Made with oil instead of butter, this Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe makes cupcakes with a light, tender crumb that’s super moist without being dense or heavy. The batter comes together in just a few minutes, making these an easy dessert to whip up anytime.
I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I’d be bringing you some new basic favorites and I started with my easy moist chocolate cake. Today, we are talking about these moist vanilla cupcakes and I’m pumped! One of the things that I’m always messing with is vanilla cake/cupcakes. It’s the never ending quest for all the best versions. I’m a believer that if you don’t have a good vanilla cake, you have NOTHING! 🙂 Ok, dramatic, but it’s like the “tell”. If you don’t have a good vanilla, can anything else really be that good? There are so many ways to vary a vanilla cake and I want the best of all of them! I’m greedy like that. Plus, I know not every has the same idea of the perfect cupcake, so I like to have options.
You may or may not have tried my original vanilla cupcakes. They are loved by many and were my favorite for some time. I still remember the batches upon batches of cupcakes I made while testing those and the fabulous friends that lined them up and tasted tested them all to help me find the best one. If you haven’t tried them, they are worth checking out. But while I still love them, these are my new fave. Sorry “OG cupcake”, there’s a new star in town. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- Super easy prep. There’s no need to cream the batter, which makes the prep super quick and easy. Creaming butter and sugar together makes quite a fabulous cupcake, but sometimes you just want quick and easy and to barely even need to use a mixer. I mean, basically like a box mix but not, you know? These are those cupcakes.
- Light texture. These cupcakes are made with oil instead of butter which gives them a lighter texture (and adds some moisture).
- Ultra moist. There’s so much moisture in these cupcakes! Ingredients like milk, eggs, and oil add moisture without making the cupcakes dense.
- Made with pantry staples. You likely have everything you need to make these moist vanilla cupcakes in your cupboard, which means you can whip them up almost anytime.
What Makes These Different From My Other Vanilla Cupcakes?
I have several different vanilla cupcake recipes on my site – these, my classic homemade vanilla cupcakes, and fluffy vanilla cupcakes.
All three recipes make super tasty cupcakes but they’re all a bit different. Here’s what makes this moist cupcake recipe stand out:
- No butter. Unlike my other recipes that are made with butter and oil (or just butter), these cupcakes are made only with oil.
- No creaming. Since there’s no butter, there’s no creaming of the butter and sugar to make the batter.
- No sour cream. My fluffy vanilla cupcakes are made with sour cream to add moisture but that’s not needed here.
- Water in the batter. Water is added, instead of something like sour cream, to add moisture without making them more dense.
- Lighter texture. These cupcakes have a very light texture compared to my others, primarily because there’s no sour cream or other “heavy” ingredients.
How To Make Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
Here’s an overview of how to make this moist vanilla cupcake recipe. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the milk, oil, vanilla, and eggs.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
Add the water and mix until well combined. Batter will be very thin.
Fill each cupcake liner halfway. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
Beat the butter until smooth then mix in 2 cups of the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla and cream. Mix until smooth following each addition then add the remaining powdered sugar. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and add sprinkles.
Tips for Success
- Scrape down the bowl. As you combine the wet and dry ingredients, be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure each ingredient is thoroughly combined.
- Thin batter is okay. The cupcake batter is going to be very thin after you mix in the water. That’s okay! It’s part of what makes these cupcakes extra moist and fluffy.
- Don’t over bake. To test when the cupcakes are done, you can insert a toothpick in the center of one. You want a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Cool before frosting. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will melt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my batter so thin?
This is normal. It’s from adding the water. The water adds moisture without adding fat, which would make the cupcakes more dense.
Can I make this as a cake?
Yes! For a three layer 8-inch cake, divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans and bake for 24-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
How do I turn these into chocolate cupcakes?
You can find my chocolate version of these cupcakes in my Homemade Moist Chocolate Cupcakes recipe.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. These cupcakes can stay at room temperature for up to 2 days, and then should be refrigerated. Store them in an airtight container. They should last for 3-5 days.
- Fridge. You can also store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freezer. Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow them to cool completely and then wrap them in plastic wrap ore place them in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge, then frost and enjoy.
Watch How To Make These
NOTE: Some people have reported having trouble with this recipe, while others love it. I have no idea why some people have trouble. There could be any number of factors – improper measuring of ingredients, oven type, altitude, etc. I have never had an issue with these and cannot troubleshoot a problem that I cannot recreate. If you’d prefer a more traditional vanilla cupcake that uses butter and a little bit of oil, as well as the creaming method, and seems to be less finicky for people, try out these Easy Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes. They are currently my favorite vanilla cupcake.
Print
Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24–26 Cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made with oil instead of butter, this Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe makes cupcakes with a light, tender crumb that’s super moist without being dense or heavy. The batter comes together in just a few minutes, making these an easy dessert to whip up anytime.
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (414g) sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (240 ml) water*
VANILLA FROSTING
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) milk or heavy cream
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
- Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
- Slowly add the water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. Please note that the batter will be very thin.
- Fill the cupcake liners about half way and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and mix until smooth.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add remaining water or milk, as needed, and salt and mix until smooth.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844.
