This morning, I tried Sally’s lemon cupcakes with blackberry icing. Before I get into it, I want to say that I bake often, meticulously measure each ingredient by weight, and make sure my dairy is at room temperature.
Unfortunately, when I tasted the cupcake today, I was disappointed. While the flavor was pleasant, the texture was dense, heavy, and slightly dry, even though I took them out of the oven 2 minutes earlier than suggested. I’ve noticed that most of Sally’s cakes and cupcakes tend to have this heaviness. I’m curious if anyone else has experienced this.
Although I enjoy her icings and other treats, I think I’ll have to pass on her cakes and cupcakes from now on. Does anyone have suggestions for a replacement?
I am sorry to hear that the cupcakes did not turn out as expected. Baking is indeed a precise art, and even small variations can affect the texture and moisture of the final product. Therefore that leaves me wondering if maybe you made a mistake somewhere while baking.
The recipe itself may be designed for a denser, heavier cupcake, which might not be to everyone’s taste. Therefore if you are of lighter pancakes, then Sally’s lemon cupcakes are not for you.
Is there a possible technique problem? In my experience, a procedure is typically more to blame for incorrect results than ratios.
Although the recipe doesn’t seem to ask for a lot of flour, it does seem to suggest undermixing when the creaming stage is reached. The result you describe can be achieved by either overmixing after adding flour or undermixing the oil and sugar. You should strive for a certain level of fluff when adding the other wet components. Creamed butter and sugar should have a noticeable fluffy texture. The dry ingredients should then be gently mixed in; a somewhat lumpy batter is frequently preferable to one that is ultra-smooth.
ETA: I normally use buttermilk or acidulated milk (adding a tiny bit of lemon juice or vinegar and letting the milk clabber a bit) in place of milk when a recipe calling for baking soda or baking powder calls for it. This improves the crumb by increasing the leaveners’ effect. I really enjoy the little acidity that the flavor occasionally has (less noticeable in dark chocolate or extremely fruity dishes).
Sometimes a recipe just doesn’t turn out the way we expect, even when we follow it closely. It can be frustrating, especially with a popular baker like Sally’s Baking Addiction. Sally’s Baking Addiction recipes can be a bit on the dense side. Here’s why:
Cake flour: Sally’s recipes often use it, leading to denser crumb (try all-purpose flour + cornstarch mixture if you don’t have cake flour).
Mixing: Overmixing can make them tough (pay close attention to mixing instructions).
Before giving up, try these:
Check Sally’s recipe notes: She might have tips for a lighter texture.
Look at reader reviews: See if others had similar experiences and what adjustments they made.