How long can batter sit before chemical leaveners lose their power?
Background: I can not fit 2 - 12 muffin tins in my oven in a manner that will result in 24 nicely baked muffins or cupcakes. I am using everyday muffin or cupcake recipes that use baking powder and or baking soda. Can I leave half the batter on the counter or in the refrigerator for the 20-30 minutes it takes to bake one batch without losing a significant amount of leavening power?
Best Answer
Yep! I make double-batches of mini cupcakes that often take 3-4 rounds in the oven and they all come out pretty much the same. Granted, the minis only bake for about 15 minutes or so and muffins can take longer but I've never had an issue.
As a note, the recipes I use call for either baking powder only or baking powder and baking soda.
Also, I usually make my cupcakes using full-cake batters, not cupcake-specific recipes.
As some other sources go, here's a similar question on The Kitchn and most of the answers seem to agree, there's generally little negative results from leaving the batter out for a short period of time:
Q: If I make 24 cupcakes from a layer cake recipe and I only have one 12 cupcake pan, can I let the batter sit for 30 minutes while the first 12 bake? Or should I put it in the fridge so the leavener is still active? Or divide the recipe and make it twice? Thanks!
Some selected answers:
rmrez
It depends on the recipe. Most boxed mixes don't seem to differ, but I've noticed that my scratch-baked cupcakes tend to dome if I let them sit out before baking. Sometimes I do this on purpose if it fits my decorating idea better.
adamwa
i have two 6 cupcake pans so im in the same boat, i always just leave it out and they seem to cook up fine
TuttiDolci
I let the batter sit out and I've never had a problem with the rise of the 2nd batch.
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Quick Answer about "How long can batter sit before chemical leaveners lose their power?"
The gas cells expand causing the batter to rise. Because of the two stages, baking of the batter can be delayed for about 15-20 minutes without it losing its leavening power. Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse.How long can you let batter sit out?
How long does cake batter last? You shouldn't leave your batter at room temperature for longer than one hour. The batter can last for three months as maximum. You can refrigerate it for up to 2 days and freeze it for three months.Can I let a batter sit?
So, if your cupcake recipe calls for the batter to rest for a period of time it is not necessary follow that direction, but if you cannot get all of your batter in the oven at one time you will be fine allowing your batter to sit for a moderate length of time until you can free up oven space.Can you let batter sit overnight?
According to the USDA, butter is safe at room temperature. But if it's left out for several days at room temperature, it can turn rancid causing off flavors. The USDA does not recommend leaving it out more than one to two days.Do I have to use cake batter right away?
Most cake batter doesn't need to be baked immediately. Although you'll get the best results by baking it straight after mixing the wet and dry ingredients, a lot of cake batter can sit in the fridge for anywhere from 1-24 hours and still rise during baking.Checking Up On Your Chemical Leaveners!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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