Has this ever happened to you? 

You’ve taken a batch of beautifully baked cupcakes out of the oven, left them to cool, then come back only to find that the liners have peeled away and left your treats looking less than perfect! Talk about disappointing! 

But don’t worry! I’m here to share a few simple tips and tricks to help you say goodbye to peeling cupcake liners! Before we start diving into solutions though, it's essential to understand why cupcake liners peel in the first place. 

The biggest culprit for peeling liners is moisture. As cupcakes bake, steam is released, which can cause the liners to peel away from the cupcakes. Some ingredients that are high in moisture, or even recipes that have a high oil/fat content can exacerbate the issue.

So now that we’re aware what the biggest problem is, let’s talk solutions!

Tips to Prevent Peeling Cupcake Liners:

1. Cupcake Liners

When it comes to cupcakes, what’s on the outside DOES matter! Firstly, you want to be sure that you have the right sized liners for your cupcake tins.

And quality always matters so make sure you get good quality cupcake liners! The paper should be thick enough/a good quality GSM, and preferably greaseproof to minimise the risk of peeling. Some bakers also note that foil liners or highly “decorative” liners tend to increase the chances of peeling, however this largely depends on the brand/quality of the liners.

2. Recipe 

As mentioned earlier, high moisture and oil/fat content can increase the chances of peeling cupcake liners. So while a recipe might work very well for a cake, it might not be the best option to turn into cupcakes (even though it’ll still taste delicious)! Try to find cupcake recipes that will produce moist but not overly oily cupcakes. This might take a bit of trial and error, so if you’re reluctant to change the recipe that’s currently working for you, then just try the other tips first to see if they solve your peeling liner problem!

3. Batter Fill

Recipes might vary slightly but as a general rule for cupcakes, you want to fill each liner only about ⅔ - ¾ full. You don’t want to overfill as you need to allow room for the cupcakes to rise without pushing against the liners. That being said, under-filling will cause the cupcakes to come out too low beneath the tops of the liners and increase the chances of peeling.

You also want to ensure you get the batter into the nooks and crannies of your cupcake liners! Use a spoon or give the tray some gentle taps on the kitchen counter. This will reduce dead space/air bubbles and help your batter/cupcake cling to the liner properly as it bakes to minimise peeling!

4. Baking Conditions

The best way to bake cupcakes (or cakes) is “low and slow”. I find the best temperature is 160C (fan-force), however each oven is different so it’s important you get to know your oven settings and temperatures. 

Keep a close eye on your cupcakes as they bake and adjust the baking time as needed. Overbaking can lead to dry cupcakes, which are more likely to stick to the liners. Meanwhile, underbaking will leave your cupcakes too moist, which, as we went over earlier, is THE biggest culprit for peeling liners! 

In most cases, you’re better off leaving the cupcakes in the oven for a few minutes longer rather than underbaking them. Perfectly baked cupcakes will be a beautiful golden-brown, and should have a light spring in them if you press the tops, while leaving an inserted skewer clean.

5. Cooling

There is a huge debate out there about where/how to cool your cupcakes. Some say to remove them from your tin immediately so they don’t overbake; others say to let your cupcakes cool completely before removing them. I say, leave them in the tin for a few minutes, then remove them from the tin to allow them to cool completely. 

If you remove the cupcakes immediately, the drastic change in temperatures can cause peeling. But if you leave them in the tin to cool completely, it creates condensation/moisture, and moisture = higher chance of peeling liners!

Also make sure your cupcakes are completely cool before decorating them. Similarly, the drastic temperature difference from adding icing to warm cupcakes can create moisture, which again (and I’m starting to sound like a broken record here!), causes peeling!!

6. Storage

Airtight containers are great at keeping your cupcakes fresh by sealing everything inside and stopping air from entering and making them stale/spoil. But this also means that they seal moisture inside the box, especially if placed in the fridge, which leads to sweating/condensation.

While cupcakes can usually be left in room temperature for a day, I know it’s not always possible to bake them fresh, especially if you have to do a large batch! So if you have to bake in advance, you’re better off storing your cupcakes in cardboard cupcake/cake boxes in a cool, dry area. This ensures they are still protected, but allows them to breathe so they don’t sweat in the box.

With these simple tips, you can hopefully say goodbye to peeling cupcake liners, and say hello to perfectly intact cupcakes instead. But if you still get some pesky, defiant liners that insist on peeling, don’t worry! If you’re presenting them in cupcake boxes, the compartments should help hold the liners against the cupcakes. And at the end of the day, those liners are going to be removed to eat the cupcakes anyway! ;)