A really important debate about CUPCAKES!

[PeterPan]

I think I want to make these https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/pumpkin  for our Labor Day picnic. They're a pumpkin spiced cupcake with a maple cream cheese frosting and heath toffee bits on top.

1- Do I make them TODAY so the flavors meld and are better tomorrow?

2- Do they get refrigerated? Maybe they are unrefrigerated before icing but refrig after icing?

Chocolate baked goods always taste better the next day. Do pumpkin/spiced baked goods taste better the next day too? Don't hold back your opinions! When should I bake these? And bonus for, how many am I going to eat and so how many Xrecipe should I make if I bake them ahead? 

PS. Paper or no paper? I'm thinking paper. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

Totally weird thought, can you mix the batter, let it sit in the frig overnight for flavors to meld, then bake tomorrow? Does that actually work?

[maize]

I don't know the answer but wow, you are brave starting a thread about cupcakes🤣😂🤣

[PrincessMommy]

2 minutes ago, maize said:

I don't know the answer but wow, you are brave starting a thread about cupcakes🤣😂🤣

That's what I was thinking!!  LOL 

[Tiberia]

You make them today, eat half. Then make a new batch tomorrow and eat half. Then you'll have a whole batch and a bonafide science experiment. Report back with your results.

[cintinative]

13 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Totally weird thought, can you mix the batter, let it sit in the frig overnight for flavors to meld, then bake tomorrow? Does that actually work?

 

I know you can do this with cookie dough but I have never done it with cake batter. I saw online some people said that the baking soda/baking powder would not produce as good of a rise if you let it sit overnight. I am guessing--but maybe with cookies it works since they don't really rise much?

[barnwife]

I should note I am not a baker nor a chef. However, I do enjoy eating cupcakes, so that gives me credibility, right?

So I'd bake them today because I wouldn't want to be rushed tomorrow. However, if I didn't have 4 kids 10 and under with another due pretty much any day, I might make them tomorrow morning. Probably not, because me being me, I'd still feel rushed. I'd use paper liners. 

I might wait to frost until tomorrow though. I wouldn't refrigerate if I frosted tomorrow, though I might if I frosted today.
Also, make extra so you have leftovers.

Thanks for a cupcake thread!

P.S. Now I really want to try one of these. You probably aren't mailing them to WTMers who answer all your questions, are you? 

 

[PeterPan]

24 minutes ago, maize said:

I don't know the answer but wow, you are brave starting a thread about cupcakes🤣😂🤣

Ok, truth be told, I don't know what the joke is. I know it's a joke, but I missed where cupcakes became a thing of infamy. Do they *stand* for something? Tea, books, I get. Cupcakes I missed. Fill me in. 

[PeterPan]

19 minutes ago, Tiberia said:

You make them today, eat half. Then make a new batch tomorrow and eat half. Then you'll have a whole batch and a bonafide science experiment. Report back with your results.

The brilliance!!! LOL 

21 minutes ago, cintinative said:

 

I know you can do this with cookie dough but I have never done it with cake batter. I saw online some people said that the baking soda/baking powder would not produce as good of a rise if you let it sit overnight. I am guessing--but maybe with cookies it works since they don't really rise much?

Yeah google is saying it's a no go, foo. Google is saying spice cakes are better the next day. I may just make them today. Maybe a triple batch since Tiberia says I'm going to eat so many. 

22 minutes ago, barnwife said:

I might wait to frost until tomorrow though.

That sounds good. I can make the frosting today and only frost the ones I test for, you know, quality control. I'm not sure whether I have toffee bits, so this is actually a ploy to get my grocery list done EARLY. I always decide late, shop late, cook late. Must be done earlier, lol.

 

[Terabith]

We need pictures of people eating these cupcakes while wearing kilts!

I think making them the day before would enhance flavors, but I wouldn't refrigerate the dough.  

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, Danae said:

They will not rise as well if the batter sits overnight. 
 

The cupcake controversy, IIRC, was about the propriety of bringing homemade treats to school. 

Well dude. I'm one upping that with controversy of taking them to a gathering during a pandemic. LOL Outdoors, lotsa fresh air.

[Loowit]

Cake/cupcake batter should be used right away, because of the leavening.  Though I am sure someone could come up with some sort of recipe that is different.

I would use paper, as it helps cut down on the mess, IMO.

