Cupcakes are fun to bake for everyday celebrations.  You don't have to wait around for a special occasion to bake them. Cupcakes are fun for all ages, and they offer the opportunity to be very creative in baking. You can take inspiration from both classic cake recipes and other desserts. 

Baking is a science,  so you have to be careful with cupcake baking the first time. To be a good cupcake baker, it requires preparation, patience and practice.

Preparation
First, find a cupcake recipe that you want to try out.  According to cupcake bakeries, the three most popular cupcake flavors are vanilla, chocolate and red velvet. Peruse cookbooks or recipe websites to find a recipe. It is best to start with a recipe that is specifically for cupcakes and not a cake recipe with some instructions for pouring the batter into cupcake tins.

Next step, read the recipe. When I say read, I mean read. Many of us read but if we are being honest with ourselves, we are probably skimming or scanning. It is even good to read the recipe out loud  from beginning to end.

If you found the recipe online, take a moment to print it out.  Check off the ingredients to see what you already have and what you may need to purchase at the grocery store.  If you need go shopping, go and get the exact  ingredients the recipe requires.  Substitutions are risky in baking. For example, unsalted butter is typically used in cupcake baking. Do not substitute with salted butter or margarine.

 

Take note of difference in the abbreviation between teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbs). There is a big difference between a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of salt.

Preheat oven. Cupcakes typically bake at 350F unless recipe calls for another temperature. Measure out all the ingredients using measuring spoons and cups.  Scoop flour into the measuring cup, but don't pack it in. Packed flour can affect the density of the cake. Level off any excess flour with the flat side of a butter knife. Both eggs and butter should be brought to room temperature before putting into mixing bowl. They will interact better with other ingredients when they are not cold. Use an ice cream scoop for putting batter evenly in cupcake pans.

Patience
Set the timer when you put the cupcakes in the oven. While the cupcakes are baking, you can prep for making the frosting. If you have cooling racks, set them out. Don't open the oven to check on the cupcakes until 2-3 minutes before the end of the recommended baking time. Use the middle shelf of the oven for best results.

Practice
Hopefully your cupcakes turn out  well on your first attempt. Cake should be spongy and have a slight sheen.  If not, take note of what went wrong. If the cake is dry, then maybe the cupcakes baked too long. Examine cupcake to see if batter was mixed well.  Take notes in either the cookbook or create a baking journal so the next time you can make adjustments in either mixing and baking.   Happy Baking!