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
My niece has made these a few times and I finally made them today myself – they are so easy to make and so delicious! Would this recipe also work for a cake? If so, what size? If not, do you have a cake recipe that tastes similar to these?
Glad you enjoy them! Yes, you can use it for a cake. I made it as an 8-inch in this cake recipe.
Thank you – that looks delicious! Do you think that amount of batter would work in a 9×13″ cake pan?
Yes, it would work in a 9×13.
I used to love this recipe, but unfortunately it’s not working out for me anymore. I use the same ingredients & same measurements. I’ve noticed a change in texture because my cakes are coming out chewy & dense/seem to be undercooked when they’re not. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong
This has happened to me recently it worked perfectly for me the last 6 months but then I’ve got a stand mixer and they keep coming it like this 🙁 it’s
I’m hoping to give it another go with my hand mixer
Terrible! Do not make
What? That’s not very insightful.
This is my favourite recipe for cupcakes! I’d love to stick with this, I’ve been pondering how to make it strawberry flavoured. Do you think the strawberry jello trick would work with this? Or how would you recommend flavouring?
I’m glad you enjoyed them! You could try the strawberry Jell-O. You could also create a strawberry reduction and replace some of the water with that.
Would using melted butter be the same as oil or would you recommend sticking to the vegetable oil?
I would recommend sticking with the oil.
this recipe is always a hot or miss for me, the first time i made them they came out delicious fluffy and rose a lot, i just made 3 times in a row and they came out a lil dense, chewy once you eat them and a little heavy, i’m so confused as i measured everything exactly. Sucks because these really were some delicious cupcakes 🙁
Made this today and came out soo good! By far one of the best recipe
So glad you enjoyed them!
Can I add cocoa powder to make chocolate cupcakes with this recipe? Some of my grandkids like chocolate while some like vanilla. Thank you!
Not really, but here’s an equally easy chocolate cupcake recipe.
I do! I replace had a cup of flour with cocoa powder and they are delish
I’ve tried out this recipe and it’s very delicious. The only problem with it was that it was too sweet. If I reduce the sugar to about just 1 cup, would it still taste good? Or what is the recommended reduction for sugar to make it fairly sweet?
I haven’t tried reducing the sugar. Cutting in half is quite a bit. I don’t have a recommendation, since I make them as they are. But if you’d like to reduce the sugar, here’s what I’d say to consider. The sugar not only adds sweetness, but also moisture and that affects the texture of the cupcakes. They may be a little more dry and less tender, particularly if you reduce it too much. Also, these are vanilla cupcakes, so the flavor is more subtle. If you reduce the sugar too much, they may start to taste very flour-y.
I loved the recipe.What made my cupcakes have a hole in the middle
What kind of hole?
I made the cupcakes today and turned out great and my mom and sisters love them.
So glad you enjoyed them!
hello! excited to try this recipe over the weekend. Am I able to use caster sugar instead of regular sugar? I also saw a lot of comments regarding the water amount being too much, would you recommend as I gradually add the water to see how the consistency is and then stopping? Will it impact the cupcakes massively?
Thanks!
I don’t think caster sugar is available here, so I’m not sure I can say. But to my knowledge, caster sugar is the same kind of sugar, but is more fine. So if that’s the case, then yes, it’d be fine. As for the water, it’s a very thin batter even more the water is added. Eyeballing it won’t necessarily be helpful. It seems to have more to do with someone’s oven, I’m guessing. I truly can’t re-create it, so I’m not sure.
Do NOT substitute almond milk, it doesn’t work. 🙂 Not your fault though!
Hi its second time i made this, the first time my cupcakes all came 1 size an i got 30 cupcakes but the second time i got 27 cupcakes an also i got different sizes , none was flat both times but yes the 1st time it all one size an the second time i made it was all different sizes, do you know reason
Based on your description, it just sounds like each cupcake may have had a slightly different amount of batter in it, so it baked either taller or shorter. if you got fewer cupcakes the second time, then you may have used more batter per cupcake.
I made these for my partners birthday and I have never gotten so many compliments on my baking. I substituted oat milk egg nog for milk and added a tsp of cinnamon
And nutmeg for a vanille chai type flavor. I also used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. They turned out beautifully!
I’m so glad they were a hit!
Its great, mine came out perfect, I used only half a cup of water and i got 24 big cupcakes. Very yummy and easy!
So glad you enjoyed them!