Easy Cupcakes

Many of the things you aspire to have in your cupcake-decorating arsenal can be acquired gradually, such as paste food coloring colors and decorating tubes and tips. There are several things (such as wire cooling racks) that a cupcake maker can do without that would be considered essential to someone baking a cake. But there are some staples you really can’t do without. A list follows:

electric mixer
bowls
measuring cups and spoons
cupcake pans (also known as muffin tins) and/or silicone baking cups
spatulas and spoons
food colorings (liquid or paste)
basic ingredients or packaged cake mix and canned frosting
an oven!