I’m not the only one that enjoys homemade cupcakes. Are you wondering what’s the best way to store cupcakes? Look no further, you’ve come to the right place. I will tell you everything about how to store and freeze cupcakes. I’ll share my tips voor frosted and unfrosted cupcakes, and even tell you a bit more about cupcakes decorated with fondant or marzipan. This way, you always have fresh cupcakes.
For those just starting out in baking, you may not immediately know what cupcakes are. They are actually small one-person cakes that used to be baked in a “cup,” hence the name. If you’re looking for a nice recipe: these strawberry cupcakes are one of my favorite cupcake recipes.
Although I myself always thought that cupcakes came from England, the very first cupcake recipe can be found in a cookbook written by the American Eliza Leslie in 1828. By the way, cupcakes were eaten in England at the same time as they were at tea parties.
You can fill cupcakes, decorate them with marzipan or fondant, or just spray a nice clump on them. In fact, you can do anything, but a plain vanilla cupcake is still delicious.
Cupcakes are little cakes, so they are stored in the same way as a loaf cake most of the time. This only changes if you have decorated your cupcakes with a nice swirl or perhaps fondant or marzipan. You are probably wondering what’s the best way to store your (un)decorated cupcakes? And where is the best place to store cupcakes? We’re going to cover all of that today so you will know how to store and freeze cupcakes.
I like to prepare plain cupcakes this way and bake them in a large batch, so I can be sure the cupcakes will be at room temperature by the time I want to decorate them. And actually, cupcakes are so delicious on their own that decorations are not necessary at all. Especially when you flavored the batter of the cupcakes.
Undecorated cupcakes are always stored in an airtight container outside the refrigerator. This is because they will dry out in the fridge. You can only store them in the fridge if they are frosted. More on that later.
The cupcakes will keep for a couple of days (about 4-5 days). Plenty of time to prepare cupcakes for a birthday, bake sale, wedding or another special occasion. If you really want to prepare your baked goods in advance, you can also freeze cupcakes. Wrap them in freezer bags before putting them in the freezer. I prefer to do this in small portions of 3 or 4 cupcakes. They will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Freezing cupcakes is ideal for preparing a lot of cupcakes, but also for those leftover cupcakes. It’s always a good idea to have some cupcakes in storage if you’ll ask me.
After you baked the cupcakes in their cupcake liners in a baking tray, place the warm cupcakes on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. After that, store them in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil, they will keep for 4-5 days.
Can you put cupcakes in the fridge? I wouldn’t do that with unfrosted cupcakes. It’s not necessary and the fridge will dry out your cupcakes.
Use a freezer bag for freezing cupcakes. They will keep for 3 months. Make sure they are packaged air tight, because air (and moisture) can cause freezer burn. Freeze them in small portions so you’ll always can take out some frozen cupcakes to enjoy.
I always wait with piping swirl just before serving. It’s the best option and gives the best results for frosted cupcakes in my experience. To make your baking life easier, I prepare the cupcakes and frosting in advance. it varies by frosting how I store them. Here are some examples of my most used frostings:
After the cupcakes are frosted, I alway try to serve them within hours and store them in a cool place outside of the fridge in the meantime (only with buttercream frosting). If that’s not possible for you or you live in a warmer climate, you can store them in the fridge. I would do this for 1-2 days. Remember: frostings like cream cheese frosting should always be stored in the fridge.
I would not freeze cupcakes with a swirl whole. When the buttercream thaws, there is a chance that the cream will split, which is not a good look. It is better to freeze the buttercream separately so you can whip it when it thaws. Or make the buttercream fresh just before you’ll need it.
If you have a large and high storage container: use it! There are also special (reusable) cupcake carriers available, which are ideal if you bake cupcakes often. They are available as single layer or double layer carriers.
Depending on the frosting (and temperature), it’s okay to store them for a few hours outside the fridge. But also: when transporting your cupcakes, this will mostly be at room temperature.
Most cupcakes with a nice (buttercream) swirl on top are stored in the fridge, especially during summer or if you live in a warmer climate. You can use the cupcake carrier and place that in the fridge as a whole.
