4 Miniature Recipes for Your Cupcake Pan

Think your cupcake pans are just for making cupcakes? Think again.

This piece of bakeware doesn't have to be confined to cupcakes, or even baking for that matter, because there are plenty of tiny treats that you can whip up with the help of its molding. Enter Hollis Wilder, Los Angeles-based cookbook author, chef, and two-time winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, who has developed a handful of mini savory recipes to make in your cupcake pan.

Related: Bite-Sized Appetizers That Will Blow Your Mind

In her newest book, Savory Bites, Wilder used her baking expertise to think about the pan outside of its usual purpose and developed recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even cocktail hour. These bite-sized dishes are perfect as a quick and easy meal on the way to work in the morning, adorable hors d'oeuvres to serve at your next party, or as miniature lunches to switch things up a bit.

Eggs Rolls with Sweet & Sour Crab Recipe
I am a spice girl, as you can tell by this recipe. Here, a crispy wrapper is filled with the perfect blend of sweet and sour vegetables and crab. These egg rolls offer plenty of zing; if you're not a big fan of heat, cut back a little on the Sriracha or chile sauce.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1/2 cup packed finely shredded Napa cabbage
1/4 cup ketchup
1-3 tablespoon Sriracha or other hot chile sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup sake
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
8 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells
Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
One 16-ounce package egg roll wrappers
2 scallions, sliced on a bias, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
In a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat, heat the sesame oil; add the onion and let it sweat for about 3 minutes to soften (do not allow it to brown). Add the red pepper, garlic, ginger, and cabbage; turn off the heat and transfer the vegetable mixture to a medium bowl. Using the same pan, over medium heat, bring the ketchup, Sriracha, sugar, sake, lime juice, and oyster sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water. Add this to the pan, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. When the bubbles begin to get larger and the sauce is visibly thick, turn off the heat. Add this sauce to the bowl with the vegetables, then add the crab. Mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 12-well classic cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line each well with an egg roll wrapper, creating a cup. Divide the crab mixture among the wells, leaving the wrapper open. Bake until the egg roll wrapper is golden brown and crispy at the edges, 20-25 minutes. Let the egg rolls rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then use your hands to lift them from the pan, using the wrappers as handles. Garnish the egg rolls with fresh scallions.

Recipe Details
Servings: 12

Related: 6 Small Bites Fit for Entertaining a Crowd

Mexican Breakfast Rolls
"My savory breakfast rolls evolved from a childhood love of making cinnamon rolls. My mother had her own special recipe for sweet rolls, and she almost always included me in the process. She'd let me help roll the yeast dough, then sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar. I never have time to make yeast dough now, but I like how well savory ingredients rolled into dough works with the cupcake pan. At my home, this savory roll recipe is a child-friendly adventure in baking, especially since it calls for several store-bought items. Present the ingredients in individual bowls - or in the wells of an extra cupcake pan - to make layering fun and easy for your children."

Click here to see the Mexican Breakfast Rolls Recipe

Risotto Cups with Green Vegetables
"Fresh green vegetables of nearly every variety add the flavor of a warm summer day to this heavenly risotto. Experiment with the three wrapper options, and you'll have a completely different taste for the same meal each time."

Click here to see the Risotto Cups with Green Vegetables Recipe

Smoked Salmon-Egg Salad Sandwiches
"I love how this grown-up egg salad is beautifully contained by the Scottish smoked salmon wrapper and sandwiched with pumpernickel on the top and bottom. Cold-smoked salmon makes an excellent substitute for the Scottish and is available in most supermarkets. Both of these are a good choice because of their mild fish flavor. Also note that no salt is needed, as the salmon already has plenty to share. These mini meals are remarkably adaptable, delicious for breakfast, lunch, or as part of a buffet. Serve with a green salad and a light dressing for a refreshingly complete meal."

Click here to see the Smoked Salmon-Egg Salad Sandwiches Recipe

-Anne Dolce, The Daily Meal

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