13 Easy Cupcakes with 5 Ingredients or Less

Top Tips

1. Use boxed cake mix as your base for the easiest results - Starting with a quality boxed cake mix already puts you at just one main ingredient, leaving room for creative mix-ins, toppings, or flavor additions while keeping the ingredient count low and the results consistently delicious without having to measure out flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt separately.
2. Don't overmix your batter or cupcakes will turn out dense - Once you add your wet ingredients to dry (or combine your minimal ingredients), mix just until everything is incorporated and you don't see any dry streaks, because overmixing develops too much gluten and creates tough, dense cupcakes instead of light and fluffy ones.
3. Fill cupcake liners only two-thirds full for perfect domes - Resist the urge to fill those liners all the way to the top, as cupcakes need room to rise, and filling them about two-thirds full ensures they'll bake up with those beautiful rounded tops without spilling over the edges or sinking in the middle.
4. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting or decorating - Even if you're in a rush, putting frosting on warm cupcakes will cause it to melt and slide right off, so give them at least 30 minutes to cool completely on a wire rack before you start decorating, which also helps the cupcakes set properly for the best texture.