This homemade vanilla cupcakes recipe makes perfectly moist, completely irresistible cupcakes! These light and fluffy cupcakes are topped with creamy vanilla buttercream and sprinkles for the ultimate sweet treat.
These homemade vanilla cupcakes are a certified mood-booster. They’re buttery, fluffy, and topped with silky-smooth vanilla buttercream that hits all the right notes. Pour a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee, then dig into one of these cupcakes for complete vanilla bliss.
Vanilla cupcakes may seem a little too “classic,” but honestly, sometimes that’s just what you need. You can make these cupcakes casual or dress them up with sprinkles (or make homemade funfetti cupcakes), so they’re a great treat to make for everything from birthday parties to lazy Saturday afternoons when you’re craving something sweet. I truly can’t say enough good things about these cupcakes! I also have my all-time favorite homemade chocolate cupcakes that you can make, too.
What Makes These Homemade Cupcakes Different From My Other Vanilla Cupcake Recipes?
If you’re familiar with my recipes, you know that this is not the first time I’ve shared a version of vanilla cupcakes. I’ve spent countless hours making many, many cupcakes and taste-testing them, too (a sacrifice, I know, but someone has to do it). But my quest for the best vanilla cupcakes for every preference has paid off. And this recipe is absolutely classic. So, how are they different?
- Back to basics. Unlike this version, this fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe is made without sour cream. And unlike white cupcakes, this recipe uses whole eggs instead of only egg whites, so they’re more velvety in texture.
- Butter-based instead of oil. Even though I love my oil-based moist vanilla cupcakes, you’ll notice that butter gives these vanilla cupcakes a richer flavor. I still include just a little bit of oil to help with moisture.
- Extra fluffy. I make these classic cupcakes using a tried-and-true creaming method based on my vanilla layer cake recipe. It creates lighter, fluffier cupcakes. I love how the combination of soft and buttery vanilla cupcakes with creamy vanilla frosting just melts in your mouth.
Cupcake Ingredients
These fluffy vanilla cupcakes use basic ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry already. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour – Measured correctly using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method to avoid overmeasuring.
- Baking powder – Make sure that your leavening is as fresh as possible. If it’s been open for a while or if it’s past its expiration date, your cupcakes won’t rise properly.
- Butter – I like to bake with unsalted butter and add salt separately. If you’re using salted butter, I’d suggest adding half the amount of salt given in the recipe.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar is best here.
- Vegetable oil – Even though this is a butter-based recipe, I like to add a couple tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil. It makes the overall crumb more tender.
- Vanilla extract – Please use real vanilla extract and not imitation vanilla. You’ll taste the difference!
- Eggs and milk – Bring these ingredients to room temperature. This way, they blend more smoothly into the batter and the cupcakes bake more evenly.
How to Make Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes
Basically, this homemade cupcake recipe is the result of everything I’ve learned over years of making vanilla cupcakes and cakes, all wrapped up in one simple recipe.
- First, prepare the dry ingredients. To start, preheat your oven to 350°F and insert liners into your cupcake pan. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs next, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add half the dry ingredients to the batter, and slowly add the milk. The batter may look a bit curdled, but that’s OK.
Add the rest of the dry ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl. Mix until smooth. Do not overmix.
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full.
Bake at 350ºF for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream for Cupcakes
This creamy vanilla buttercream frosting is super easy to make in one bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Start by adding butter to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until it’s smooth and well combined.
- Add milk (or water). Next, add the salt and 1-2 tablespoons of milk or water. Mix again until well combined. Then, add in your remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. You can add more milk or water to alter the consistency if you’d like.
- Pipe the frosting. Pipe or spread your frosting onto your cupcakes, decorate to your liking, and enjoy! See my in-depth tutorial on how to frost cupcakes, and check out the Decorating section below for more suggestions.
