Elinor Klivans - Cupcakes!

Cupcakes are baked in muffin tins, and the terms cup-cake pan and muffin tin, or pan, are interchangeable. Cupcake history is sketchy, but the first cupcakes were probably created when someone decided to bake cups of cake batter in a muffin tin.

I prefer nonstick pans. If cupcakes are baked without paper liners or have tops that rise and bake onto the pan, they will release easily, and nonstick pans are certainly easier to clean. Cupcake pans come in three general sizes: regular, mini, and extra-large. The capacity of the cups for regular-size cupcakes can vary from 1/3 to 1/2 cup, and they come with either 6 or 12 cups per pan. Pans for mini-cupcakes, or tea cakes, have twelve 1-ounce cups in each pan. Pans for extra-large, or Texas, cupcakes have cups with a 1-cup capacity and usually 6 cups per pan. To bake any of the recipes in this book, all you need are enough pans to bake 18 regular cupcakes, 48 mini-cupcakes, or 12 extra-large cupcakes. The pans are available in hardware stores, cookshops, and even supermarkets.

Many cupcake pans are dark in color. Usually I dont recommend dark pans because they absorb the heat so well that they can darken baked goods. But because cupcakes do not have a large proportion of sugar and the baking time is so short, the color of the pans doesnt seem to matter and dark and light-colored pans work equally well.

The paper or foil liners, often labeled baking cups, for lining cupcake pans are standard supermarket items. These fluted liners come in a regular 21/2-inch size, a 15/8-inch mini-size, and a 31/2-inch extra-large size. Throughout the year, supermarkets and party stores display colorful paper liners with seasonal and holiday designs; I often buy these at a reduced price after the holiday has passed and save them for the next year. Paper or foil liners make for easy pan cleanup, keep baked cupcakes from drying out, and protect them when they are transported to a picnic or barbecue or during shipping.

A heatproof bowl that will fit snugly over a pan of hot water, or a double boiler, is necessary for melting chocolate or beating a cooked egg white frosting. Use a non-reactive bowl, such as one of stainless steel or heatproof ceramic, that will not discolor white chocolate or react with acidic fruits.

You can use either a standing countertop electric mixer or a handheld electric mixer for any of these cupcakes and most of the frostings. Because the frosting for White Mountain Chocolate Cupcakes and Chocolate-Covered Hi-Hats must be beaten in a bowl over hot water, a handheld mixer is the best tool for these two recipes.

Graters are handy for grating citrus rind. Both Microplane graters and box graters work well. I prefer the Microplane graters that are patterned after a woodworkers rasp and make grating citrus rind a breeze. Have on hand several sets of measuring spoons, a set of dry measuring cups, and a liquid measuring cup. Dry measuring cups come in sets of four gradations and I recommend buying the stronger metal ones over the plastic ones. For liquids, use cups with clear markings and place the measuring cup on a flat surface when measuring. A 2-cup liquid measuring cup is a good general size to have. Rubber, or preferably heatproof silicone, spatulas in several sizes are useful for folding mixtures together and for scraping the last bit of batter or frosting from bowls. A strainer can do double duty as both a strainer for various mixtures or fruit purees and a sifter. For a regular flour sifter, I prefer one with a rotary handle.

A large pastry bag, about 16 inches long, is a good all-purpose size, but a heavy-weight resealable freezer bag can be substituted. Disposable plastic pastry bags are another good option. A large star tip and a large plain tip are the only ones needed for decorating these cupcakes.

Most cupcakes are cooled on a wire rack. This allows for air circulation so the cupcakes do not get soggy on the bottom as they cool. Standard rectangular racks with thin cross-woven wires hold about a dozen cupcakes. It is useful to have two of these racks.