Full question
When I make the Red Velvet Cupcakes they rise well during baking but shrink a bit during cooling. The texture and taste is very nice so why is this happening?
Our answer
Nigella's Red Velvet Cupcakes (from KITCHEN) have a sponge base topped with a buttery cream cheese frosting. If the cakes only shrink back slightly and have a flat top when they are cool then this is fine. If the cakes sink a lot on cooling then it is usually an indication that they are slightly under baked.
As ovens vary the baking time is given as "about 20 minutes", though it can be a little longer or a little shorter. When the cakes are baked they should be risen, firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into the centre should come out clean. Test a cupcake towards the centre of the pan as these usually take just slightly longer to cook. If you are baking the cupcakes in two pans on different oven shelves and you don't have a fan oven then you may need to switch the pans around after 16-18 minutes of baking and allow 2-3 minutes extra baking time.
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