Scale the Recipe
You may have noticed that these cupcakes are loaded with frosting. That’s because I made one and a half times the frosting called for in the recipe. My opinion is that you can never have too much frosting, especially when it comes to this particular vanilla buttercream. If you follow the recipe for these cupcakes, you’ll end up with less frosting than what’s pictured, but still enough to frost all of the cupcakes.
Tips for the Best Homemade Cupcakes
- Make sure to cream the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla completely. This ensures that the cupcakes turn out fluffy and that they’re not too dense.
- Measure your flour correctly. Dry cupcakes are often the result of overmeasured flour. Measure using a digital kitchen scale if you have one. If not, spoon the flour from the bag into your measuring cup. Then, level off the cup. Don’t scoop directly from the bag, or you’ll pack down the flour and end up with too much.
- It’s a good idea to add a bit more milk or water if your frosting comes out too thick. Do this a little at a time to avoid thinning it out too much. See how to get the right consistency.
- Let your cupcakes cool completely before you frost them. If you don’t, the buttercream will melt and all your pretty piping will be ruined. You want the frosting to stay smooth and velvety.
Decorating Vanilla Cupcakes
It’s not hard to make these cupcakes picture-perfect. But there are tons of easy ways to dress them up and make them even prettier!
- Sprinkles: Add your favorite festive sprinkles to make these cupcakes a beautiful party treat.
- Fruit: Top them with a slice of strawberry, a few blueberries, or any other fruit of your choice.
- Oreos: Garnish these cupcakes with an Oreo cookie or sprinkle them with crushed Oreos!
- Candy: Make these cupcakes even sweeter by adding your favorite pieces of candy.
- Pretzels: Turn these cupcakes into a sweet and salty treat by adding crushed pretzels or mini pretzels.
If you’re sprinkling a topping on the cupcakes, make sure to do it right after you pipe your frosting. This way, your sprinkles or crushed Oreos will stick perfectly!
More Frosting Options for Vanilla Cupcakes
If you’d prefer to decorate with another flavor of frosting, I love these cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting, brown butter buttercream, or this homemade strawberry frosting.
How to Store Frosted Cupcakes
- Store airtight. If your cupcakes somehow last longer than one day, place them into an airtight container, and they’ll stay good for up to 3 days in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes. You can freeze the vanilla cupcakes before they are frosted. Cover each cupcake in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight covered container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag. They’ll keep in the freezer for 2 months. Just make sure to thaw them in the fridge before serving.
- Make the frosting ahead. The frosting by itself will last 3-5 days if covered and refrigerated. Just scoop it into an airtight container and close it securely before placing it in the fridge. When you want to use it, bring it back to room temperature, stir it until smooth, and use it like you normally would.
More Homemade Cupcake Recipes
Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe
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Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups (163g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (155g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150ml) milk
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) water or milk
- Pinch or two of salt
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Add the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
- Now it’s time to add the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
- Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter will look curdled, but that’s ok.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
- Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Carefully pour in about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of the water or milk and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional milk or water as needed to get the right consistency.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
- Cupcakes are best when stored well covered for 2-3 days.
Video
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
I made these cupcakes tonight and they turned out perfect. Very moist and delicious. I followed the recipe exactly…measured all ingredients with a kitchen scale and followed along with the video tutorial.
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
This is now my go-to cupcake recipe. I made these last year for my kiddie’s birthdays and they were a hit, with adults and kids alike. Birthday season again and I’m sticking to the tried and tested! Love all the way from South Africa!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Hello,
I did this recipe tonight and they came out perfect. If you follow the recipe and steps they will be lovely. I had to go back and forth using an automatic whisker and by hand because I didn’t want to over mix. Unless you do the ingredients wrong these should come out perfect. And I didn’t have a machine mixer to do it. The only thing is they make my stomach hurt. I don’t know if it’s the sugar. But they taste delicious haha
All the way from South Africa. Best cupcake recipe ever! I have tried different recipes and this is the Best.
Thank you for sharing. 🌸🌼
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
One of THE best cupcakes I have ever made. The BEST. Wow! This is now my go to recipe. Just measure everything as mentioned and it’s soft, moist and delicious cupcakes. When I make these everybody asks me where I bought the cupcakes from!!!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoy them!
