Last fall I entered a local cupcake contest. I love to bake so I thought it would be fun, and anything that allows me to be creative and do my own thing is something I am interested in! I didn't win but it was a great experience and I definitely learned a few things. In an effort to make my cupcakes stand out and look unique I decided to create my own cupcake liners. There are a lot of pretty ones out there but I wanted something different. I decided to use parchment paper and as you can see the result was beautiful. It was so simple to do and it looked great so I thought I would make them again and show you how to do it.
Cut pieces of parchment paper into approximately 7” X 7” squares. Cut as many pieces as you need for the batch of cupcakes you are making (and maybe a few extra). Using a small juice glass push the parchment paper into the well of a cupcake pan and twist the glass so that the paper takes the shape of the pan.
You may need to take the glass out and fold the paper around it with your hand to reinforce the creases. Place the paper back into the pan and repeat with the next sheet.
Once your cupcake pan is full it will look something like this. Don't worry if your liners are popping up out of the pan. They will stay down when you pour the batter in.
Prepare your cupcake batter and carefully pour it into the pan. I use a measuring cup with a spout for more control.
The batter will go into the folds of the cupcake liner. Don’t worry, if you cut your liners big enough it will not leak out.
Place pan in a preheated oven and bake according to the cupcake recipe you are using.
Once baked, remove cupcakes from oven. Leave the cupcakes in the pan for 5-10 minutes until they begin to cool. You will notice the cupcakes have taken the shape of the liner and have baked evenly.
Remove the cupcakes from the pan gently to cool completely. The cupcakes are delicate and the papers will pull away from them if you are not careful.
Finish the cupcakes with your favorite frosting and just wait and see how much attention they get! All it took was a little parchment paper!
*Be sure and stop back next week because I'll be sharing the recipe for these Deep Dark Chocolate Cupcakes and the frosting on top! Guess what flavor it is?
Photos by Leslie Reese