43 Unexpected Muffin-Tin Recipes You've Never Tried (2024)

FAQs

How do you make muffins without a muffin pan? ›

Take any basic batter, from brownie batter to cake batter to muffin batter, and spread it onto a parchment-lined (or well-greased) sheet pan with high edges. Bake until just set and golden on the edges, then remove from the oven and let it cool.

You can use alternative items such as ramekins, silicone baking cups, or even a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper to bake muffins without a muffin tray.

While it may be tempting to fill each muffin cup to the rim, be sure to give the batter enough room to expand while it bakes. Fill each muffin cup no more than two-thirds to three-fourths full, or as directed in the recipe. This will keep the muffins from spilling over the sides as they bake.

Making Cupcakes Without Liners

While sticking is a bit of a risk, you can always spray down your muffin pan and bake the cupcakes as normal. (Baker's Joy is a good product to consider using.) Make sure to evenly coat each and every cup, and to coat not only the base but also the sides of the cup. But don't over do it!

Using the blueberry muffin recipe from The Bread Bible, the unused empty muffin cups are half filled with water. According to Rose Levy Beranbaum, it “prevents the heat from being drawn to them and adds moisture”.

Muffin pans and cupcake pans are exactly the same.

However, in yet another difference between cupcakes and muffins, cupcakes always use liners and muffins are often baked without liners.

Standard muffin cup is about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and holds 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter. Giant or Texas-size muffin cup is about 3 ½ inches in diameter and holds 5/8 cup batter.

Allowing them to cool slightly in the pan before removing them will help keep them from falling apart. This being said, you only want to leave them in the pan for a short amount of time—about five minutes. Any longer, and you run the risk of your muffins going soggy as they cool off.

The amount of fat in the muffin batter affects how easily the baked muffin can be removed from the pan. Lightly spray the bottom of each muffin cup with no-stick cooking spray or use paper or aluminum foil cup liners.

What are tunnels in muffins? ›

In baking, the term “tunneling” refers to tunnels and. very large air pockets that form inside of muffins and. quick breads as a result of overmixing a batter.

Method 1: Paper cupcake liners can work without a cupcake tray, especially if you are careful not to overfill the liners. You can then place them in a snug pan that will keep 5-6 paper liners upright.

Use the leftover batter to make cupcakes. Simply fill cupcake liners with the batter and bake them to perfection. Pour the batter into mini cake molds or muffin tins to create miniature cakes. These can be decorated individually or used as a base for other desserts.

The good news is that you can bake muffins without using any liners at all. Muffins will pop out seamlessly from the pan, as long as you make sure to grease the baking tin generously prior to filling the muffin cups with batter.

Use a Muffin Tin

If you don't have a baking sheet, a muffin tin can be a great alternative. Simply place small mounds of cookie dough in each cup of the muffin tin and bake as usual. The individual compartments of the muffin tin will help the cookies maintain their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.

Whether you prefer sweet or savory, grab a mix and bake up something special! To really up your muffin mix cake game, you could make a two-layer cake from muffin mix and fill it with some kind of pie filling or jam to give it an explosion of flavor in the middle. Top it with nuts, dried fruit, or powdered sugar.

Baking cups are meant to be placed right on a cookie sheet (leave room between each cup for air circulation for even baking) and add your batter right into the cup. Then they can go into the oven all the way up to 375 degrees. DO I GREASE BAKING CUPS? Nope!