I would advice to wrap them before you store them in the fridge. Proper storage is important. Remember: cake will dry out in the fridge. Storing them right will prevent this as much as possible.
I never freeze frosted cupcakes. Due to space, but also because the frosting can easily split when thawed. It just has too many risks. I would not advice to store frosted cupcakes in the freezer.
Many years ago, I decorated a lot of beautiful and delicious cupcakes with fondant and marzipan. Their shelf life is longer because you seal the cupcake completely with the fondant or marzipan. You are actually wrapping it very well.
You can’t store these cupcakes completely airtight, otherwise there is a chance that the fondant and marzipan decorations will become soft and sticky. Decorated cupcakes will keep outside the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
You can also freeze these cupcakes. Place them in a cake box and wrap a plastic bag or saran wrap around them to protect them from moisture. The cupcakes will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
Although I do not recommend storing cupcakes in the refrigerator, it is best to let them thaw here after you take them out of the freezer. Defrosting “slowly” in the refrigerator reduces the cold/hot differential, which also reduces the chance of condensation. This condensation could cause your fondant decorations to melt. Also, the cupcake is sealed from the outside air by the decorations, which reduces the risk of drying out.
Place them in a container and don’t place the lid completely tight on it. Otherwise, the decorations could become sticky.
I don’t recommend to store decorated fondant or marzipan cupcakes in the fridge. The moisture can cause the decorations to melt.
Wrap them airtight and you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost them ‘slowly’ in the fridge, it the best option due to condensation. Note: there will be condensation, but this way it’s minimal. After defrosting, place them on the counter and remove packaging so the dryer air can ‘remove’ the condensation.
I’m not the only one that enjoys homemade cupcakes. Are you wondering what’s the best way to store cupcakes? Look no further, you’ve come to the right place. I will tell you everything about how to store and freeze cupcakes. I’ll share my tips voor frosted and unfrosted cupcakes, and even tell you a bit more about cupcakes decorated with fondant or marzipan. This way, you always have fresh cupcakes.
For those just starting out in baking, you may not immediately know what cupcakes are. They are actually small one-person cakes that used to be baked in a “cup,” hence the name. If you’re looking for a nice recipe: these strawberry cupcakes are one of my favorite cupcake recipes.
Although I myself always thought that cupcakes came from England, the very first cupcake recipe can be found in a cookbook written by the American Eliza Leslie in 1828. By the way, cupcakes were eaten in England at the same time as they were at tea parties.
You can fill cupcakes, decorate them with marzipan or fondant, or just spray a nice clump on them. In fact, you can do anything, but a plain vanilla cupcake is still delicious.
Cupcakes are little cakes, so they are stored in the same way as a loaf cake most of the time. This only changes if you have decorated your cupcakes with a nice swirl or perhaps fondant or marzipan. You are probably wondering what’s the best way to store your (un)decorated cupcakes? And where is the best place to store cupcakes? We’re going to cover all of that today so you will know how to store and freeze cupcakes.
I like to prepare plain cupcakes this way and bake them in a large batch, so I can be sure the cupcakes will be at room temperature by the time I want to decorate them. And actually, cupcakes are so delicious on their own that decorations are not necessary at all. Especially when you flavored the batter of the cupcakes.
Undecorated cupcakes are always stored in an airtight container outside the refrigerator. This is because they will dry out in the fridge. You can only store them in the fridge if they are frosted. More on that later.
The cupcakes will keep for a couple of days (about 4-5 days). Plenty of time to prepare cupcakes for a birthday, bake sale, wedding or another special occasion. If you really want to prepare your baked goods in advance, you can also freeze cupcakes. Wrap them in freezer bags before putting them in the freezer. I prefer to do this in small portions of 3 or 4 cupcakes. They will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Freezing cupcakes is ideal for preparing a lot of cupcakes, but also for those leftover cupcakes. It’s always a good idea to have some cupcakes in storage if you’ll ask me.
After you baked the cupcakes in their cupcake liners in a baking tray, place the warm cupcakes on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. After that, store them in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil, they will keep for 4-5 days.
Can you put cupcakes in the fridge? I wouldn’t do that with unfrosted cupcakes. It’s not necessary and the fridge will dry out your cupcakes.
