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
This is my new favorite recipe. I’ve used it for minis for the past but today I was doing regular sized. I was nervous…over NOTHING! They came out SO GORGEOUS!!! **I use 3/4 cup water and not the full cup. In my oven I bake for 19 min and tahdah!!! Perfection 🙂 it’s true the tops are on the odd side (like a sticky/gummy) but we cover that in buttercream so all is well. Rave reviews from this happy Canadian!
So glad you enjoy them!
These turned out great and stood up to buttercream frosting. I only added enough water to make the batter similar to box cake consistency. I can see where the full amount would have been too much. I’m glad I read the tips first. I fixed 1.5x the recipe at once in my 5 qrt Kithenaid to make 36 cupcakes with no problem. I’ll use this recipe again.
I followed the instructions being careful to measure the flour properly and not just scooping it. I added an extra egg and replaced the water with milk adding it very slowly. I used large muffin tins and baked 21 minutes. Perfectly moist and delicious I didn’t even need frosting 🥰
Instead of vegetable oil can I use mashed bananas?
I would not recommend that. It would probably make your cupcakes taste like banana. I’m not really sure that there’s a good substitute.
What else should I use instead of that? applesauce ? I looked up the other things I can use instead of oil and that came up.
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this recipe if you want to use something else. Substituting oil can work in some cakes/cupcakes, but I don’t think it’d be ideal in these. If you’d like a different vanilla cupcake that doesn’t use much oil and could be substituted, I’d recommend these vanilla cupcakes. They are primarily butter-based, with a touch of oil, that you could swap for more butter. I always recommend the oil, because it adds more moisture, but they’d be fine with all butter. I hope that helps.
Hi can we use buttercream instead of milk? If so how much buttercream do I use?
I assume you mean, buttermilk, and not buttercream. I have not tried these with buttermilk before. They may be fine, but I’m not sure.
Normally your recipes always end up spot on when I use them, but this one was a miss, I’m really disappointed it didn’t turn out how expected. It was overly sweet and not crumbly at all, baked to specifications and the top was browned and the bottom was almost underdone and the cuppies themselves were kinda gummy. I tried them twice and kinda disappointed both times. I’m not sure what went wrong, I didn’t use all the liquid like you suggested and no avail. I was one of the unfortunate ones but will continue to follow you for more recipes that will hopefully be as good as the others. Much love to you.
I’m really sorry to hear that. I wish I could re-create the problem myself so that I could test it and figure out what the issue is. I’m so glad you enjoy the other recipes though!
what type of sugar do I use?
Regular granulated sugar in the cupcakes and powdered sugar in the buttercream.
ive tried this recipe 3 times carefully following the instructions just to make sure that the cupcakes miserably failing isn’t due to me messing up, every single time i’ve made these cupcakes they have been beyond a disappointment. waste of time and materials. 1/10.
I’m very sorry to hear that. There’s a note above the recipe mentioning that for some reason, some people have this issue. I can’t recreate it so I don’t really understand why. I’m sorry.
i love this recipe but it would be perfect as a cake…could I do this as a cake?
Glad you enjoyed them! And yes, it works well as a cake.
Hi! Did you use buttercream instead of butter? I had a hard time seeing my frosting yellow because of the butter
I’m sorry, I’m confused by your question. I’m not sure what you’re asking.
I love the taste of these! I think perhaps the issues people are having is because in a lot of countries a cup is 250 ml etc, so perhaps it does not add up if your cup size differs … I always use ml and gram values to bae to ensure it works.
Hi Lindsay,
Sending a message all the way from Australia. Absolutely luv these cupcakes. They disappear so quickly wen u make them.
Quick question, if I was to put the batter in 3 8 inch cake pans how long would they need in the oven
I’m so glad you enjoy them! For three 8 inch cakes, I’d say 24-28 minutes.
Is the frosting freezablr if I made more than needed?
Definitely! It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Raw after 20 minutes. Had put back in oven. Top was brown but maybe type of muffin pan makes a difference??
It’s possible that the pan makes a difference. I use a Wilton muffin/cupcake pan. There are some people that this recipe just doesn’t work for but I have not been able to re-create the issue to be able to fix it.
Hi! I will be making this today. Curious if the water should be warm/boiling? Or just room temp? I assume the batter will be quite thin, correct? Thank you!!
Room temperature water is just fine. It does not need to be hot. And yes, the batter will be very thin.
I Really love this recipe….so much easier than than the creaming method and such a lovely texture,comes out perfectly everytime.
I’m so glad to hear that!
BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT!
This recipe is incredibly moist, super light and very delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!