How do I stop my cupcakes from drying out?

kat180 · 07-04-2012, 06:36 AM

I'm making some cupcakes for my birthday tomorrow. But I always find even by the next day and kept in an airtight container they start to dry out :S

How can I stop this from happening?

Or maybe its the basic recipe I use:

4oz butter
4oz sugar
8oz self raising flour
2 eggs

I'd like to make some plain vanilla ones (above) and some chocolate ones (where I add cocoa powder and less srf instead)

Help please?

Saria · 07-04-2012, 06:48 AM

Change your ratios. You have a fair amount of flour to butter and sugar in there. Or consider changing your method. If you're creaming, you may try switching to the one-bowl method instead. It produces ultra tender and moist cakes, albeit with slightly less rise due to less air incorporation and gluten development.
You could also incorporate sour cream or yogurt into your cakes.
Or add a bit of oil in addition to your butter. Oil keeps cakes moist.
You could also brush them with simple syrup to create a bit of a seal.

If I want baked goods to remain just like the first day, I freeze them. In terms of cakes (though not really cupcakes), freezing makes them easier to ice as well. You could try freezing them (well-wrapped). They thaw out quickly enough.

kat180 · 07-04-2012, 07:44 AM

What ratios would you suggest?

Saria · 07-04-2012, 08:03 AM

Usually cupcakes have equal amounts of sugar to flour, or sometimes more. The butter can stay the same if you wish, but maybe add a touch of oil. Thomas Keller does equal amounts of butter and oil in cupcakes to make them moister. I'm really a fan of sour cream or yogurt cupcakes myself.

You can see the ratios here, with some 12 oz of flour getting about 14 oz of sugar.

http://www.secret-ingredient.net/pos...chocolate-sour

http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com/2006/...-with.html?m=1

This is lower ratio, but it increases egg content and adds a little milk:
http://m.joyofbaking.com/cupcakes/VanillaCupcakes.html

Here's the one-bowl method, by the way, if you're interested (it's one of my favorite methods just for the laziness factor alone, heh):
http://www.joepastry.com/category/ba...e-bowl-method/

Saria · 07-04-2012, 08:14 AM

By the way, I really love Alice Medrich's cocoa cupcakes.
Hot water blooms the cocoa, which really brings out the flavor (I actually boil the water instead of just heating a little, though, since it's supposed to be boiled to bloom):

http://alicemedrich.blogspot.com/201...l#comments?m=1

Only thing is you don't have much natural (not Dutched) cocoa over there, do you?

Finch00 · 07-04-2012, 12:19 PM

I used to wrap plastic wrap over a cake and let it sit over night and it would stay pretty moist. Not sure if that would be too difficult with cupcakes but it may help them retain their moisture.

roseannadana · 07-04-2012, 02:07 PM

Eat them all the first day!!