Use a freezer bag for freezing cupcakes. They will keep for 3 months. Make sure they are packaged air tight, because air (and moisture) can cause freezer burn. Freeze them in small portions so you’ll always can take out some frozen cupcakes to enjoy.
I always wait with piping swirl just before serving. It’s the best option and gives the best results for frosted cupcakes in my experience. To make your baking life easier, I prepare the cupcakes and frosting in advance. it varies by frosting how I store them. Here are some examples of my most used frostings:
After the cupcakes are frosted, I alway try to serve them within hours and store them in a cool place outside of the fridge in the meantime (only with buttercream frosting). If that’s not possible for you or you live in a warmer climate, you can store them in the fridge. I would do this for 1-2 days. Remember: frostings like cream cheese frosting should always be stored in the fridge.
I would not freeze cupcakes with a swirl whole. When the buttercream thaws, there is a chance that the cream will split, which is not a good look. It is better to freeze the buttercream separately so you can whip it when it thaws. Or make the buttercream fresh just before you’ll need it.
If you have a large and high storage container: use it! There are also special (reusable) cupcake carriers available, which are ideal if you bake cupcakes often. They are available as single layer or double layer carriers.
Depending on the frosting (and temperature), it’s okay to store them for a few hours outside the fridge. But also: when transporting your cupcakes, this will mostly be at room temperature.
Most cupcakes with a nice (buttercream) swirl on top are stored in the fridge, especially during summer or if you live in a warmer climate. You can use the cupcake carrier and place that in the fridge as a whole.
I would advice to wrap them before you store them in the fridge. Proper storage is important. Remember: cake will dry out in the fridge. Storing them right will prevent this as much as possible.
I never freeze frosted cupcakes. Due to space, but also because the frosting can easily split when thawed. It just has too many risks. I would not advice to store frosted cupcakes in the freezer.
Many years ago, I decorated a lot of beautiful and delicious cupcakes with fondant and marzipan. Their shelf life is longer because you seal the cupcake completely with the fondant or marzipan. You are actually wrapping it very well.
You can’t store these cupcakes completely airtight, otherwise there is a chance that the fondant and marzipan decorations will become soft and sticky. Decorated cupcakes will keep outside the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
You can also freeze these cupcakes. Place them in a cake box and wrap a plastic bag or saran wrap around them to protect them from moisture. The cupcakes will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
Although I do not recommend storing cupcakes in the refrigerator, it is best to let them thaw here after you take them out of the freezer. Defrosting “slowly” in the refrigerator reduces the cold/hot differential, which also reduces the chance of condensation. This condensation could cause your fondant decorations to melt. Also, the cupcake is sealed from the outside air by the decorations, which reduces the risk of drying out.
Place them in a container and don’t place the lid completely tight on it. Otherwise, the decorations could become sticky.
I don’t recommend to store decorated fondant or marzipan cupcakes in the fridge. The moisture can cause the decorations to melt.
Wrap them airtight and you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost them ‘slowly’ in the fridge, it the best option due to condensation. Note: there will be condensation, but this way it’s minimal. After defrosting, place them on the counter and remove packaging so the dryer air can ‘remove’ the condensation.
To be honest, I had never made candied lemon slices or lemon peel before, so it was time to try. The result was these delicious candied lemon slices for my limoncello tiramisu. It’s the perfect topping for a cupcake, a lemon meringue pie, ice cream, a frosted cake or a dessert. Also a great gift for a lemon lover!
Making candied lemon is a very simple process and an easy recipe but it is time consuming. You start by making the citrus slices. Slice lemons either with a very sharp knife or a mandoline. You’re aiming for uniformly thin slices.
Then you need to blanch the lemon several times in a pot of water (a large saucepan or a large skillet will work as well), and it is important to change the water after each boil. You do this because it removes the bitterness from the peel; after all, nobody likes the bitter part of the lemon peel.
Next step is to turn sugar water into a sugar syrup. In the sugar mixture you bathe the lemon slices so that they are soaking up the sugar. You repeat this process several times while the lemon slices drain in a single layer on a rack to let the excess syrup drip away and the sugar syrup continues to thicken.
