I just finished 24 cupcakes for a birthday party for my adult kids this afternoon.
This is what I have learned over the years:
Make cupcakes. It's fine to use a mix. I like cupcakes because they are fun, don't dry out as quickly as regular cake, and allow the hints below to make a great dessert.
My son tells me that most GF baked goods taste better when refrigerated. It's a good idea to make the cupcakes and fill them, then put them into the refrigerator until the next day, when you frost them ahead of your guests' arrival.
Use a cupcake corer or small spoon to carve out a bit from the top of each cupcake. Put a small glop of something everyone will enjoy, whether it's from a jar of fudge topping, some cherry pie filling, jam, lemon curd, or a peanut butter filling. Cover your filling with the small cake piece that you just carved out. This gives a nice surprise when your guests bite into the cupcake.
Use HOMEMADE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING. Do not use a can of frosting! There is a big difference in flavor. Make a double batch, because the frosting is important.
Use a piping bag to make a bakery-like topping with the frosting. This is easier than you think. You can use a disposable pastry bag and a decent open-star stainless steel tip. Swirl from the outside in. Well, that's my experience, anyway.
You can put cocoa into a fine mesh strainer, then bring the strainer over the frosted cupcakes, tapping the strainer lightly with a spoon to let some cocoa drift onto the frosting. This is nice if you filled the cupcakes with something chocolaty. Otherwise, a small decoration like chocolate chips looks nice.
Do not worry about perfection. It's homemade, not made by a computerized machine! No one will care.
With the filling, homemade buttercream frosting, and the bit of decoration, your guests will love the cupcakes.....even guests who hate gluten free food.
It's not about the cake!