I would bake them today leaving them covered on the counter and frost them tomorrow.  I usually bake cakes/cupcakes the day before the event if I can so that they are completely cool, and I have plenty of time the next day to mix up the frosting and decorate.

[Zebra]

In my experience pumpkin cupcakes are very moist and go downhill quickly.    

So I would make them as late as I could, and if I had to do it the day before I'd leave them in the fridge.

Edited September 6, 2020 by Zebra

[PeterPan]

17 minutes ago, Zebra said:

In my experience pumpkin cupcakes are very moist and go downhill quickly.    

So I would make them as late as I could, and if I had to do it the day before I'd leave them in the fridge.

Oh the controversy! So I could make a small batch today, see what happens, and make the rest tomorrow. And maybe I'll mix up the wet and let it sit with the spices overnight, just mixing with the dry tomorrow. That will probably get the flavor melding without ruining the texture.

[Zebra]

Not to add to the controversy...but....

You said earlier that spice cakes should sit overnight?   How wet are they?   Because it's the pumpkin that would make it get wet and sticky.

And not that you want to experiment, but I find to lessen the icky stickyness it's good to go easy on the sugar.    Sometimes I use half as much as the recipe calls for.   Which can get tricky because then things will get TOO dry.   Icky Sticky and Tricky!

 

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, Zebra said:

   Because it's the pumpkin that would make it get wet and sticky.

And not that you want to experiment, but I find to lessen the icky stickyness it's good to go easy on the sugar.    Sometimes I use half as much as the recipe calls for.   Which can get tricky because then things will get TOO dry.   Icky Sticky and Tricky!

Hmm, well I *think* I'm going to go ahead and mix up the wet ingredients (pumpkin, oil, spices, etc.) and let them sit overnight. Then tomorrow add the dry and bake. I've had success with brocolli salad doing that, making the dressing ahead. It noticeably tastes better. I agree that putting pumpkin spice cupcakes in the frig overnight would alter the texture and baking them ahead might leave them prone to drying out.

Oh, but the controversy! So I have the bigger tins (29 oz) pumpkin, and that, per Ina Garten's recipe, is 3 ½ cups ie 3 ½ batches. I'm thinking I might make a triple batch. Not sure. Sometimes when you scale things up it's not so good. Or maybe I'll just make the dry for the whole 3 ½? Who knows. It would just keep the sugar on the low side, like you're saying.

[ktgrok]

Make the cupcakes ahead of time and I'd likely refrigerate them. That makes them nice and firm and easy to frost. But I'd frost them tomorrow. Frosting gets weird sometimes if you refrigerate it and then bring to room temperature - if there is too much humidity it can get damp with condensation. 

[marbel]

I'd make the cupcakes today but make the frosting tomorrow. I've had very bad experiences with  making frosting ahead, then pulling it out of the fridge to apply to the cake/cupcakes.  Just have all your stuff ready for making the frosting. If you are not used to working with cream cheese, do be sure you get it to room temp; you might get clumps of unincorporated cream cheese if you start cold. 

Recipe sounds great! I will try this one at some point. I didn't think I was really ready for fall flavors already, but I did make dough for cardamom brown sugar snickerdoodles today, which seems kinda fallish. 

Cookie dough generally benefits from sitting in the fridge for a while; cake batter does not!  

[PeterPan]

11 minutes ago, marbel said:

I've had very bad experiences with  making frosting ahead, then pulling it out of the fridge to apply to the cake/cupcakes.

Hmm, I have it all sitting on the counter to soften, but I could throw it back in the fridge and mix tomorrow... The cupcakes I mixed up (wet, dry) and will combine and bake tomorrow.

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, cintinative said:

I know you can do this with cookie dough but I have never done it with cake batter. I saw online some people said that the baking soda/baking powder would not produce as good of a rise if you let it sit overnight. I am guessing--but maybe with cookies it works since they don't really rise much?

For cookies, the ones that I made from homemade chilled cookie dough rise as much as the fresh cookie dough. The only difference was that the cookies from the chilled cookie dough didn’t spread as much while baking so were more dense than those from fresh cookie dough. The recipe I used for the chocolate chip cookie dough uses baking powder. 

[Terabith]

I'm hoping for an update on how the cupcakes turned out.  I'm pondering making them if they're really good.  

