Peeling back the paper from a warm, fragrant, freshly baked muffin at a local café feels almost mesmerizing, while tipping an ordinary muffin out of your pan at home just doesn't invoke the same vibe.

1. Have on hand a 12-cup muffin tin and a juice glass that is exactly the size of the indentations. Cut 12 squares (5 inches each) of parchment paper. With two fingers of one hand, hold the parchment ...