A frequently asked question in baking is whether you need to have liners to make cupcakes or muffins. Muffin liners, also called baking cups, are small cups of paper that are designed to fit in baking pans. And, rest assured, you do not have to have them.
Even though they are designed to fit in the cups, the baking sheet is made out of the same material as all your other cake and loaf pans, which you normally do not line with anything. If you grease your muffin pans with butter or oil, the muffins will come out just fine. Cupcakes may even result in a prettier presentation and be easier to eat without the liner, which will not be around to create a big mess at the table.
Your cupcakes may have more browning when baked without a liner, since the cake will be up against the side of the pan, so if that bothers you, use a liner. Some people say that without a liner, your muffins and cupcakes will rise into a higher, domed top, but I have not found a big difference in my baked goods. The results are much more dependant on the recipe: thicker batters will usually have a more pronounced dome and thinner batters will be flatter.
[Photo by Nicole Weston]
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