Types and Styles of Baking Cups

Advantages

The first step in choosing the right baking cup is determining your purpose for baking. Will the finished product be on display? Is it intended to serve a high-volume crowd? After making these decisions, consider the many benefits of baking cups. Some common advantages include:

• Easy Clean-Up. A high-volume restaurant or bakery might not have extra time to dedicate to cleaning dirty pans. Avoid the messes that result from sticky batter in unlined pans and create a finished product that has a consistent shape by using baking cups.

• Sanitation. Baking cups provide a protective outer layer that helps prevent the spread of germs during the transfer from oven, to display, to customer. Great for public events during which baked goods are on display, liners can offer customers peace of mind by guaranteeing that their food has not been unnecessarily touched.

• Moisture. Without a baking cup, cupcakes, muffins, and other baked goods can become dried out after removing them from the pan. Using a liner helps you preserve the desirable moist taste and texture that will set your business apart from others.

• Shape. Providing stability and shape, baking cups can help create a uniform look and prevent crumbling . Liners can even act as a buffer between a hot pan and the batter, which can prevent the baked good's edges from cooking too fast.

• Overall Presentation. While some baking cups are not intended to be decorative, others are both functional and ornamental. Colored and patterned types of cupcake liners can complement a theme, correlate with a holiday or season, or contribute to your unique style. Match colorful wrappers with icing and designs for a fun, individualized look. Apart from baking, others may choose to use baking cups to display small candy, truffles, or fudge.

Sizes

When choosing a baking cup size, knowing the dimensions of the pans you will be using is essential. Though size classifications exist, individual manufacturers might have slight variations. Whether you're baking a large, tasty muffin to sell in your coffee shop or a delectable bite-sized truffle for your café, it’s imperative to use the perfect sized baking cup for your unique needs. Perhaps you have already found the perfectly-sized cup and need to restock your business with a similar item. Typically, standard baking cups measure 2" x 1 1/4" and are commonly used for traditional-sized cupcakes or muffins. Mini baking cups with a 1" diameter can be used for presenting chocolate covered cherries or caramels, and 3 1/2" diameter jumbo baking cups can be used for gorgeous gourmet cupcake creations! To help simplify the search and selection process, we have consistently labeled the baking cup item titles and measurements on our site so that they are easy to read and understand. The first number listed is the baking cup's bottom diameter measurement, and the second number listed is the overall height.

How to Get an Accurate Measurement

Although usually available in mini, standard, and jumbo sizes, baking cups' measurements can vary slightly. To determine accurate baking cup sizes, measure the bottom diameter of the cup without flattening the sides, then measure the wall height. Before purchasing, be sure to know the precise measurements of the pans you will be using.

Styles

Baking Cups: Pour batter directly into these cups for use during baking.

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Wrappers and Display Cups: For a polished look, add these decorative wrappers to your baked goods after baking.

Which Baking Cup is Best for You?

Quick Fixes

Choosing the right baking cup could be a quick fix to many of the problems encountered during baking. Maximize efficiency and create the perfect look, taste, and consistency by following some of these recommendations!

When this happens...	...Try this quick fix!
Oil or grease bleeds through the baking cup	Try doubling paper cups or opt for a foil or glassine variety.
Dark-colored cake makes a decoration on a baking cup difficult to see	Bake the dark-colored mix in a white paper cup, then drop it into a second darker or decorative liner after cooling.
The cake crumbles when peeling away the liner	Be sure to bake the cupcakes completely. Under-baked batter can cause peeling. To make peeling even easier, try lightly spraying the cups with non-stick cooking spray or another similar spray release.
The liner peels away from the cake after baking	Be sure that cupcakes have cooled and reached room temperature before storing them in a container. Storing them when they are too hot can cause the liners to detach.

Loaf and Pan Liners

If you're planning to bake bread, cookies, or other treats in addition to your cupcakes and muffins, other types of liners can help you eliminate labor time and cleaning costs that are associated with greasing and washing pans. Consider using one of these great products:

Oblong Loaf Liners : These paper fluted liners are dry waxed and suited for specialty breads and delicious coffee cakes

Parchment Paper and Pan Liners: Minimize clean-up time and extend the life of your pans by protecting them with a liner. Need help choosing the right kind? Check out the pan liners buying guide for helpful tips!