Sure, baking can be relaxing, peaceful, therapeutic, even — provided we know what we’re doing. But things can get complicated quickly, especially when it comes to knowing when to use the creaming or muffin method in our baked goods. The creaming method works best for those yummy desserts we bake that require lots of fat and sugar. Looking at you, little stack of warm, brown butter chocolate chip cookies. The muffin method works best for, well, muffins, but also pancakes, waffles, and all the quickbreads we know and love, like the perfect banana bread. For these baked goods, we also call this the mix-it-all method.
We use different methods because cookies call for lots of fat and sugar, and air helps these two ingredients rise. We can use the creaming method to make many different types of cakes tall and fluffy, but other baked goods don’t require as much fat and sugar. Meanwhile, a muffin is not a cupcake, and that’s a good thing. The goal with these treats is not to overmix and to remain dense so that add-ins and toppings are invited to the muffin mixer. We also need lumps in other batters to make some particular magic happen. Though on the other hand, it’s more of a science than magic. We need to make science happen in a specific way when it comes to those breakfast batters for pancakes and waffles.
Teamwork makes the creaming work
Creaming fat (usually butter) into sugar means aerating cookie doughs and cake batters, and this is done to make sure baked goodies are light and tender in texture. It’s important to incorporate enough air until the fat and sugar become pale and fluffy. It’s very easy to do with the right tools, but it can be done with your bare hands if you’re up for it, Popeye. This process works best with room temperature butter and granulated white and brown sugar. The sugar granules are just the right size — super tiny so they will pierce the fat and then dissolve.
Use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or wooden spoon to create friction between the sugar and fat and let it go. If you go with a wooden spoon, just be sure to switch arms to get an even workout. Once the butter and sugar mixture reaches peak fluff, add the eggs one at a time to make an emulsion. Fold the dry ingredients in last to preserve as many air pockets as possible. Those tiny air pockets expand when leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda react with heat, so balance is key. While creaming makes for a soft crumb, overdoing it once you add the dry ingredients is a no-go. That’s how you get a tough cookie, which is only a good thing when it’s about someone’s mother.
The muffin method is irreplaceable
The muffin method is also called the mix-it-all method. It’s almost too simple, so just follow these directions, and you’ll be on your way. The dry ingredients go in one bowl, after which you can use a whisk to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. The wet ingredients go in another bowl and are then combined, but we do need to remember one thing: These must be at room temperature so the melted butter does not harden. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ones and stir until they are combined. But fret no more, sweet bakers. Viscosity is our friend, and that’s the consistency we need. Science (seems magical) tells us that more viscous (or thicker) liquids can help additions like blueberries or nuts remain suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.
In the case of muffins, which are less sweet and more dense than a cupcake, overmixing turns them into cupcakes but with tunnels. The muffin’s shape is because of the little cup it’s baked in — a perfect, rounded top that’s not all pointy. That’s another visual cue that your juicy blueberry muffins became overmixed blueberry cupcakes.
The same goes for pancakes and waffles. Use the muffin method and keep these batters lumpy — we want them to hold onto any additional ingredients like the roasted berries in these buttermilk pancakes. But we also want them to spread and rise at the same time (super magical science), and that’s another thing viscosity helps to ensure.
How to modify these methods (or not use it at all) for these oven-baked treats
Digging into the differences between creaming our butter and sugar together as opposed to melting the butter and using it as a liquid in the muffin method helps us understand that sometimes it’s not just about what works, but rather what specifically works for the product. We want muffins to be a bit dense and cupcakes to be as light as possible, even though they’re relatively both the same shape and size. That’s why we take different approaches to these similar treats.
Take shortbread, for instance. This snappy cookie can easily dry out if we cream the butter and sugar too much. That’s because this recipe calls for confectioner’s sugar or superfine sugar. These sugars soak up more moisture in all that butter, which this recipe relies on to obtain its signature bite. It’s also why we only cream these ingredients until they look smooth. That’s one trick to baking high-quality shortbread you should especially keep in mind.
Since we’re deep-diving, there is one more category worth mentioning. There’s another group of quickbreads that don’t use the creaming or the muffin method. Instead, they use the rub-in or cut-in method. This technique involves mixing together dry ingredients and then adding small amounts of fat to them. It’s how we pave the way for flaky layers and just the thing for fluffy southern biscuits, your favorite pie dough, and the best scones on this side of the pond.
