Bakery-Worthy Muffins
If you struggle to bake muffins that have mile-high tops like you find at the local bakery, don’t fret. The most common issues home bakers face when it comes to muffins are dense interiors and flat tops. If you can relate, give these simple, yet all-important bakery hacks a try. We promise you’ll get muffins with super-domed tops and cloud-like interiors, just like the professionals bake.
REST THE BATTER. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, let your batter rest before you bake. It can be as little as 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in your fridge. Either way, you’ll reap the benefits. When you let the batter compose itself after all that mixing, the flour has a chance to absorb the liquid and the batter will become thicker and more viscous, meaning it will hold it’s shape when you scoop it into the pan. The leavening agents will also have a chance to boost their rising abilities during the rest period.
FILL ‘EM UP. We’re not sure who came up with the “2/3 full” rule when filling muffin tins, but forget that! Instead, try filling so the batter mounds just above the lip (a 4-ounce scoop works great). Don’t worry if it seems overfilled—giving the batter a head start by leaving less room to climb during the bake will put you closer to achieving those mountainous tops.
FILL EVERY OTHER PAN CAVITY. Yes, it will prolong your bake time a bit, but filling every other cavity will give space for the tops to spread and the edges to become slightly crisp, without the muffins crowding each other. It will also give you better air circulation, allowing the muffins to bake more evenly.
START THE OVEN AT A HIGHER TEMP. Start your oven 50 degrees (F) higher than the listed bake temperature. Let the muffins bake for 5 minutes at the higher temp, then reduce to the correct temperature for the remainder of the bake time (i.e., start at 400F and reduce to 350F). This helps the leavening agents (especially baking powder) to react quicker, creating that gorgeously risen top.
Ready to get baking? Just one more thing—there is caveat. If the recipe yields 12 muffins, you’ll probably only get nine (remember, we ditched the 2/3 rule). It will also take you a bit longer to bake since you’re resting the batter and not filling every cavity, but the results will be more than worth it.
