How to Convert a Cake Recipe into Cupcakes

commute your best-loved layer cake recipe into a cupcake recipe with these five easy steps from our Test Kitchen .

cake and cupcake are just as interchangeable as you ’d think , make it super wanton to convert yourfavorite cake recipeinto a cute batch of single - serving cupcake — aka you could have your ( cup)cake and eat it too . In fact , the preparation is the precise same . The only two remainder between bar and cupcakes : thetype of panyou use to bake and the amount of clock time they expend in the oven . We ’re giving you all the details so that the next time you only have a box of bar mix , you ’ll lie with how to convert the recipe into cupcake that are just as tasty . Plus , essay out some of our best cupcake decorating tips to make your treats support out at the sweet board .

BHG / Cara Cormack

vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles

Credit:BHG/Cara Cormack

How to Convert a Cake Recipe to Cupcakes

Atwo - bed cakerecipe usually makes 24 to 30 cupcakes , while a one - bed cake will make a little great deal of 12 to 15 cupcake . By the agency : you could also reverse this whim and make a cake out of any cupcake recipe . You do n’t have to change the oven temperature ( no matter which way you exchange the formula , cakes and cupcakes will bake at the same temperature called for in the recipe ) , but you do need to vary the baking time depending on which dessert you ’re construct and the genus Pan you habituate .

BHG / Cara Cormack

Step 1: Choose a Cake Recipe

When making cupcakes from a cake formula , choose a butter - style cake recipe ( a cake that starts with beating together butter and scratch ) . Some of ourfavorite recipes for cupcakescome from these bar recipes :

Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

One of the fastest way to make cake slugger is to start with aboxed cake mix , but you’re able to also make your patty slugger from scratch . No matter what form of recipe you convert , you ’ll follow the same canonic footstep for mixing the batter . Your recipe may differ , but many call for beating the butter on its own for 30 mo before adding other ingredients . supply the kale and mingle to skim off together . Be sure not to overbeat ( you ’ll experience you have if the butter starts to separate ) . Next , add the bollock and seasoner , likevanilla extract , and beat them into the butter - sugar mixture . In a freestanding pipe bowl , stir together the dry element ( flour , salt , and broil powder ) . Then alternately tote up the dry and wet constituent ( like Milk River ) in small increments , beating after each gain .

Test Kitchen Tip : Allow the butter and orchis to stand at elbow room temperature before summate them to the slugger , as they flux with more ease .

Step 3: Line Your Muffin Pan

by nature , rather than using a layer cake goat god or a circular cake pan , you ’ll call for to broil your cupcake in a muffin pan . Once you have the batter of the patty recipe you want to exchange quick to go , line the desired phone number of gem cup with newspaper baking cupful , orgrease and gently flourthe cups . If you do n’t have enough to bake all the cupcake at once , refrigerate the remaining hitter while the first slew bakes .

Step 4: Fill the Cupcake Liners

Our Test Kitchen recommends using approximately ¼ loving cup hitter in each line drive ( or ½ full ) to make 2½-inch marvelous cupcake . If want , bake one or two cupcakes with slightly different sum of money of batter to see which height you favour before you make the whole batch .

Step 5: Bake Cupcakes and Cool

When converting a bar formula into cupcake , you ’ll call for to reduce the cupcake baking time by one - third to one - one-half . Most cupcake recipes take about 15 to 20 transactions in the oven , so it ’s best to drift on the side of caution and take up with the shorter baking time . Your cupcakes are done baking when a woodentoothpick insertedinto the center of a cupcake comes out uninfected with no crumbs on it . you could also taste baking just one cupcake as a test to start with , which will aid you define the correct baking clock time for the residue of the batch . Allow cupcakes to cool in the cooking pan 5 to 10 minute , then remove and cool completely on a telegram wheel .

Step 6: It’s Cupcake Decorating Time

Once the cupcake have entirely cool off , get originative withfrosting and deck . If you do n’t have a pipe purse set at home , just fill a fictile storage bag and snip off the bakshish to pipework . render using ourbuttercream frosting recipe(and its many flavor variations ! ) for a classic cupcake look .

ingredients for making vanilla cake and cupcakes