The 7 Best Cupcake Makers
Updated by · How we research
A dozen full-size cupcakes per batch puts the Babycakes CC-12 first among seven electric cupcake makers, compared on cup size, wattage, cleanup and safety. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Listings for the same cupcake maker can disagree on its wattage, and the label on the unit settles it. An electric cupcake maker is a small hinged baker with heated nonstick wells that turns out a batch in about 3 to 10 minutes without heating the oven. Home bakers, parents and party hosts use them for small batches of cupcakes, muffins and brownie bites.
Editor's Notes
October 18, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
Most of this list held up, which is rare for a small-appliance page. The Babycakes CC-12 is still the one to beat for a full dozen. The Holstein Housewares 6-Count stays, now in a lavender version of the same machine, and the Holstein Housewares 12-Count, Betty Crocker Mini Cupcake Factory, Brentwood TS-252 and Disney Minnie Mouse DMG-7 all return with fresh specs.
We dropped the Nostalgia BBE4 because it's no longer available, and the EZ Frost Machine honor went too, since its maker's site is gone. The Babycakes 3-in-1 Treat Maker is new, for anyone who wants cake pops and donuts from the same machine.
Nobody seems to lab-test cupcake makers. We worked from makers' pages and manuals, a baking blog's review, buying guides, owner feedback and recall records, and we noted where listings disagree on wattage.
July 30, 2021:
Forget preheating a huge oven just for some fun, sweet treats. A cupcake maker saves a significant amount of time and electricity compared to traditional cupcake pans, making the whole process more easy and fun. For this round of updates, we decided to nix four models at the bottom of the list that didn't offer the premium performance we always look for. The Holstein Housewares HF-09013M and Babycakes CC-12 remain at the top, and we also added the Nostalgia BBE4 to the #3 slot thanks to its multiple removable plates that accommodate cookies, brownies and bundt cakes.
April 20, 2020:
When you’re busy getting ready for a party, or when you want to bake without even turning on the oven, try using one of these handy cupcake makers. You’ll get nicely browned creations in a fraction of the time, so you can move on to the equally important decorating process. In today’s update, we added in a model from a household name in baking that’s been around for a century. The Betty Crocker 2930 comes in pleasing pink and white colors, and provides handy indicator lights so you know when it’s properly heated and when your creations are done. Like several others, this one is suitable for a variety of other recipes, including hors d'oeuvres, little frittatas, and miniature quiches. The Brentwood Mini is another newcomer to the list and like the Betty Crocker model, it produces seven cupcakes per go. This one comes with a handy cord wrap feature, and can conveniently can be stored vertically, so it won’t take up much space in a cabinet, and it’s made with safety in mind, with an automatic shutoff feature that prevents overheating.
If you loved Hostess Cupcakes growing up, check out the Smart Planet Hostess, which will allow you recreate this iconic dessert. Included is a pastry bag and tips for piping filling into them and swirling icing onto their tops. Note that this maker does not produce full-sized cupcakes like you’d get at the store; they’re smaller than the real deal. Any Disney lover in your life will appreciate the Disney DMG-7, which comes in a fun magenta color and includes a silicone mold to make Minne Mouse bows that can placed atop your cupcakes.
For a model that’s as versatile as it is pretty, look to the Patty Cake Multi-Treat, which comes with various interchangeable plates that enable you to make cupcakes, muffins, donuts, cake pops, or a large waffle. Its lightweight, compact design and locking handle make it convenient for taking with you to wherever the party’s happening.
If you’ve got young, eager helpers in the kitchen, be sure to supervise them around these appliances, which can get very hot as they bake.
Full-Size, Mini Or Multi-Plate
They suit kids, tasting trays and small kitchens, but a party needs several rounds.
Start with cup size, because it decides what comes out. Full-size makers bake cupcakes about 2.5 to 2.75 inches across, the size of a bakery cupcake. The Babycakes CC-12 bakes 12 at a time, and its manual says each well holds about 3 tablespoons of batter (manual). The Holstein Housewares 6-Count bakes six of the same size.
Mini makers bake two-bite cupcakes about 2.25 inches across, four or seven at a time, with about 1 tablespoon of batter per well (Disney DMG-7 manual). They suit kids, tasting trays and small kitchens, but a party needs several rounds. Multi-plate machines such as the Babycakes 3-in-1 swap in cake pop and donut plates, and theirs lift out for the dishwasher.
