What makes my cupcakes crack and sink?
I've been trying to find a really awesome brownie cupcake recipe and the one that I've been testing is pretty good - light and slightly fudgy and moist in the middle - but it's hard to frost because it puffs up and cracks, then the innards deflate when the cupcakes cool. I reckon baking powder would remedy the situation, but wouldn't that make them less dense? Could you tell me what makes my cupcakes crack and sink and what I could do to prevent it? Also, any brownie cupcake recipes that you love would be greatly appreciated; I feel like this one isn't fudgy enough. (I know, I know; maybe I should just make brownies!) The recipe I used is as follows:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 eggs, room temperature
¾ cup unbleached white flour
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
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4 Comments:
Can you try whipping the egg whites and folding them into the finished batter? The protein in the egg whites would act as somewhat of a leavening agent but they would solidify and keep the cupcake firm.
therealchiffonade at 8:56AM on 07/21/09
Sinking cupcakes used to be a chronic problem for me. Turns out I was filling the cupcake tin too high with batter. Now I always end up with more cupcakes than the recipe dictates, but they are nicely shaped. Don't make my other mistake--in a hurry I loaded my oven with three muffin tins, and didn't leave adequate space between them (I think two were actually touching each other) --viola--burned cupcake bottoms--every last one.
Bumblebutton at 12:34PM on 07/21/09
Don't know where you're located, but it sounds like a problem us high-altitude folks have with cupcakes. I might try decreasing the sugar by a tablespoon or so and adding a little bit more flour.
AnaPowell at 5:07PM on 07/21/09
I like these mocha mudcakes from australian womens weekly cupcakes. They hardly have any raising agents, so they dont really rise. Delicious dense heavenly cakes!
http://forayintofood.blogspot.com/2009/05/wedding-cupcakes.html
jennywenny at 6:04PM on 07/21/09