I just baked these cupcakes for a last minute birthday celebration. I’m so disappointed at how they turned out and I can’t help but think that if I had used a different recipe they would’ve turned out better… I did 2 batches and neither were to my standard. I’ve never felt like I failed a cake recipe before now. The first batch went flat (not sunken) and were tiny although I had left them in the oven for the suggested time. Second batch wasn’t as flat but a few had weird dips so maybe I didn’t mixed it enough? Idk this could just be my errors and have nothing to do with the recipe. The batter was super fluffy and light and it made for really delicate cupcakes that I’m worried are gonna break while I’m decorating them.
It can be really hard to say from a distance, but I can tell you this recipe works very well. I’m not sure what the flat ones looked like, but these shouldn’t have a super large dome. If light are light and fluffy, that’s how they should be. I’m not really sure that they actually turned out wrong, just maybe different than you expected. Again, it’s hard to say from a distance. But some things to consider. If you aren’t using a food scale to measure your dry ingredients, that might be worth trying. It could also be something to do with how you’re mixing things that might not be super obvious. Be sure not to over cream the butter and sugar. Stop once it gets light in color and fluffy. And don’t over mix after adding the dry ingredients. You also don’t want to over fill the cupcake liners. If they spill over the sides during baking, they can go flat or even sink. The same can happen if you open the oven too early during baking. I hope that helps!
I just made these cupcakes to eat with a fresh batch of strawberry coulis and whipped cream. I had my doubts at first but I am pleasantly surprised that they turned out perfect. The taste is so good, I ate two without the coulis and whipped cream. This recipe is a keeper 100%
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
this is the worst cupcake recipe i have ever made
the icing says one cup of butter and then 200 and something grams in brackets which is way more than 1 cup. and 4 cups of icing sugar ?!?!?!? dont do this recipe if you dont wanna get holes in ur teeth!
I’m not sure if you actually made the recipe or not, since your comment only refers to ingredients, not an outcome. That said, if you look at a box of butter and do the math, one cup of butter is actually “200 and something grams”. So that’s correct. And 4 cups of powdered sugar isn’t unusual in a buttercream that you want to be stiff enough to pipe. If you’re familiar with making buttercream and adjusting it, it’s really super simple to just reduce the amount to meet your preferences, keeping in mind that the less you add, the less stiff your buttercream is and the less buttercream you get. You may also often see recipes using about 3 cups of powdered sugar for every 1 cup of butter. It’s not a huge difference, and your buttercream should still pipe ok, so it’s fine to reduce it. I tend to prefer a stiffer buttercream with more volume based on how I decorate my cupcakes. Feel free to simply ask about changes. It’s a pretty simple change.
I am making these and a few of your other recipes to take for a retirement party . Will these be as fresh if I make 2days ahead a refrigerate ?
I typically make them a day ahead. Two days is probably more than I’d want, but might be ok. I’m a little picky about things being fresh. 🙂 I hope you enjoy everything!
I will need to do this recipe x4, would you suggest making it in two batches? Don’t want to affect the quality by having such a large volume or if that matters much.
I would probably make it in 2 batches.
What a great recipe – so easy and delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed them!
This is a very quick and easy recipe. I’ve made several of your cake recipes and live them all!!
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear that!
How many mini cupcakes would it be able make?
I’m not sure exactly. You should get at least 24, but I imagine it would make a little more than that.
Okk! Thank you!
They had the consistency of corn bread
Wow! I made these today and extremely delicious! They baked for 18/19 minutes in my fan assisted oven. I rotated at 15 minutes. Measured everything in grams. This will be my go too recipe for 12 vanilla cupcakes now! Thank you for sharing and perfecting the recipe. Happy baking!👩🍳
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These cupcakes turned out perfectly! I measured everything in grams. My first time making buttercream frosting and I would say it was a win! Thanks!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!