Count how many you usually bake. A dozen full-size cupcakes takes one round in a 12-cup machine, two in a 6-cup one and about five in a four-well mini. Most units close like a waffle maker, so also check the footprint: a 12-cup maker is about 13 inches square, while some smaller and mid-size models stand on end for storage (Holstein).
Power, Heat And Timing
Wattage ranges from about 500 watts for a four-well mini to 1,200 watts for a 12-cup full-size maker. Higher wattage helps a big plate recover heat between batches. Listings often disagree with the makers on this number, so trust the rating label or the manual. Brentwood rates its TS-252 at 1,000 watts on its own page (Brentwood), while some listings say 750.
Bake times are short. Select Brands puts a full CC-12 batch at about 10 minutes with no preheat (manual), the DMG-7 at 3 to 4 minutes after a 3-minute preheat (manual), and the 3-in-1's cupcakes at 5 to 8 minutes (manual). A buying guide from Cake Godown suggests checking the first batch at 8 minutes, with light batters done in 8 to 10 and dense ones in 12 to 15 (Cake Godown).
None of these machines has a timer or an alarm. Baking Bites found that a mini maker baked seven cupcakes in about 10 minutes, and that it was easy to overbake them if you walked away (Baking Bites). Set a kitchen timer, use the toothpick test, and fill each well about two-thirds full. Too little batter gives flat tops, and too much spills over.
Safety, Cleaning And Care
The plates, lid and outer shell all get hot, so use oven mitts and keep kids at arm's length unless an adult is running the machine. Select Brands tells owners to lower the DMG-7 lid with a mitt or pot holder (manual). Some smoke or odor on the first use is normal, per the CC-12 manual. Look for a latching lid, cool-touch handles and an overheat shutoff, which the Brentwood TS-252 lists along with a cETL safety mark.
Fixed plates are wipe-clean only. Unplug the unit, let it cool, and wipe it with a damp cloth and mild soap. Never immerse the body, cord or plug in water (CC-12 manual). Holstein suggests rubbing a little cooking oil on the nonstick now and then and avoiding abrasive pads (Holstein). Paper liners keep the wells cleaner and help lift hot cupcakes out.
Don't let anyone taste the raw batter. The CDC warns that raw flour can carry E. coli and raw eggs can carry salmonella, and baking kills both (CDC). We found no recalls of any cupcake maker on this list in the Consumer Product Safety Commission's database (CPSC).
How we researched this
We compared 11 electric cupcake makers, read the makers' product pages and the Select Brands manuals for the Babycakes and Disney models, reviewed buying guides, a baking blog's review and owner feedback, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent lab tests of cupcake makers.
Sources (14)
- Select Brands: Babycakes Full Size 12 Cupcake Maker
- Select Brands: CC-12 instruction manual
- Select Brands: Babycakes 3-in-1 Treat Maker
- Select Brands: MT-6 instruction manual
- Select Brands: Minnie Mouse Mini Cupcake Maker
- Select Brands: DMG-7 instruction manual
- Holstein Housewares: 6-Count Cupcake Maker
- Holstein Housewares: 12-Count Cupcake Maker
- Brentwood: TS-252 Mini Cupcake Maker
- BestReviews: Best cupcake makers
- Baking Bites: Bella Cucina mini cupcake maker reviewed
- Cake Godown: How to choose an electric cupcake maker
- CDC: Raw flour and E. coli outbreak notice
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Recalls
Frequently asked questions
Does a cupcake maker replace an oven?
Only for small batches. A 12-cup maker matches one standard muffin tin per round, and minis bake four to seven at a time. For a big order or a layer cake, the oven is still faster.
How long does a cupcake maker take?
Makers' manuals give about 3 to 4 minutes for small minis, 5 to 8 minutes for seven-well minis and about 10 minutes for full-size cupcakes. Check with a toothpick, since none has a timer.
Do I need cupcake liners?
No. The wells are nonstick, so you can bake straight in them. Liners help lift hot cupcakes out and keep the plates cleaner. Mini makers need mini liners, and full-size makers take standard ones.
How much batter goes in each well?
About two-thirds full. That's about 1 tablespoon for a mini well and about 3 tablespoons for a full-size well in the Babycakes CC-12, per its manual. Overfilled wells spill when the batter rises.
What else can I make in a cupcake maker?
Muffins, brownie bites, corn bread, mini quiches, pizza cups and small cinnamon buns all work, according to the makers' recipe booklets. Keep wet fillings small, since they bubble over.
Can kids use a cupcake maker?
With an adult. The plates and lid get very hot, so an adult should open and close the machine and lift out the cupcakes. Kids can mix batter, fill liners and decorate.
