Making batter one day, baking the next
I have to bake a white chocolate mud cake after work and I am always left with some batter, which I then use to bake cupcakes. As mudcake takes a couple of hours to bake (at least my recipe), by the time I will finish, it will be too late to bake the cupcakes.
Is it possible to leave the cupcake batter in the cupcake baking tray in the fridge to be baked the next day? Are there any tips when doing so?
EDIT: Here's the ingredients:
WHITE CHOC MUDCAKE
- 500 g butter (melted in microwave)
- 400 ml water
- 300 g white chocolate (melted in microwave)
- 2 cups caster sugar
- 5 eggs (large)
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 cups self raising flour
The rest is just mixing wet with dry ingredients and baking at 150 degrees till baked.
Best Answer
It most likely will not work well to do that. Unfortunately, baking powder (in this case in your self-rising flour) starts the chemical reaction that gives cakes their lift as soon as the powder meets liquid. If the baking powder is single action, all of the bubbles are created when the water meets liquid and the heat of baking doesn't really play a role. If the baking powder is double action, some of the leavening reaction occurs when the batter is mixed, the rest of it happens while baking. So, if your self rising flour is made with single action baking soda, the cupcakes will fail if the batter is held overnight. If your self rising flour is made with double action baking powder the cupcakes will not have all of the lift they should, but may be OK. I have many times saved pancake batter for 24 hours and used it with no problem (flour, double action baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs), but optimal lift isn't as crucial in a breakfast pancake as it would be for cupcakes.
That thought does present a possible "out of the box" solution to your problem. Could you cook your leftover batter on the stove while the cake is baking? I would try one in a skillet with a lot of butter, flip it when it's good and bubbly. I don't know where you are from or if pancakes are something with which you are familiar, but pancake batter and cake batter are very similar. They wouldn't be cupcakes, they would be something else entirely, but they could be very good.
If you decide to make cupcakes with day-old batter and your self rising flour is made with single action baking soda, or you're not sure, you should make your own "self rising flour" to give yourself the best odds. For 2 cups (`225 grams) of cake or pastry flour (soft, lower protein than all purpose) add 3 tsp double action baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
I'm assuming that you've considered cooking the cake and the cupcakes simultaneously in the oven and you have reason to not do that.
(Edited after Joe's comment about single vs double action baking powder)
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Can you bake cake batter the next day?
Cake batter can be refrigerated overnight or up to 48 hours to maintain its freshness and ability to rise. Once ready to bake, the batter can either be allowed to warm up for 30 minutes or baked straight from the refrigerator.Can you make batter ahead of time?
Cake batter can be made ahead of time, but leaving it for too long will result in a cake that's more dense and flat than normal. After a while, the air that was whipped into the batter will be lost and the baking powder will lose effectiveness. Cake batter should be stored in the fridge.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.How To Make The Best Sugar Cookies
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