How to Prevent Cupcakes from Drying

Cupcakes dry out fast, so how can we keep them moist? I’ve developed a way for keeping cupcakes from drying out that works well for me.

Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes. I tell myself that I can eat two or three because I feel like I’m eating something little. Please let me know I’m not alone.

The one thing I don’t like about cupcakes is that they dry out more faster than cakes. It’s simply the way a cupcake is. They’re petite and not completely covered in icing like cakes. So I’ve devised a strategy to protect cupcakes from drying out that I’d like to share with you.

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I had a full-time job in addition to receiving cake orders. I would make the cupcakes either the night before or the night before the function. (And, sure, the techniques I’m going to offer with you will keep them fresh for many days). I had to do things ahead of time since I was gone all day at work and couldn’t fit everything in with the little time I had at home.

To make things worse, if I had a huge cupcake order, I’d also have a large wedding cake to go with it. It was either that or I’d have at least 100 cupcake orders. It would just be impossible to bake and decorate them all in one evening after work.

Let me tell you, I am useless without sleep, and staying up all night is not an option for me. When I do that, I turn into a sobbing, shaking mess. I am aware of my limitations.

After some trial and error, I figured out how to prevent my cupcakes from drying out.

First and foremost You don’t want to put your cupcakes in the fridge most of the time. People these days are fridge-obsessed and want to put everything in there right away. I’ve discovered that placing cupcakes in the fridge absorbs all of the moisture.

Unless they include perishable filling or have been frosted with an egg white buttercream, they may be stored in wrapped cupcake boxes or the setup I’m going to show you for a couple of days.

How to Keep Cupcakes from Drying Out:

Bake the cupcakes and cool them on a wire rack.

Obtain a shallow plastic storage container with a lid and clean it. They are available at Walmart and even the dollar shop. You want one that is shallow so that there isn’t a lot of gap between the top of the cupcakes and the lid.

Place a piece of wax paper in the bottom of the pan and place your cupcakes on it. I’ll sometimes place a piece of wax paper over them as well, but it’s not necessary. Since stacking them would create a mess, you can only fit one layer of cupcakes in these bins, so depending on the number of cupcakes you’re making, you may want to acquire multiple of these containers.

Snap the storage bin’s lid shut.

What I do next may seem excessive, but I am nothing if not thorough.

Wrap some press-n-seal wrap over the sides where the lid meets the container (you already know I’m hooked to this stuff; for evidence, see this post). Even though I don’t like bugs, I have a paranoid phobia of ants or other insects infiltrating my home. You might also use the press-n-seal to cover the container before attaching the lid.

Just fill your remaining containers, and then stack them as necessary. Just place them on your table or counter. They’re OK for a few days like this.

When I open the containers, the tops of the cupcakes are occasionally a touch damp. I’ll actually place a dry paper towel over the cupcakes and dab them just a little. This is optional, but I do it since I don’t want the icing to come off if it gets heated during shipping.

I’ll place them in cupcake or cake boxes just before serving or transporting them. Be careful you use cupcake inserts, such as these, to keep the cupcakes from tipping over when you move or transport them.

And if you’re in a rush or don’t have time to go out and buy cupcake box inserts, you can build your own out of poster board. You may learn how to do so here: Cupcake Box Inserts (DIY)

I’ll pipe on the frosting once I’ve placed them in the cupcake cases. If you need a fantastic buttercream recipe, you can find mine here. It’s my favorite, and it’s safe to leave it out of the fridge for a few days.

If I’m transporting them, I’ll put the cupcake boxes in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes before leaving. It’s frequently hot in Texas, which helps firm up the buttercream and prevents slide-offs during transit. See this site for advice on how to carry cakes in a vehicle. These suggestions also apply to cupcakes.

That’s all there is to it! You no longer have to worry about baking all of your cupcakes at the last minute because you’re concerned they’ll dry out!

Another tip: bake them a few weeks ahead of time and freeze them. Check this post for some pointers. Just leave them in their wrappings on the counter for approximately an hour to thaw after removing them from the freezer. Next remove the wrappings and place them in shallow plastic containers before continuing.

That always works for me! Please let me know how things go for you!

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