Cupcakes Spread Instead Of Rising

Our answer

Nigella's [Red Velvet Cupcakes] (https://www.nigella.com/recipes/red-velvet-cupcakes) (from KITCHEN) are made with red food colouring and cocoa powder, which gives them their deep colour. The cupcakes do not rise into a peak, but rise to have a fairly flat top. If you have overfilled the cucpake cases with batter then the batter may overflow slightly and give a ridge around the top of the cucpcake. We suggest filling the cupcake cases no more than half way full. Paper case sizes can vary slightly so try to use the larger cupcake/muffin size cases rather than small "fairy cake" cases.

If cupcakes spread on baking it can also mean that too much raising agent was used. The recipe uses 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and uses plain (all-purpose) flour. Make sure that you measure the leavening carefully with a (5ml) measuring teaspoon and (2.5ml) half teaspoon and use level measurements. Also the cakes can spread more if the oven is too cool so check that the oven is thoroughtly preheated before you mix the batter and bake the cupcakes on the middle shelf of the oven. Over mixing can make the cupcakes rise less but this is usually a less common reason. However, when you add the buttermilk and vinegar mix only until there are no streaks of buttermilk left visible in the cake batter. If you are not sure after mixing in the buttermilk, stop mixing with the electric mixer and instead use a spatula or wooden spoon to give the batter a couple of gentle folds to make sure everything is combined.