Notes
If you’d prefer a more traditional vanilla cupcake that uses butter instead of oil, and the creaming method, try out these Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes.
*Some people report having issues with these cupcakes. If that happens to you, could try leaving out the water entirely. You could also try leaving the water and reducing the baking powder to 2 1/2 teaspoons.
To make as a cake: For a three layer 8-inch cake, divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans and bake for 24-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 129.2 mg
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 25.1 mg
Made this recipe a few weeks ago but I used lemon essence instead and I made 12 not 24, and it was a huge hit so I decided to make them again yesterday and do the full 24 with vanilla essence this time. The family ate the entire lot in one night and I’ve been asked to whip up another batch again today which is currently in the oven as I’m typing this. It’s a lovely recipe and they come out so light, the only difference is I halved the sugar so they’re not too sweet. I used the grams and milliliter measurements and not the cups to make it as accurate as possible to yours as I’m in Zimbabwe and our cup measurements are different to yours.
So glad they’ve been a hit!
I do not consider myself a baker at all, and these came out super good. Made it for a house of 5 and they were gone by the end of the next day. 10/10.
Thanks!
These were awful, do not make them. I followed the recipe exact and cupcake was thick and not fluffy at all. Barely tasted any vanilla flavor either. I’ve never seen a batter so watery. They didnt rise a whole lot when baked either which made for sad looking cupcakes not even higher then the paper they baked in. I didn’t make the icing so I have no comment on that.
This recipe was horrible. I’ve never tasted a cupcake more disgusting in my life. The cupcake was doughy and flavorless. I am so disappointed.
I agree, not good at all.
Wonderful recipe! The cupcakes turned out to be super moist. Thank you for sharing 🙂
XOXO,
Radhika
I’m so happy you liked them!
So easy so delicious! Thank you!!!
Absolutely perfect recipe!
This one is definitely going into my book of favourites. And will be our new birthday cupcake recipe. So moist. So light and fluffy. And the size is perfect! I overfilled my 2nd tray but know for next time that half full is just right.
Thank you for sharing this!!!
The lace cookies didn’t turn out right and I followed the recipe. What do you think went wrong? They did taste good though. ( I’m 10 years old and a very picky eater so you can tell these were still good)
I loved making this cupcake and it tasted soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good. My mom said she would remember this for the rest of her life and my dad had 3 of them. (I am 10 years old so you can tell it was super easy to make as well!)
Okay, so here’s the story. On Christmas Eve, I decided to bake a cake (some other recipe) for the first time and everything was great! Until I realized there was something wrong with the whipped cream and had to throw the whole finished cake out. Mind you, I’m not much of a baker so I whipped everything by hand. This made me super sad and I almost gave up until I decided to give it another try this morning (the morning of Christmas day). After some googling I came across this recipe and it seemed simple and quick enough.
It was so last minute and I didn’t even have baking cups or enough ingredients for frosting. I just went with it in my muffin pan sprayed with oil and you know what… they turned out so moist and delicious! I used egg replacer because my son is allergic and it still turned out perfect! I just topped it with whipped cream and strawberries and they are super tasty and cute.
I just wanted to say thank you, you saved my Christmas and this recipe will definitely be used again in the future! Merry Christmas!
Absolutely amazing! Only recipe I will ever use 😁 would definitely make again super easy and delicious!
Well, the cupcakes were definitely moist but, that’s really all they had going for them. There wasn’t a whole lot of flavor there besides that and I even added a bit of extra vanilla as I do any time I bake.
While these were quick and easy to make, they just didn’t do it for me in the taste department.
Hi, made them, love them & can’t get enough of the. Just a little question, that super cute star sprinkle, any chance I could get the info on where to get it?
They are from sweetapolita.
This recipe has been my favourite for the last 3 years! I have made them every year for my sons birthday and they have been loved by so many friends and family! Every single person who has tried it has complemented that this is the best cupcake they have ever tried! I didn’t make the icing you have posted I actually used a buttercream icing on top & it’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe ♥️♥️
Hi Lindsay,
I did this recipe a week ago and trying again this time. My mother was here while I was cooking and asked me if it was too thin. Water did make the batter more thiner and I just said that it was supposed to be thin. Other videos said it should be thick. I wonder if this effected how the cupcake didn’t bake so nice. The taste was awesome, but it stuck a little bit to the cupcake paper. Is it because it was too thin or could have been because it didn’t cook long enough? I’d also like some advice for what I should do for the upcoming Christmas! I certainly love this recipe.
If you’re having trouble with this recipe, I’d try this newer recipe https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/easy-homemade-vanilla-cupcakes-recipe/
I have used silicone cupcake cups and sprayed them down with cooking oil and they pop out of those easily with no mess & the silicone cups clean very easy! I ordered my silicone cups off of Amazon for super cheap!
My 4 year old daughter and I enjoyed making these cupcakes. The only thing I changed was that I substituted coconut oil for shortening in my icing. Oh yeah and I put the batter into ice cream cups for 5 min longer baking and boy was that ever yummy!!! 💞 🍦