The Mason Jar Hacks You Should Use For Cupcakes
When you're in the mood for something sweet, there's nothing quite like a moist and fluffy cupcake. According to a 2015 survey conducted by Aytm, 74% of participants admitted to liking cupcakes. These individually prepared mini-cakes ranked as the second most popular dessert next to ice cream. San Francisco psychotherapist Brooke Miller perfectly explains the psychological pull of cupcakes to The Washington Post, stating that cupcakes keep us "feeling contained, like we don't need to do, eat or prove anything more than what is unwrapped in this little wrapper of joy and sugar."
Before you decide to make one, or all, of the 15 best cupcake recipes, having some guidance in the kitchen wouldn't hurt. Food Network outlines all the tools you need to make the perfect cupcakes including mixing bowls, muffin tins, and cupcake liners. There are also careful steps you can take to ensure a moist cake each and every time. Co-owner of "Georgetown Cupcake" in Washington D.C., Sophie LaMontague, recommends not only using high-quality butter and flour but also advises against over-mixing cupcake batter matter since too much stirring can lead to heavier cakes (via Better Homes & Gardens). Besides these pointers, there is one hack involving the trusted mason jar you may want to consider.
Mason jars are the perfect storage container
Mason jars are pretty amazing when you think about all they can do. They can serve as a water glass or canning vessel, and you can even make amazing meals in a mason jar. When it comes to desserts, the mason jar proves to be just as effective. Whether you're trying Michael Symon's mason jar ice cream (via Food Network), or you love creating mason jar salads, the glass container comes in handy for so many kitchen hacks.
For cupcakes, there is one important use of the trusted jar that might save you a headache and prevent you from having to clean up your pantry every time your sweet tooth calls. In the Table For Two Blog, creator Julie Chiou details how you can store all of your cupcake liners in jars for easy access. Storing these pesky liners prevents them from falling over shelves and in between hard-to-reach crevices in your pantry. Baking Bites claims standard muffin and cupcake liners seem to be just the right size for the mason jar, as the jar's walls maintain the liners' unique shape until your next baking foray.Â
Beyond storing your next round of cupcake liners, you can use them for toppings like sprinkles or candy, and for other baking necessities like toothpicks. And these jars come in handy for other elements in your cupcake-baking adventures you may never have thought of.
Mason jars can be useful in and out of the oven
You probably didn't know that mason jars have other ways of leveling up your next round of cupcakes. First off, if don't have a muffin tin to bake those perfect vanilla cupcakes, have no fear since mason jar lids can be an ideal alternative. TasteMade suggests lining a baking sheet with mason jar rings and lids and placing your cupcake liners directly inside the rings. Then simply fill and bake as directed.
Now, if you're looking for a way to spruce up the presentation of your cupcakes, or maybe you even want to give them away as party favors or small gifts, the mason jar is yet another great way to store these individual sweet treats. According to the Nellie Bellie blog, wide-mouth pint-sized mason jars are the perfect storage container for cupcakes. Just unscrew the small jar, place the cupcake inside the ring and base and screw back on the jar, glass side up. This is a great way to ensure your frosted cakes don't get smushed in transit–especially if you're giving them as gifts. While mason jars do come in handy for storage-related purposes, they can help your next batch of cupcakes in more ways than one.