This is not something you do in one evening, but you can keep the slices for a long time. The drying process also takes some time so keep that in mind. They will still be a little sticky but that’s normal.
Are you going to make this candied lemon recipe? If so, I would recommend using organic lemons. I know they are a lot more expensive, but when you know what nasty chemicals are sprayed on regular lemons, the organic lemons will be worth the money.
Some time ago there was a documentary on Dutch tv showing where that shine from the regular lemons comes from! Not what you want! Depending on where you live you can use meyer lemons or another type of fresh lemons.
In a nutshell, candying is a way of preserving food. By cooking edible products in fat or sugar at a low temperature for a long period of time, they can be preserved for much longer. This applies not only to lemons, but also to candied duck (confit de canard), candied peel and candied ginger.
The method of candying with a sugar syrup not only makes it last longer, it also instantly transforms what you are candying into a kind of candy.
When you first start candying fruit, you will usually use the sugar syrup method as described in the recipe below. In fact, you can candy many types of fruit. In general, harder fruits are the easiest to candy. Soft fruits cook too easily in the sugar syrup and become mushy.
You can use this recipe not only with lemon slices, but also with other citrus fruit such as lime or orange slices. It is also very nice to just grate the peel of a lemon and then candy-coat it, this gives a more subtle effect (and flavor) for a lemon candy decoration. No matter if you’re using citrus peel, orange peel or lime this will make for beautiful toppings on so many baked goods.
Officially, the sugar syrup should be between 105 and 110 ˚C (220-225˚F). I personally have a sugar thermometer, but sometimes I do it myself without a thermometer. That’s fine as long as you’re careful not to turn the heat up to the highest setting. You want a low simmer or medium heat at most.
Yes, there is. And I like quick recipes, so I tried this method first. Instead of soaking the slices in the sugar syrup several times, you can make one sugar syrup and cook the slices in it on a low heat for about 30-35 minutes. The syrup is equal parts water and sugar.
The risk here is that the hot syrup will damage the flesh of the lemon slices or cause them to boil to pieces. Unfortunately, this happened to me the first time (see the first photo) and I think it’s a shame, so I haven’t described this method in the recipe.
The quick method works very well for candying citrus zest or julienned peel. Here you use a cheese slicer to scrape off the yellow part of the lemon peel and then cut it into thin strips. After blanching and cooking in the sugar syrup, the strips are stored in a jar with the sugar syrup. That’s a great way to quickly make a sweet treat to go on your desserts.
Yes. By blanching (thin) lemon slices and then candying them, the slices fill up with sugar and become sweet. However, I should point out that the lemon peel is at its best when it has become translucent, and this is best achieved by cooking it as described above. So take your time. And because you can keep it for such a long time just use extra lemons and make a lot. It’s a delicious treat that goes so well with loads of different dessert recipes.
The best way to store them is in an airtight container in the fridge. Candied Lemon Slices will keep for months.
I have no experience with this, I never have them in the house. Again, I would recommend trying an organic version. If you do try it, I would love to hear if it works with frozen lemon slices!
This delicious vanilla ermine frosting recipe is a must if you bake regularly! This airy buttercream does not taste of butter and is silky smooth, making it perfect for many different uses.
You’ve probably all heard of buttercream but might not be so familiair with ermine frosting. It is still a cream made mainly from butter and sugar. When you’re working with fondant you might want to use a 1:1 ratio of butter and sugar. This recipe for ermine frosting is essentially a flour buttercream. I’ll explain the difference with American buttercream below. Ermine frosting uses a thick paste of a milk-flour mixture in addition to the regular butter and sugar. This makes for a smoother end result and a much less buttery taste.
In general a traditional frosting used in the US is made up of butter and sugar. That sometimes gets quite a grainy result due to the large amounts of sugar used. It also is quite heavy and the butter mixture tastes of butter. Due to the different method used ermine frosting is sometimes called a German buttercream or a French buttercream and it is more widely used in Europe, as compared to the United States. It’s sometimes also called a roux frosting as you first make a roux.
It’s made with less sugar and it has a lovely smooth texture. It is without a doubt the best frosting if you ask me!
TIP: Do you want to know more about the difference between cream cheese frosting and buttercream, I’ve got you covered!
