This Vanilla cupcake recipe is amazing. Vanilla cupcakes are one of the most popular flavors of cupcakes. I think it was the very first flavor that I learned how to make.
How could you not like them? They have a nice subtle vanilla flavor and really allow the frosting that you use to shine. With that said they are extremely flavorful on their own, I like to set some aside to eat without frosting, they are that good. It is a great base flavor for any cake or cupcake.
They will typically be white or yellow and go with practically any frosting flavor you can imagine. On this list of Top 25 Cupcake Flavors, they come in at number 3! And it is easy to see why.
They are incredibly easy to make with just a handful of ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Gather the Ingredients to make Vanilla cupcakes
In order to make this delicious vanilla cupcake recipe, we need to get our ingredients and tools together. You will need the following items:
- Unsalted Butter – The butter will help add to the light and fluffy texture as well as give the cupcake some flavor. You can use salted butter if you like, but you will probably want to reduce the extra salt by half.
- White granulated sugar – The sugar affects the texture and believe it or not will help keep the cupcakes soft and moist as well as give it flavor.
- Eggs – The eggs will add structure and body to the cupcakes, act as a leavening agent, and help bind all the ingredients together. They also add much-needed moisture.
- Vanilla Extract – The star of this recipe. Vanilla enhances other flavors as well as has an amazing flavor itself. When little is added it works as an enhancer when more is added not only does it enhance but it brings its own flavor to the mix. You can’t have a vanilla cupcake recipe without vanilla.
- Salt – Make sure to use table salt. The salt is a flavor enhancer for the other ingredients. It also helps to balance out the sweetness of the sugar.
- Baking Powder – The baking powder is the main leavening agent. It makes the cupcake batter rise. Without it, they won’t rise and will be denser. Unless more eggs are used as a pound cake.
- Cake Flour or All-Purpose Flour – If it is readily available I recommend using cake flour over all-purpose (plain) flour. It will help to make the cupcake lighter and airier. All-purpose flour will make them a little denser.
- Milk – I like to use whole milk but you can use any milk that you like. The milk has protein which helps make the batter stronger also the moisture helps to make the cupcake moister. The added sugar in the milk helps to create a nice golden-brown crust.
Tools
- Paper cups
- Muffin pan
- Spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Piping bag or plastic bag
- Cookie rack
- Bowls
Step 2: How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes
First, preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C). In a large bowl add the softened butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer and cream those ingredients together.
Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. If you forget to set your butter out to soften, you can put it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds on defrost mode to help soften it up.
Step 3: Eggsellent vanilla cupcake recipe
Now it is time to add in the two large eggs. No need to add them one at a time, just dump them in. Also, add in the vanilla extract. Mix well until combined, again scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4: Flour and Milk
Next, add the baking powder and the salt to your flour and whisk them all together. Then add about a cup of it to the cupcake batter. After that has been mixed in add about a half of the milk and mix that in.
Now add the rest of the flour and milk. Do this until all the ingredients have been incorporated. You could probably just dump all the ingredients in and mix them together but doing them separately ensures a nice even mixing.
Step 5: Fill up the cupcake paper cups
Take several paper cups and place them in your cupcake pan. Then fill them each up about 3/4 full with your cupcake batter. I usually just use a spoon to do this. Try and get the same amount in each one.
Next bake them in your preheated oven (350 F/176C) for 15 to 20 minutes until when you poke it in the center with a toothpick it comes out clean.
After they come out of the oven let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the vanilla cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Basic vanilla cupcake recipe frosting
Now let’s make a basic frosting. You can use a homemade buttercream frosting or this one. Or any number of storebought frosting flavors.
For this cupcake frosting you will need:
- Powdered sugar (confectioners)
- Milk or half and half
- Vanilla extract
Put all of those ingredients in a bowl and mix them together with a hand mixer. Add food coloring if you like.
In this case, I chose a “smurf” blue. Blue is my favorite color, not a common cupcake frosting color, but I like it.
Step 7: Frost and decorate the vanilla cupcakes
Next, decorate your cupcakes however you like. Use a knife and spread on the frosting on top of the cupcakes, or put the frosting in a piping bag and pipe it on.
Add some sprinkles if you like as well. These are your cupcakes, make them however you like. Or you could leave off the frosting altogether and eat them plain. Enjoy!
Can I get the vanilla cupcake recipe moister?
For even moister cupcakes add about 1/2 cup of sour cream this will add a bit of zing as well. Sour cream is commonly added into cupcakes and muffins and cakes to help with moistness without affecting the flavor.
How do I store the vanilla cupcakes?
You can store the unfrosted cupcakes loosely covered at room temperature for a couple of days. Store them in an airtight container for a longer lifespan. You may also freeze them if you wish.
