like that at all but my baking turns put crap unless I'm enjoying myself doing it. If I rush or feel pressured or don't feel 100% there's no point doing it because they'll be pants. Put all your previous baking woes behind you, feel positive and confident and enjoy baking. They'll be fine :)

The Nigella recipe is foolproof. I really am a baking fool, but have turned out decent fairy cakes using her recipe on about ten occasions so far.

Basically you whack everything in a blender. My kind of cooking!

I suggest a scientific approach op!

Prepare a mixture and bung it into cases, then cook at the temperature of your choice for varying time periods. e.g. 150degC for 10, 15, 20 min; 160degC for 10, 15, 20 min etc. I don't think the mix will suffer too much for being allowed to stand for a bit at room temp.

Let us know how you get on :)

They don't need any colour. They just need to bounce back when you lightly touch their tops. If in doubt, use a skewer and if it comes out clean, they are done.

If you are waiting for them to be brown on top, they may just have become dried out.

I am like the Goldilocks of cakes.

My first lot were too dry (Hummingbird recipe). DH like these the best.

My second lots were too fluffy, again, Hummingbird but for less time at 160 fan. DS liked these the most but I think they were slightly under done.

I liked my third attempt the most (great for the diet!). I used GiveTheAnarchist's recipe (without the chocolate) still at 160 fan but for less time than the 1st, more than the 2nd. I found these to be a lovely consistency but DH thought they were too eggy...he thinks Madeira sponge tastes eggy . I also used cases smaller than the 2nd but bigger than the 1st and these seemed to work out well for me.

I'm going to have a baking break until the wekend now but will give the Hummingbird recipe another try but using the method of attempt 3 & see how they turn out.
I got the HB recipe from netmums Google & it doesn't state what size egg to use..I used medium..would that be right?

I've quite enjoyed all this baking but not the washing up.

Thank you all for all your input. :)

6oz self-raising flour
4oz butter
4oz sugar
2 large eggs
drop of milk

Fan oven preheated to 175C. Middle shelf. Makes 12

• Cream the butter and sugar together really well with electric hand-held mixer
• Gradually add the eggs one at a time with a little flour and keep mixing
• Mix in the rest of the flour plus a little milk until your mixture is thick and creamy but not too stiff
• Place about a dessertspoonful of mix in each case.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and golden

Which hummingbird one were you doing?