This ermine frosting or buttercream recipe is very easy to make and very versatile. And the best thing about it for me is the taste. I completely dislike (butter) creams in which you can taste the butter, even though I am not particularly averse to butter. Thanks to the method I use in this recipe, the result is a silky, airy and delicious frosting. I highly recommend this vanilla ermine frosting!
The ingredients used for this flour frosting are pretty simple and you will most likely have everything you need at hand.
Before you start making your ermine frosting make sure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best results.
For making the ermine buttercream frosting you start by making your flour-milk mixture first. For that you use a small saucepan and place it on medium heat. Whisk it so there are no lumps and keep whisking while you bring it slowly to the boil. Let it boil gently and lower the heat once it boils. The mixture will now thicken which should take roughly 5 minutes or so. You know the mix has the right pudding-like consistency if a wooden skewer will stay upright if you stick it in the middle.
Now place it in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to cool to room temperature. Make sure there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth. If you do have lumps, press them through a sieve to get rid of those.
While the mixture is cooling, in another bowl, beat the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between. You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer for this. Lastly add the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Once the flour mixture has cooled, add it to the butter mixture. Continue to beat at medium speed for five minutes. Then put the bowl back in the fridge for about half an hour. Your vanilla ermine frosting is now ready to use!
I use this recipe as a base for almost all the toppings in my cupcake recipes, and many cake fillings also use this ermine frosting as a base. So it can be used in many recipes.
Whenever I make my recipe for vanilla cupcakes, I add a nice swirl of ermine frosting.
This buttercream will keep for up to a week in the fridge. Remember that the cream will be much firmer if it has been in the fridge for a while. That also means that in order for the best results you should allow the ermine frosting to warm up an hour or so before using it. Stir of mix it well before using.
You can also store buttercream in the freezer for up to three months. In this case, defrost the cream in the fridge to avoid large temperature differences. Then follow the same steps as above.
Personally, I make my buttercream no more than 1 day before I want to use it, and in that case I do not store it in the fridge, but in a cooler place in the house. Obviously depending on the weather conditions at the time.
As well as the ingredients, you will need a few other things to make buttercream. A pan and a mixer (with a whisk attachment), of course, to make the cream. But when your buttercream is ready, you will want to use it. You might want to fill and frost a cake, or pipe pretty rounds on a cupcake. With the following baking items you have everything you need to work with buttercream in general and this ermine frosting as well:
Spatula – you can use this to fill and frost your cake. I can’t live without my palette knives in different sizes.
Metal cake scraper – the 90-degree angle of the scraper makes it really easy to spread frosting on your cake evenly. You place the spatula against the cake on a cake turntable and turn it around. Your cake is quickly iced.
The turntable (for cake) – in my opinion essential when icing a cake. I have done it without, but the results are not as smooth.
Nozzles – You don’t need a lot of different nozzles, but I use about four specific ones all the time. For making clusters, filling cakes and one to get a head start on icing a cake. Wilton 1M is my absolute favorite.
Disposable piping bag – I prefer to use disposable piping bags. Not only do I find them more comfortable to work with, but they are also much more hygienic. You can also use re-usable piping bags if you prefer.
Colors – If you want to add color to your buttercream you will need gel based colors. I personally find the result with gel colors the most beautiful. They come in all the colors of the rainbow, so just pick your favorites.
The great thing about this ermine frosting buttercream recipe is that you can vary it endlessly. I have given it many different flavors: cinnamon, caramel, blueberry, hazelnut, chocolate, strawberry and many more. In fact, anything is possible with this buttercream!
If you want to add other flavors to the vanilla buttercream, add them little by little and taste in between. It’s a shame if you add too much because you can’t take it back. Also, your buttercream can turn sour and split if you add too much liquid at once.
For a different kind of frosting check out this delicious cream cheese frosting too.
You might not think about gluten when you’re making a buttercream but for a beautiful smooth and fluffy buttercream you need flour. And flour does contain gluten. I haven’t tried making a gluten-free ermine frosting myself, but luckily the readers of Laura’s Bakery have! I read in the comments that you can replace the flour 1:1 with a gluten-free alternative, or with 28 grams of corn flour, for example. So you can make a gluten-free ermine frosting by using the recipe below but swapping out the all purpose flour.
