I was wondering for those with the giant cupcake pan if you have any good tips. I'd love to hear from those of you who have tried different methods which one you find is best. Here are the things I've thought of that might work:
bake the top and bottom half separately
bake the bottom and add the top after the bottom has cooked a bit
cover the top half in aluminum foil
place the pan in another pan with water to cook
The problem I have with all of these is how long to cook the parts or whole.
Another question I have is if you have found a recipe that is better suited to this type of pan. My plan is to take a lighter colored cake (like white or lemon) and do the whole rainbow thing for my daughter's second birthday and I want to do a trial run now, but I'd love to do just one trial run than hordes.
Thanks so much for the help!
bake the top and bottom half separately
bake the bottom and add the top after the bottom has cooked a bit
cover the top half in aluminum foil
place the pan in another pan with water to cook
The problem I have with all of these is how long to cook the parts or whole.
Another question I have is if you have found a recipe that is better suited to this type of pan. My plan is to take a lighter colored cake (like white or lemon) and do the whole rainbow thing for my daughter's second birthday and I want to do a trial run now, but I'd love to do just one trial run than hordes.
Thanks so much for the help!
I've also noticed that it doesn't let you take any shortcuts... i.e., whenever I try to skimp and use a boxed mix, it gets fucked up.
Here's the cupcake recipe: (I made it chocolate by adding cocoa powder till the batter tasted chocolatey...I know...very specific, huh? :) It turned out great, though, in the future I might add a little more milk if I did that again)
3 and 2/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/3 c. unsalted butter
2 1/3 c. granulated sugar
5 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. milk
Sift (I never did this) flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. Beat the butter on medium until smooth and creamy and then add the sugar and continue beating for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl every once in a while. Add the eggs a little at a time (I was pouring all 5 from a pyrex measuring cup...), beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla for 1 min. until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Only beat until just incorporated, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Spoon batter into prepared pan filling the wells to within a 1/2 inch of the rim and spreading the batter till the sides are higher than the center.
It says to cook it at 325 F. for 70-80 minutes until "it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan" and a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then cool it completely for at least 2 hours before you ice and assemble it. It also says that when you're cooking it, you should put it on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow...
Lemme know if you want the buttercream recipe, too, though I just made mine from my usual recipe.
This recipe is from Williams-Sonoma, and the pan is apparently made my some company called Nordic ware. It's a pretty serious cake pan and is "cast aluminum with a non-stick interior". The only reason I bring it up is because I know the Wilton one is a little bit different and if it's made out of thinner metal it might affect the cooking times. Just to make sure, in case this is really different from yours, let me give you the dimensions: it says it's 6 inches high and 7 inches around (funny, it seemed bigger than that, but whatevs.... :) )
Good luck to you!!! :)
You'll need 2 boxes of cake mix, but I just mixed 1 box at a time (you'll see why). Only fill the bottom part up until about 1" from the top..bake at whatever degree the box says (I think 350?) for 15mins, then take the pan out, mix up your 2nd box and pour into the top until about "1 from the top, then bake both for an additional 45mins together.
The remaining batter from box 1 and 2, I just make into regular cupcakes.
I just made one earlier this month and I think I may have needed an extra 10mins? I also set my pan on the lowest rack setting in the oven.