Tips For Getting Your Own Cupcake Maker

Are you fond of whipping up cupcakes for dessert? If so, perhaps it is time for you to invest in your own cupcake maker. Why try toiling and baking cupcakes in your old oven when you can do it the easy way through a nice and brand new cupcake maker? With all the great brands like Babycakes, Sunbeam, and Girl Gourmet circulating in the market, you will surely find something that will suit your preferences. You will also see that these appliances are not only good for your hobby of cupcake-making; it can also be a great moneymaking hobby.

What exactly are cupcake makers?
Just like coffee makers and food processors, cupcake makers should be a staple appliance in your kitchen especially if you love whipping up cupcakes every now and then. These are small to medium-sized appliances that you can just plug in to make cupcakes. You can make up to 6 or 7 cupcakes in just one cooking. Most cupcake makers have up to 7 holes where you can put the cake batter. They also have a top closing lid. Once you plug in the device, the batter cooks into cupcakes, which you only need to decorate afterwards.
Why not an oven?
There are several reasons why you should invest in your own appliance for making cupcakes. Although you can also create cupcakes using your good old trusty oven, there are several advantages of having a special appliance instead of just an oven, especially if you want to make the best cupcakes for your friends and family, and even for special occasions. Here are some of the reasons why a cupcake maker is better than an oven:

• A better baking experience. Just think of it this way: since cupcake makers specialize on creating cupcakes, it will naturally create better cupcakes than ovens, which is used for baking in general. According to reviews peppered all over the internet, cupcake makers cook cupcakes more evenly. There are more incidences of burnt and uneven cupcakes cooked in ovens than in a cupcake maker.


• Baking in an oven requires more work. Imagine having to turn the muffin around every now and then just to make the cupcakes cook perfectly. In cupcake makers though, you do not have to go through that kind of hassle as they are built to cook cupcakes. They already have the right heat settings for making cupcakes, so you do not have to worry about turning the batter and such.


• Cupcake makers help you conserve energy. If you advocate eco-friendly appliances, then cupcake makers should be added to your list of green appliances. They have energy conservation features that are otherwise absent in ovens. They do not use much heat unlike ovens, which can make the summer months more uncomfortable because of the huge amount of heat that they generate. Moreover, they do not use up a lot of space, which makes them handy if you want to make cupcakes outside your home.


• It's great for children. Little tykes learning to cook at home will surely love having their own appliance. Making cupcakes is a fun activity in the kitchen especially for kids, and it will allow them to participate in the cooking process. They can mix the batter and pour them into the maker. This is also a good training for their industry and innovativeness.

Types to choose from
Just to give you an idea on the different cupcake makers that you can buy, here is a list of the top brands:

• Babycakes- Babycakes is one of the leading brands in the market. What is so nice about their products is that you can choose from a variety of colors, which your kids will surely love. They are small and handy, making it easy for you to bring them anywhere. You can bake 8 cupcakes in 5 minutes. Moreover, you can also bake tarts and pies aside from cupcakes. Cleaning up is also a breeze because of its non-stick coating.


• Sunbeam- Another leading brand is Sunbeam, where you can cook 6 cupcakes in just 10 minutes. Again, this will be very appealing to kids of all ages because of its fun-shaped cupcake housing. Cleaning is also easy because of its non-stick cooking plates. You don't have to worry about over or undercooking because it has an indicator that tells you when your cupcakes are ready.


• Girl Gourmet- Cupcake makers are just one of the things that Girl gourmet manufactures. If you want to get a whole lot of baking appliances and tools, then you can get everything that you need from Girl Gourmet.

Once you've made your cupcake, why not make a Cupcake Bouquet?
For more information and reviews visit how to find a cupcake maker?

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Cupcake Decoration Ideas

Decorating cupcakes isn't near as difficult as it might seem. Truth be told, decorating an entire cake would seem more daunting than the diminutive cupcake. A little frosting, a little trinket, edible or otherwise, and you're on your way to some pretty nice desserts, with little effort on your part.
While cupcakes might not seem like the kind of cake one might have at a wedding, it actually makes more sense than one might think. An individual cake for individual guests makes everyone feel special and romantic, particularly if they are topped with roses, hearts or a combination of the both. Cupcakes topped with small flowers, ones matching the bride's bouquet, would not only be attractive but would lend themselves to guests who might not feel like eating their cake at the reception; smaller is more portable.

With so many occasions available for celebrating with cupcakes, decorating them can easily match the occasion. Some suggestions might be flowers for a shower, assorted fruits for a champagne brunch, candy for a child's party and a Super Bowl party can be enhanced by cupcakes decorated with little candy footballs or green icing field goals. A nice idea might be to ice the cupcakes in shades of green and white, forming them on a tray in the shape of a football field.

For brunch, cupcakes can be topped with various fruits, perhaps matching a fruit compote served with the meal. Alternating between slices of kiwi, strawberries and peaches is not only attractive but flavorful, blending nicely with the frosting and cake. Also, with fruit, instead of using the usual frosting, mix together a blend of whipped topping, vanilla pudding mix, milk and vanilla extract, makes for a light, fluffy frosting that will melt in their mouths.
Having a birthday party for one of the kids and at a loss for what to do? Plan a cupcake decorating activity, but prepare for the mess. You can either leave the cakes bare and let the kids do this, or pre-ice them and have various toppings laid out in bowls so the kids can pick and choose that which appeals to them. Candy hearts, chopped up candy bars (Butterfinger seems to be a favorite), M&M's, sprinkles and colored sugars are always favorites with the kids and they will have the pride in doing this themselves. Perhaps a "prize" for the prettiest cupcake, the funniest cupcake, the most colorful cupcake, would be a fun way to progress the party.

A favorite flavor with the young and old alike is always chocolate. Brownies are also a huge choice and whether you're decorating a brownie or a chocolate cake, dispensing with the frosting and still have an attractive snack cake is a breeze if you have powdered sugar and a stencil or two. Putting the powdered sugar into a flour sifter, place the stencil atop a cupcake and sprinkle gently; paper doilies work extremely well for this and the ease in using this technique is appealing for busy moms.
No matter what you're planning, no matter the occasion or holiday, there is an easy way to decorate a cupcake to match. If it can fit on a cupcake and it's edible, go for it. If in doubt, candy is always the easiest solution. Don't restrict yourself to the common or usual choices; let your imagination wander as you stroll the aisles of the grocery store looking for toppings. You never know what might work!

Lisa is an avid home cook who loves to share her favorite recipes with the rest of us. Find all her cupcake recipes at http://www.Cupcake-Creations.com And be sure to try one of her cupcake decoration ideas.

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