Why did my cupcakes sink while cooling?

I made both the chocolate and the vanilla recipes 5 days apart. Both did not look done at 22 minutes (the max time) so I baked a minute or two longer. Both looked beautiful coming out of the oven and both sank horribly as they cooled. My baking powder is new and fresh. My oven usually bakes according to the time recommended. Any ideas about what went wrong?

michelleroo
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Basic Vanilla & Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe question for: Basic Vanilla & Chocolate Cupcakes

4 Comments

michelleroo
michelleroo March 31, 2020
Thanks for the helpful replies. It must have been they were underbaked as I am baking near sea level and did not open the oven. Thanks again!
 
Mari
Mari March 30, 2020
Unfortunately, it sounds like they really needed a little bit longer in the oven.
 
Miss_Karen
Miss_Karen March 30, 2020
It also could be elevation issues. Baking above 4000 ft is challenging. (too much leavener/not enough flour...)
 
Emma L.
Emma L. March 30, 2020
Hi there! Sorry to hear that happened. It sounds like the cakes were either under-baked or, if you rotated the pans partway through, that the oven was open too long (according to Nigella Lawson's website, "A blast of cold air, generated by the door opening, can also cause the unset centre of a cake to sink"). If the cupcakes aren't raw in the middle, you can always hide a sunk center with a big plop of whipped cream or frosting.
 
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