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
These cupcakes are beautiful, can you share where you buy are your sprinkles for you desserts?
Thank you! Where I buy, my sprinkles really varies. These gold stars, and some of my fancier. Sprinkle mixes come from sweetapolita. But I also get sprinkles from Walmart and HomeGoods when I see ones that I like.
Hello!! I always use your cupcake recipes and they’re a hit. I’d like to make a smash cake for my son. I have three 4 inch round cake pans. What temp and for how long should I bake in those pans? I know it’ll make more than I need so I’ll just make cupcakes with the rest of the batter.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! I would bake the cakes at the same temperature. I’m not sure of the time though. I don’t ever make any 4 inch cakes.
Can you use egg white only to keep them super white? I have made these several times and they are fantastic as is. I am making them for a wedding shower and the bride requested white cupcakes. I am switching vanilla out for clear. I could also add a little bright white food coloring gel?
Usually when swapping around eggs and egg whites, you need to make other adjustments because it’s not a one to one swap, but could try playing with them. I would also recommend my white cupcake recipe. They are excellent.
I made these twice and both times it was a fail. It was really dense and… Not good.
So I have a note above the recipe card about the fact that this recipe doesn’t work well for some and suggest trying them without the water. Did you try that, by any chance? Just curious if it helped. Either way, I have 4 different vanilla cupcake recipes on my site. This one seems to be the least reliable, but the most popular for those it works for. If you’d like to try one of my other 3 (they use various mixing methods and have a few ingredient differences), feel free to check them out here:
Easy Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes
Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes
White Cupcakes
I found I needed to bake them for 25 minutes and they turned out great with all the added water.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
How much or how little should the batter be mixed? Electric mixer, or just until it’s smoothly combined by hand? The cupcakes were delicious but looks like it shrunk/tightened after cooling
Just mix until things are combined. Once well combined, don’t keep mixing or you can over-mix, which can cause shrinkage or make things more dense.
I made this with my two 7year olds for a school project. Was quick, cheap and easy and very delicious!! Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Can I divide this recipe in half if I only want to make 12 cupcakes?
Yes
Just made this recipe (the cupcakes are still warm on my counter) after my six-year-old wanted to make cupcakes with mommy. I’m a cook, not a baker. I had never made cupcakes in my life (I do own a muffin tin, and it practically looks like new, LOL). I was looking for something easy, and was hoping this would be it. I didn’t want to mess with creaming butter. In fact, I didn’t even break out my mixer as the recipe was an easy enough consistency to mix by hand when I added the water. Maybe that’s where I went wrong? The cupcakes turned out very moist, as promised. The flavor is great, but they’re like little coffee cakes. They’re dense, not fluffy. They didn’t rise above the liners. Was my mistake not using my mixer, or an issue with leavening? Can baking powder expire?
I’m really sorry they didn’t turn out as expected. There is a note above the recipe card that for some reason there’s some people that these just don’t turn out well for it seems. In that case, I recommend trying them without the water. But since I cannot re-create the issue myself, I cannot really test for it and try to fix it for those that are having an issue. It’s also possible that it could be the leavening. Baking powder does expire.
I live at 10,000 feet altitude and need to adjust the recipes. What state are you baking in or what is your altitude?
I’m in Georgia. Our altitude in our area is 968.
Hi,
Just wanted to know if the cupcake taste great without the frosting or should I try your other cupcake recipe. Hoping to get a quick reply. Been wanting to try a plain cupcake for long and tours looks perfect..soft & moost.
I would say these are going to be better plain than the other ones.
Unfortunately I found this recipe super sweet and it misses the buttery taste.
how long are the cupcakes good for refrigerated without frosting
With or without frosting, they should be good for 4 to 5 days.
Best cupcake I ever had in my life
Definitely try! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These cakes looked great but were very sticky to the touch. Soft, spongy texture and nice flavour but left a very greasy after taste.
I wont be baking with vegetable oil again but may just be a personal preference.
Do these need to stay refrigerated?
No, they would be fine at room temperature for up to two days and then should be refrigerated. I would still serve them at room temperature though.
My niece makes this recipe and the cupcakes are delicious and moist! I want to make a 9×13 vanilla cake that tastes similar. I’ll be pairing it with a fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting. Which of your cake recipes do you recommend?
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! You can use this recipe for 9 x 13 cake. You can see the baking instructions for that here.
These cupcakes are incredible!! I was so worried about how watery the batter seemed after adding the water, but we baked them anyway because I didn’t want to waste the ingredients and I’m so glad we did! They turned out amazing! I think those having “trouble” with the water may have not completed baking them. Who knows. What I do know, is these are amazing!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!