This is usually due to the ingredients being at different temperatures. That’s why making sure all ingredients are at the same temperature is important.
You can read more about how to fix split buttercream here.
You can, but I still recommend using a ‘buttercream icing’. This is a typical American recipe based on vegetable fat. It is thicker so the flowers hold their shape well. There is no recipe for this on the site as of this moment.
Of course you can! You can use gel based food coloring for the best results. Make sure to be careful. It’s easy to overdo it with a color. So add little drops and add more once it’s completely mixed.
I wouldn’t, as there is a chance that your fondant will melt due to the amount of moisture in the cream. Especially if you intend to store the cake for a while. For the icing, it is better to use a 1:1 ratio buttercream (butter and icing sugar). Of course, if you are not going to cover the cake with fondant, you can definitely use this ermine frosting for icing the cake. Even if you want to turn it into a drip cake afterwards.
This easy recipe for cream cheese frosting is perfect for a carrot cake, red velvet cake, and really any kind of cake or pastry. What about cinnamon rolls with a creamy layer of homemade cream cheese icing?
The first time I made my own cream cheese frosting was, of course, for a carrot cake. I was an instant fan of this delicious cream cheese icing and use it regularly for all kinds of other recipes.
This frosting is made with a few simple ingredients: a combination of butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and, of course, cream cheese. The butter adds firmness and the vanilla extract and powdered sugar add flavor and sweetness.
I intentionally didn’t make the frosting too sweet, so you can make it a sweeter frosting if you like by adding more powdered sugar. If you add more icing sugar, the structure will be somewhat firmer.
This recipe is my absolute favorite frosting and a lot of my family and friends really love it as well. I recently made red velvet cupcakes for them with a nice swirl on top and they were gone before I knew it.
As you can see from the carrot cake in the photo, you can use this frosting to fill a layered cake. If your frosting is still a little on the soft side after you make it, just put it in the refrigerator for a while until it is firm enough. You can also pipe swirls of cream cheese frosting, but not as high or tight as you are used to with my buttercream recipe.
I like to use room temperature butter for this recipe as it’s easier to mix it until light and creamy. I do use cold cream cheese, because it will make sure the frosting isn’t getting too thin. The brand of cream cheese I use is Philadelphia, I like the structure and it works every time. Make sure you use a full-fat cream cheese, I noticed the cheaper ones are an other type of cream cheese and are often too thin and watery.
BAKING TIP: Read more about the difference between cream cheese frosting and buttercream.
I already named a few of my favorite recipes which are going really well with this frosting recipe. I will make a small list of baked goods that are perfect for this frosting. And after that I will list some ingredients that pair very good with the frosting as well.
As you can see, this frosting is perfect for fresh and fruity summer recipes, but also for the warmer flavors of fall. That makes it the best cream cheese frosting recipe ever if you ask me.
Yes, you can, but your frosting will be much less firm. This is because the butter makes the frosting firm in the refrigerator, making it suitable for filling cakes and piping swirls. Without the butter, you can still use the frosting on a sheet cake or spread a little on a cupcake. And it’s perfect for more of a glaze-like topping on cinnamon rolls.
You absolutely can! For example, you can mix orange or lemon zest (just the colored part of the zest, not the white-that’s bitter) into the cream cheese frosting, or replace the vanilla extract with another flavor extract. You could even add melted chocolate for a chocolate cream cheese frosting, it’s delicious!
This is almost always because the ingredients were not at the same temperature. You can try heating the mixture a little and mixing until smooth (don’t heat the frosting too long, you don’t want the butter to melt). Another reason this happens is adding wet ingredients all at once instead of in smaller portions. I always add a little bit, mix it well and then add the rest (in 1 or 2 parts).
I never do this myself, but it is theoretically possible. You can also make mascarpone frosting if you like.
You may have mixed the frosting too long. If you put your frosting in the refrigerator for (at least) an hour, the butter can set and your thicker frosting should be usable again.
For anyone wondering if this frosting tastes like cream cheese: yes, you can still taste the cream cheese. It could hardly be otherwise when it is the main ingredient. The taste is more subtle because of the other flavor additives.
