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 so good! My 11 year old wanted to make cupcakes last week and he tried this recipe. He made a cream cheese buttercream to go on top.
They turned out so good that he is making them again today for a bake sale!
Awesome! So glad they were a hit!
This recipe is awesome. It tastes so delicious I will definitely make it again
This recipe is awesome. It tastes so delicious I will definitely make it again
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I love these cupcakes so much! I typically can get 32 cupcakes from this recipe.
I was wondering, how could you make these cupcakes into chocolate cupcakes and what would that recipe look like?
I’m so glad you enjoy them! Here is the chocolate cupcakes version.
THIS IS AMAZING! remember to not overbake and add the water in slowly
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Hey team been reading the comments and I thought I would share my experience. First few times I made these I followed the recipe to the letter and they turned out perfect and became my go to recipe. Today I got a bit complacent and accidentally put baking soda into the mix. It was too hard to get out so I put in the required baking powder and they came out a bit pancake like. They had good height but didn’t quite taste like the first batch’s.
I tried this recipe but the cupcakes ended up looking really dark brown and they were way too sweet!! It was almost sickening how sweet it was! the sugar was way too much
This is the First Cupcake recipe i tried and it tasted really good. But the cupcakes are cracked on top, what did i do wrong??
I’m not sure that you necessarily did anything wrong. It could just be that your oven bakes a little differently. Did they crack in such a way that there’s like a crater in the cupcakes and they aren’t usable?
No! Just the top of the cupcakes. We loved it though… Next time I’ll try modifying the temp settings a little
i love these, they turned out great. I baked a couple dozen for a fundraiser and was wondering if you need to store them in ta cool place if they will not be eaten the same day?
I made this recipe and filled 24 cupcakes with batter still left over! I thought the batter was really thin, and decided to experiment with the leftover and add more flour until the batter was just a tad thicker like what I’m used too. That batter sat out for the time the original 24 were baking. The 24 that I baked using the recipe to a T (in metric units) came out very dense and gummy. The ones I baked with the batter that sat and I added more flour too came out perfect!
Not sure if resting the batter helped, or more flour.
I know when using cups for measurement the amount can actually add up to more than what the metric unit equates too. If this recipes was designed using cup measurements, there may be more flour in that recipe which works, and for someone using the metric conversions it may be off and that’s why it doesn’t work for some. Just a thought based off of what happened when I baked them!
I appreciate you sharing your troubleshooting! I’m still trying to figure out the issue for some. Sounds like you had the issue. I’ve had friends try them to see what result they get and we haven’t been able to recreate what you describe. I use weight measurements when I make this recipe, which is pretty regularly. Just made them Sunday, actually. 🙂 I would imagine that adding flour would give a similar result to removing the water, which I suggest. Still trying to figure it out because I love this recipe and wish they worked as well for everyone, so thanks for sharing!
OMG, so delicious 🤤completely in love! Thanks 4 this amazing recipe!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Best cupcake recipe ive ever tried
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are terrible!! Maybe the water? Unfortunately a waste of my time
I followed the recipe as followed and the cupcakes turned out nasty….VERY DISAPPOINTED
Hi.. Can these be made into jumbo 6 ct cupcakes.. How would the recipe baking time be adjusted
I haven’t ever tried it, so I’m not sure.
Am going to make these for my daughter’s first bday party. I’ll tell you how they turn out after ❤️
Review and Question:
I don’t usually leave comments on recipes I make but.. I made these for the first time and they turned out PERFECT! Everything I have every dreamed of when making and eating a fluffy cupcake. I love to give away my baking to friends and family and got all positive feedback. I’m looking to start as a home baker soon and this will definitely be my go to recipe when it comes to vanilla cupcakes. I can wait to try all the other recipes on your page.
I would love some tips on how to freeze these properly to keep their moistness and texture. As well as up to how long I can!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! They should be fine in the freezer for up to 3 months. You could stick them in an air-tight container or in a ziplock bag.