In this baking tips post, I will highlight the best cupcake baking and decorating supplies! If you are looking to elevate your cupcake game, this post is for you! Having the proper tools will help you become an expert cupcake decorator!
Best Cupcake Baking and Decorating Supplies
I love baking cupcakes! Cupcakes are fun, portable, delicious, and adorable treats! They can be simple or complex. The possibilities for flavors and decorating are endless. I feel that cupcakes are also a bit less intimidating than baking cakes! There is no better way to celebrate a birthday!
I will be sharing with you some of my favorite cupcake baking and decorating tools and supplies that will help you bring your cupcakes to the next level!
The best part is, I will provide you with direct links to the exact products that I use in my own kitchen to make the cupcakes featured in this blog! I have tested and used all of these products and know they are excellent supplies for your cupcake baking adventures!
And don’t forget to check out my baking tips post on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cupcakes for simple strategies on how to bake the best cupcakes ever!
Favorite Cupcake Recipes
Check out some of my favorite cupcake recipes on my blog to try out these cupcake baking and decorating supplies!
1. Mixing Bowls
I have yet to find a baking recipe where a bowl is not required. If you find one, PLEASE let me know!
A set of mixing bowls is essential for making cupcake batter! Obviously, right?
- OXO plastic mixing bowl set of 3 is a great set of bowls! I love that the bowls have spouts on the side for easy pouring. If the cupcake batter is on the thinner side, like my chocolate cupcake recipe, a pouring spout is a great way to direct the batter into the cupcake liners.
- Duralex glass mixing bowl set of 9 is also great for cupcake baking! I find it helpful to measure my ingredients before making the batter, so I can easily measure different amounts of ingredients into different size bowls. These bowls are also stackable and dishwasher safe!
2. Whisk
Most of the cupcake recipes on my blog are made by hand and just require a mixing bowl and a whisk.
- OXO Good Grips Whisk is my favorite whisk. I actually have 3 of them in my kitchen. The whisk is comfortable to use with a great grip – as the name implies. The handle is no-slip and easy to hold. The wires are made of stainless steel and are flexible, yet sturdy.
3. Measuring Cups & Spoons
As baking is mostly a science, it is important to have precise measurements to help your make your cupcake batter and frosting. Measuring cups and spoons are a must!
I recommend having a set of dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, and liquid measuring cups.
- Dry measuring cups are used to measure ingredients including flour, sugar, and chocolate chips. I love the OXO brand measuring cups because they are easy to use and look great. They come in a metal set or a plastic set.
- Measuring spoons are used to measure ingredients in small amounts such as leavening agents, salt, and extracts. Obviously to match our dry measuring cups, the OXO brand comes in both metal and plastic varieties.
- Liquid measuring cups are for just that, measuring liquids such as milk, water, or oil. I enjoy Pyrex glass liquid measuring cups. They come in a set of three different sizes (1 cup, 2 cup, & 4 cup) and are dishwasher-safe. These measuring cups also have a spout for easy pouring.
4. Cupcake Liners
We can’t let our cupcakes go out naked now, can we? Certainly not. Very inappropriate.
- Cupcake liners are the little paper cups that give cupcakes that signature look. It helps the cupcakes pop out of the pan easily and makes the cupcakes the perfect hand-held dessert.
- You can go with classic, traditional white liners, jazz things up a bit with different colors and patterns, or go for a rustic, natural look. The main things to look for is “grease proof” and “no smell” liners.
5. Cupcake Pans
Cupcake pans are essential to cupcake baking! Another obvious one, right?
- My favorite cupcake pans are the Wilton Perfect Results Cupcake Pans. These pans are non-stick, so if your cupcakes bake over the liner, the cupcakes are still easy to remove from the pan. This also makes for easy clean up. I also find that my cupcakes bake more evenly in these pans.
- Another great feature of this pan is the slight extensions on the sides of the pan. This makes for easy removal from the oven where you don’t have to worry about burning your fingers or squishing the cupcakes.
6. Cookie Scoop
Cookie scoops are a must-have item for baking perfect cupcakes.
These cookie scoops allow you to precisely measure your cupcake batter so each cupcake bakes uniformly and evenly. It makes the process easy and clean.
- OXO Good Grips Large Cookie Scoop is the perfect size for cupcakes. It contains three tablespoons of batter, which is the ideal amount for a standard size cupcake.
7. Wire Cooling Racks
After your cupcakes are done baking, the best place to transfer them to is a wire baking racks.
Wire baking racks allow for air to circulate underneath and around the cupcakes, leading to quicker and more effective cooling.
- Checkered Chef Cooling Racks are my go-to wire cooling racks. I love having a grid pattern which adds extra support for the cupcakes, but allows air underneath to cool the cupcakes.
8. Stand Mixer/Electric Hand Mixer
Most of my cupcake recipes just require a bowl and a whisk to make the batter, however, power is needed to make buttercream frosting. That is, unless you have super large biceps.
I am a huge fan of KitchenAid mixers – both the stand mixers and electric hand mixers.
- KitchenAid Stand Mixers are perfect for whipping up a batch of buttercream frosting. They typically come with a whisk, paddle, and dough hook attachment.
- KitchenAid Hand Mixers are perfect for making smaller batches of buttercream. They are more affordable than a stand mixer as well, so if you are on a budget, this would be your best bet!
9. Piping Tips
You can certainly spread buttercream onto your cupcakes using a butter knife, but for bakery-quality cupcakes that are aesthetically pleasing, piping tips are the way to go! Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto the cupcakes to create a beautiful design. And don’t forget to add sprinkles to the top of the cupcake for even more fun!
Here are my top favorite piping tips for frosting cupcakes!
- Wilton 1M piping tip – open star tip – my favorite!
- Ateco 857 piping tip – deep closed star tip
- Ateco 869 piping tip – French star tip
- Ateco 826 piping tip – large open star tip
- Ateco 809 piping tip – large round tip
10. Piping Bags
To use the piping tips, you also must have piping bags!
For cupcakes, the best size piping bag to use are the 18 inch bags. I find they hold the perfect amount of frosting for one dozen cupcakes.
11. Gel Food Coloring
If you are making some fun, brightly colored cupcakes, whether it is the cake or the buttercream, gel food coloring is the way to go.
Gel food coloring is superior to liquid food coloring because it has a richer more vibrant pigment and does not change the taste or consistency of the batter or buttercream.
- My favorite brands are Americolor and Chefmaster. You can purchase gel food coloring in various sizes, colors, and sets. Select what makes the most sense for your kitchen and baking goals.
12. Apple Corer
Okay, this one seems a little weird, but this is one of my favorite cupcake making tools to make filled cupcakes!
- Apple corers are the perfect tool for removing the center of the cupcake to fill it with all kinds of fillings. Plunge the corer 2/3 of the way down the cupcake, twist, and remove the center!
There you have it! The best cupcake baking and decorating supplies (in my humble opinion). If you are trying to improve your cupcake skills, these supplies will help you on your quest to achieving perfect, bakery-quality cupcakes that are delicious and beautiful.
Did you make this recipe or want to see more? Make sure to leave your review below and tag me on Instagram @CakeMeHomeTonight so I can see your creations!