This is a softer frosting. You can pipe small swirls and frost a cake just fine. You can’t use it to frost a cake and then cover it with fondant or marzipan though. The frosting is too wet and will make fondant or marzipan melt.
Want to make carrot cake? This easy recipe makes a creamy, fluffy and spiced carrot cake. The best carrot cake recipe I’ve ever had! So if you’re a carrot cake lover I would urge you to try this recipe!
Here it is at last: a recipe for carrot cake! And if I may be so bold, this really is the most delicious carrot cake ever. I had eaten a lot of carrot cakes and had a clear idea of what I wanted my version to be. The result was even more delicious than I had hoped, so you can understand how happy I am with this easy carrot cake recipe.
This carrot cake is airy, creamy, and has just enough spices. It’s perfect on its own, but when paired with the cream cheese frosting, it’s a real party. I made a layer cake out of it myself, but hesitated for a long time about whether to bake it in a bundt. I’m sure it would also look great with cream cheese frosting and walnuts on top.
Baking tip: Did you know that you can make carrot cake in an air fryer? I’ll share the recipe for that soon too.
A carrot cake is a cake in which grated fresh carrots are mixed into the batter. This not only gives the carrot cake a beautiful color, but also gives it a slightly sweet taste and a nice smoothness.
In addition, carrot cake always contains a special spice mixture consisting of at least cinnamon and ginger, but preferably also nutmeg and cloves.
Before the recipe came to Holland, it was already very popular in England and later in America. That is why we have so many words for this delicacy. Think worteltaart (in Dutch), carrot tart or carrot pie, depending on which country you live in.
Personally, I like to stick to the official English name carrot cake as most people would refer to it that way. Even most people in The Netherlands.
One final element that a carrot cake is known for is the topping. A carrot cake topping is usually called a frosting, a cream cheese frosting to be exact. This is my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe. This is a mixture of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla.
It seems that this frosting is a modern addition, not found in old recipes. Whoever came up with it, I am very grateful, because the sweet and creamy addition of the frosting completes a spicy carrot cake!
In my opinion, a carrot cake should have a deliciously creamy base, but the layers should also be nice and fluffy and with moist crumbs. To get both that creaminess and lightness in this carrot cake, I played around with the ingredients. Below I will tell you a bit more about the role of the ingredients in this layer cake:
As always make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking your homemade carrot cake recipe.
I personally used baby carrots, but you can also use winter (big) carrots.
Don’t grate the carrots too coarsely (like julienne), but certainly not so finely that they come out as a mush. You want small, thin strands of carrot. That’s what tastes best in the cake. I like to use a coarse grater to grate the carrots.
If you do have julienne cut carrots, make sure to chop them into smal pieces before adding the carrot to the batter.
You certainly can, but I haven’t done it myself (yet!). I read in the comments that someone has already baked this carrot cake recipe in this Nordic Ware cake pan with a baking time of 60 minutes.
This cake has three layers and I prefer to bake them in the oven at the same time. I use three of these 9-inch cake pans around the house. By greasing and dusting them with flour, the cakes come out perfectly after baking.
Yes, you can. The only thing you need to be aware of is the effect of the baking soda on the dough, as the baking soda is activated when it comes into contact with the light brown caster sugar or baking powder. Therefore, divide the carrot cake batter into three bowls (just weigh it out) and add the baking soda just before you pour it into the prepared pans and put it in the oven.
If you do it in 3 separate layers, yes. But not if you want to bake all of the batter in one big cake. I do not recommend it for this recipe.
You bake the cake in 3 separate layers because you get a better result than if you bake it as 1 big cake and cut it later.
Do you want to bake it in a larger springform pan and serve it as a single layer cake? Use a 24 cm (9.5 inch) or 26 cm (10 inch) pan. The bake time will need to be longer, so it’s best to experiment. Use a skewer or a cake tester in the center of the cake to check if the cake is done (it should come out clean) before you remove it from the oven.
Haven’t done that myself, but it’s definitely possible. The best thing about this carrot cake recipe is that it is pretty flexible. Cupcakes usually take 18-20 minutes to bake.