After they have cooled completely place the unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer bag and then freeze them. When you want to use them, take them out of the freezer and remove the paper cups, or do this before freezing them.
If you don’t the paper cups will get soggy when the cupcakes thaw out. Allow them to sit at room temp for a few hours until thawed completely. Then frost and serve.
Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Equipment
- Paper cups
- Muffin pan
- Spatula
- Hand mixer
- piping bag or plastic bag
- cookie rack
- Bowls
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened (170g)
- 1 3/4 cup of white granulated sugar 337g
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tsp. of vanilla extract 15mL
- 1/2 tsp. of salt 2.5g
- 2 1/2 tsp. of baking powder 12g
- 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose or cake flour 320g
- 1 1/4 cups of milk I like to use whole milk (375mL)
Basic Frosting
- 1 lb. of powdered sugar confectioners (453g)
- 1/4 cup of milk or half and half 63mL
- 1 tsp. of vanilla extract 5mL
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (176 C). In a large bowl cream together the sugar and the butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix those in until combined.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Then add half of it in with the batter and combine.
- Add half of your milk and mix that in until just combined. Then add the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk and mix until just combined. Throughout this process scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed to ensure all the ingredients are incorporated evenly. The vanilla cupcake batter is ready to go.
- Fill up two muffin pans with paper cups. Then add cupcake batter to each cup until about 2/3rds full. You can add a little more if you like for larger cupcakes. Use a spoon or piping back to add the batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when poking in the center. The edges will be slightly brown. All them to cool for a few minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Basic Frosting
- Now make the basic homemade frosting or use a storebought one. For the frosting add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix. If you want a color, add a few drops of food coloring until the desired color is reached.
- Decorate them how you like, using a piping back or spatula to put on the frosting, and sprinkles and other toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Do you like the recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
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Hi Matt, I have a question. If I wanted to bake a cake with this recipe as opposed to cupcakes, what size pan would you recommend?
Hi Sharon! You can use two 9-inch rounds. Or follow this, it is essentially the same recipe but in cake form already. https://www.inthekitchenwithmatt.com/vanilla-cake-recipe
I tried this. Came out perfectly. The kids loved the cupcakes. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you made them and liked them! You are very welcome, Carol. 🙂
Me during quarantine learn a new skill in baking
Nice! No time like the present to start baking 🙂
Damn! apart from the recipe, pictures are stunning. ?
Thank you!! 🙂
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin or two 24-cup mini-muffin tins with cupcake liners.
Hello 🙂 2 standard muffin pans, this makes 24 cupcakes. That is mentioned in the instructions of the printable recipe. 🙂
Hi, can you make a cake instead of cupcakes with this recipe?
Hello, Paulette, sure! 🙂
Nnnniiiccceeeee….my challenge usually comes with the frosting bit. I don’t usually get the entire requirements-list for that, right. I do hope to get it right this time round.
Thanks!! Sometimes it just takes practice. 🙂
Such a lovely recipe that everyone enjoys! Vanilla cupcakes are always fun to make. Thanks for sharing a recipe that’s easy to follow.
You are welcome, Terri! 🙂
Vanilla… such a classic but a wonderful flavor. I love how creative you can be with the frosting when it’s a vanilla cupcake!
Indeed! Thank you, Lisa!
thanks matt for another fabulous looking recipe! perfect for the holidays. and thanks for the tip about cake flour vs all purpose. i learned something useful! Joy
You are welcome, Joy! 🙂
Nice! These cupcakes look so delicious I want to try baking some tonight. Saving your recipe now. Will get the ingredients I need today.
Thank you, Kristine! 🙂 Good luck, let me know how they turn out.
I love Vanilla Cupcakes! They are so yummy and tasty! I hope to bake some these holiday season.
Awesome, Emman!! 🙂 🙂
Vanilla cupcakes really do allow for the flavor of frosting to shine through. I never thought of that before, but it’s absolutely true. These sound great.
Thanks so much, Rosey! 🙂
Those sound delicious. Sometimes, it’s the simple recipes that are the best. You can put all kinds of stuff in a cupcake, but vanilla is just so good.
Thank you, Stacie! 🙂
This cupcake recipe is a classic for the holidays!!
Thank you, Jessica! 🙂
Oh that’s a great idea using half and half instead of milk for the frosting, so much richer, I need to try that!
Thank you, Kimberly!! 🙂 🙂
love how versatile this recipe is!! could be made in so many different ways!
Thank you, Natasha! 🙂
Vanilla cupcakes are my favorite! These are so soft & a cinch to make!
Thank you, Natalie!! 🙂 I agree! 🙂