[PeterPan]

11 minutes ago, Terabith said:

I'm hoping for an update on how the cupcakes turned out.  I'm pondering making them if they're really good.  

Oh my lands. I ate two, and they are just SO worth it... So light and fluffy, so rich and creamy. The cake is PERFECTION. The frosting is so beautiful with the maple, and the bits on top are awesome. It just really, really works. It told my dh to take half of them to work because I'm SO in trouble if he doesn't, lol.

So yes, make them. I also think they would work as a sheet cake, just frosting the whole thing. I made a 3.5 batch because that used up the entire large can of Libby's pumpkin I had. That made 36 cupcakes using a 2.something oz. scoop and a dab leftover that I baked separately. I would *not* make 3.5 of the frosting again. That was really overkill. Don't do more than double, maybe not even that. 

They're good enough, I wouldn't hesitate to make them other ways, like as a loaf, and then freeze. Yum. Would be crazy good baked in mini loaves and frosted. Then you could freeze most and pull them out. That's what I try to do, lol.

[I talk to the trees]

Oh, man! You know what sticks in my craw? When people talk about how delicious the cupcakes they just made are, and then don’t offer to send me any! 
 

(PP, if you weren’t here for the great cupcake kerfuffle, you will likely not get this joke. I’m not actually irritated at you.😉)

[Terabith]

42 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Oh my lands. I ate two, and they are just SO worth it... So light and fluffy, so rich and creamy. The cake is PERFECTION. The frosting is so beautiful with the maple, and the bits on top are awesome. It just really, really works. It told my dh to take half of them to work because I'm SO in trouble if he doesn't, lol.

So yes, make them. I also think they would work as a sheet cake, just frosting the whole thing. I made a 3.5 batch because that used up the entire large can of Libby's pumpkin I had. That made 36 cupcakes using a 2.something oz. scoop and a dab leftover that I baked separately. I would *not* make 3.5 of the frosting again. That was really overkill. Don't do more than double, maybe not even that. 

They're good enough, I wouldn't hesitate to make them other ways, like as a loaf, and then freeze. Yum. Would be crazy good baked in mini loaves and frosted. Then you could freeze most and pull them out. That's what I try to do, lol.

Ooohhhh!!!  I love the idea of doing it as a sheet cake.  I hate frosting cupcakes.  

[PeterPan]

Just now, I talk to the trees said:

Oh, man! You know what sticks in my craw? When people talk about how delicious the cupcakes they just made are, and then don’t offer to send me any! 
 

(PP, if you weren’t here for the great cupcake kerfuffle, you will likely not get this joke. I’m not actually irritated at you.😉)

I think they would bounce around a lot and melt. I suggest you fly here. Tickets are cheap and these are worth it. Just tell your dh you're "going out for cupcakes" and fly away. Porch pick up. Maybe I'll serve lemonade. 

[PeterPan]

Just now, Terabith said:

I hate frosting cupcakes. 

Yup, I had ds do it. Way too much stress for me. You could do it in a jelly roll pan, a sheet pan, something kinda flat. It would totally work.

[Teaching3bears]

I don't know what the best plan of action is but my mouth is watering right now. Provide us with some pics when they are done if you can.

[PeterPan]

40 minutes ago, Teaching3bears said:

I don't know what the best plan of action is but my mouth is watering right now. Provide us with some pics when they are done if you can.

Good enough? 

[Moonhawk]

5 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Good enough? 

Today was the first day of my new diet. 

I said, was.

[PeterPan]

Ok, I have BAD NEWS. It turns out, they're better today, Wednesday, meaning two days later, than they were day of.

So now you know. For ultimate indulgence, make enough that they last. Cuz seriously, today they're slobber worthy.

[mathnerd]

More bad news: random googling turned up "Cupcake Pizzas". I have to make them for lunch tomorrow to see if they are as good as they sound ...

[Arctic Bunny]

These are great! Made them x3, 24 medium muffins and a thin 11x7 cake, froze most for lunch boxes!

[Plateau Mama]

1.  You can't make cupcake batter in advance.  They not turn out light and fluffy.  

2.  You do not need to refridgerate after you frost.  The sugar content is so high in the frosting it will act as a presrvative for the perishable ingredients.

3.  Day of/ day before, it is just personal preference.  I personally prefer a cupcake the first day and always try to make them as close to serving as possible.