Sometimes it seems like everyone is experiencing the same problems at the same time. Lately, I’ve been getting quite a lot of questions about dry cakes. Maybe it’s a seasonal thing as I do tend to bake more cakes and pies in the fall.
It’s the perfect time to experiment with new cake flavors. Now my cakes are never dry, but I’ve had years of experience in testing the cakes for the best results.
So I am going to tell you how to prevent a dry cake from coming out of the oven. I love a good and moist cake and I’ll be sharing my top tips on how to ensure succes every single time.
Before we dive deeper into the matter of how the cake becómes dry, let me first explain why it féels dry in the first place. It has to do with the moisture content of the cake. While you’re baking your cake in the oven, the moisture evaporates and if you take your cake out at the perfect moment, the cake is cooked through and there is just enough moisture left in the cake to make it delicious and moist.
So that means that a dry cake is not because there is something wrong with the recipe itself but mostly because there is not enough moisture left in the cake when you take it out. Which leads me to the reasons this can happen. I’ve made countless cake recipes to make sure you can succeed on all your next baking adventures.
As I mentioned above; the longer you keep your cake in the oven, the more of the moisture evaporates. And the longer it stays in the oven, the drier the cake gets. So one of the most common reasons a cake is too dry is simply because it has been kept in the oven for too long.
If you set the temperature of your oven too high the moisture will also evaporate quicker. So even if you followed the rest of the recipe to the letter, you might still get a cake that is too dry if you set your oven at a temperature that is too high.
So most important is to make sure your oven temperature is set correctly. The temperatures in the recipes are almost always for a conventional oven. Do you have a convection oven? Set the temperature 10-20% lower. You will find that can make a big difference.
When a recipe fails, people often point the finger at the recipe as being wrong. This happens to me a lot, but also to many other recipe developers. Of course, sometimes there can be a flaw in the recipe, but very often it is really the execution.
This is not to say that you are doing something wrong, as it is usually just the conditions in which you are baking. The chances of them being exactly the same as the original creator of the recipe are slim. So always use a recipe as a guideline and adapt it to your circumstances if necessary.
The most important part of this story: the oven. Every oven is different, and if my cake comes out perfectly every time at 180˚C (350˚F), you may very well get the same results at 170˚C (340˚F). So it is very important that you get to know your oven. For example, with the old oven at my parents’ house, I knew that it always took longer than the recipe said. My current (new) oven is often a little faster.
If you’re unsure of the way your oven performs it might be a good idea to use a separate oven thermometer you can place inside your oven to check if the temperature is what it should be. But after having cooked a couple of cakes you will also get to know your oven better and you will be able to prevent your cakes from going dry.
So yes, the oven is your most important part of making sure the cake stays moist, but there are more factors that contribute to a successful cake baking. And it starts with the batter. Using ingredients such as sour cream, buttermilk or adding fruit into your cake batter will all make for a more moist result. It also helps to not mix your batter for too long.
If you do overmix your cake the air that gets trapped inside will deflate more easily and will create a dense cake. You want to have a batter that is just mixed but not longer than necessary. Unless the recipe calls for a long whip! So always make sure to double check the recipe instructions.
So you’ve now baked the perfect cake. It is lovely and moist when it just comes out of the oven. But how do you make sure it stays that way and doesn’t get dry after one day. There are a couple of tricks you can use to ensure a moist cake for days to come.
One great way to keep the cake moist is to add something to the cake once baked. Think about adding a little drizzle of your favorite liqueur or even something simple like coconut milk or some honey will help to keep the cake moist. You can also add layers to the cake. Think about adding some topping, like my favorite cherry pie filling or a delicious jam. That will also definitely help in retaining the moisture inside.
We talked about adding frosting and I already gave you my favorite recipe for ermine frosting here, but did you know that it also helps in retaining moisture if you frost your cake. Makes sense too if you think about it. Once the cake is cooled completely frosting prevents the remaining moisture from evaporating, thereby keeping the cake moist for longer.
This might be a no-brainer but storing your cake properly also makes sure it stays delicious and moist for longer. Using an airtight container or wrapping it in plastic wrap will definitely help to keep it fresh for longer.
