I forgot to add butter to my cupcakes but they were ok - why?

I made some chocolate cupcakes and for some reason totally forgot to add the butter. The mixture was like muffin batter so I didn't twig until they'd cooked and looked smaller then usual and more glossy on top.

On tasting them they were a little bitter, probably due to the amount of cocoa powder and more dense than usual but definitely not horrible, in fact quite nice.

Have I invented something or is this just something that I've actually made? I thought you had to have oil of some sort in cakes to make it stay together?

Best Answer

Butter (and basically any saturated fat) is added to cake recipes mostly as a way of adding texture to the final product. By adding the fat product to the recipe, you make the cupcakes light and fluffy. If you leave the butter out, it will affect the taste slightly and will cause the cupcake to stay smaller and more dense, as you noted, but it will still be perfectly edible and probably quite tasty.

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I forgot to add butter to my cupcakes but they were ok - why? - Unrecognizable female sprinkling topping on green frosting of cupcake while standing near windowsill with wooden board and coniferous branch on blurred background

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Quick Answer about "I forgot to add butter to my cupcakes but they were ok - why?"

By adding the fat product to the recipe, you make the cupcakes light and fluffy. If you leave the butter out, it will affect the taste slightly and will cause the cupcake to stay smaller and more dense, as you noted, but it will still be perfectly edible and probably quite tasty.

What does butter do to cupcakes?

It allows for steam and carbon dioxide to be trapped in the batter as it is bakes, which causes your cake to rise. The butter also helps to create a light and tender texture in cake batter.

How does butter affect cake?

What Does Butter Do in Baking?

Adds Flavor. Like most fats, butter doesn't actually taste like much. ...
Adds Softness. Butter helps make cakes and muffins softer and more tender. ...
Adds Moisture. ...
Aids in Leavening. ...
Lengthens Shelf Life.

What can I do with failed cupcakes?

Slice the flop up and lay the pieces down on a lined baking tray, place in a 100\xb0C (80\xb0C for fan-forced) oven and leave for one to two hours or until crunchy and dried out. Store in an airtight container. Fix: Fold the broken pieces into ice cream. Or whip up this leftover cake pudding and no one will ever know!

Should butter be melted for cupcakes?

Beating softened butter and sugar together, which is called creaming, traps air in the mix, giving the cake more lift and a more open structure. Mixing melted butter and sugar does not trap air, so your cake will be more dense and less open.

CUPHEAD RAP by JT Music

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