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
I made 28 regular cupcakes out of this recipe. One of the best recipes I found. love it! Thanks
Hello, I am wanting to know if this is a good recipe for a 14 inch cake pan? I know I would need to increase the amount of batter I make to have enough. I am going to make a wedding cake and wondered if this would work. My concern comes from some of the comments that said they had trouble with it turning out too wet or chewy and some even collapsing. Is there something I can do to eliminate that possibility?
I am new to your blog and I am absolutely amazed at your recipes. I am so excited to try them. I am mostly looking for great cake and cupcake recipes for weddings and showers.
I haven’t made this recipe in larger pans than a 9×13, so I don’t know for sure how it’d turn out. I’ve never had it turn out wet or chewy and I truly don’t know why some are having that issue to be able to say how to avoid it. Part of what I love about this recipe is that it’s so straight forward, but it seems it isn’t for some. I’m not sure why.
I made this recipe the other day and it was great! is there a way to make this into a chocolate cupcake without altering this recipe?
There actually two recipes that are options. One would be these cupcakes. They are slightly different in that they use more liquid and bake slowly at a lower temperature. The option is this cake, which can be made as cupcakes. I’d say this one is the chocolate version of these vanilla cupcakes. Both recipes are relatively similar. My all time favorite though is the first one. 🙂
First of all these are super light and yummy! This has been one of my favorite recipes so far.
I followed the directions very closely but for some reason the bottoms of mine were burnt. I had the rack the position as previous cupcake bakes and didn’t have that problem.
I plan to continue making these as they were scrumptious. Any help would be appreciated.
Hello. This vanilla cupcake recipe is for 24-26 cupcakes so I need to cut half for all ingredients for 12 cupcakes? including the frosting?
Yes, cut everything in half. For the frosting, I could probably use all of what’s listed for half of the cupcakes. If depends on how much frosting you like on your cupcakes.
Hi Lindsay,
Will it be ok to make the cupcake on Friday and serve on Saturday? is the cupcake still be moist? How to store them properly? Thanks in advance
Yes, definitely. Store them in an air tight container. If you make the frosting as listed (with half butter, half shortening), I’d store them at room temperature. If you use all butter, as some people like to do, I’d store them in the fridge.
Can i replace the shortening to salted butter too? Will the frosting came out to be salty and sweet at the same time?
You can replace the shortening with butter, yes. If you are using all butter, I’d suggest either half salted and half unsalted or just use all unsalted and add a little salt (maybe 1/8 tsp). You just don’t want the frosting to be too salty.
I made these cupcakes in 2 9-inch layers earlier this month. My family and i loved your recipe so now my daughter is making it for my birthday tomorrow. I made 1 1/2 of the frosting recipe, using 1:2 cup shortening and 1 cup butter. The consistency and flavor were perfect for our taste. Quick question…did you edit your recipe this month and take the “hot” out of the the water description? I thought for a minute that I was returning to the wrong recipe but I’m certain this is the one we loved. Thanks for the wonderful recipe! 🙂
I’m so glad you’ve enjoy it! Yes, I was getting a lot of questions about the exact temperature of the water, so I edited the recipe. Water temperature isn’t particularly important in this. 🙂
I just made these cupcakes for a graduation party, not knowing how they would turn out or taste. They are the best vanilla cupcakes I have ever made. They came out all even and look just gorgeous. They are my new goto cupcake recipe. Thank you so much for the post.
So glad to hear you enjoyed them! 🙂
Hi!! I am an avid baker, raised 4 boys so I needed to be! I am going to try a sample run on these tomorrow. I am making cupcakes for my last 2 kiddos graduation party this weekend and I was looking for an awesome vanilla cupcake recipe. Fingers crossed and I will keep you informed!!
I hope you enjoyed them!
hi
i loved your works they’re just lovely
but i’m not sure what the shortening is
can you tell me please ?
It’s a butter substitute. If you don’t have it or aren’t a fan, just replace it with additional butter.
Hi, Lindsay. I am not new to your blog, as I have been using for years! ????! Your directions are simple and easy to understand. I love how you include videos with most of your posts, and believe me, I could spend hours watching them! I recently made your lemon meringue cupcakes, and the cupcakes were still raw when the baking time was up. I had noticed earlier that the batter for the cupcakes had looked really wet, but since all of your other recipes are to die for, I didn’t think much of it. I double checked the oven time and temperature, but it was all set right. I had to bake the cupcakes for another good 15-18 minutes before they were baked enough to eat! ????! The cupcakes turned out dense and chewy and stuck to the wrapper, which is so strange as all your other cupcake recipes typically turn out amazing! I even tried a second batch and had the same results! Your frosting, however, turned out AWESOME! I had tried a meringue frosting using a different recipe many years ago, and it was awful. All melted and gooey! ????! I was scared to try it again, but I did (using your recipe), and I felt like I was in marshmallow-heaven! I may have licked my Kitchenaid stand mixer’s whisk more then once????! I truly hope you realize what a talented baker you are, and how baker-licious your recipes have proven to be. And don’t worry- just because your lemon meringue cupcakes didn’t completely work out, I will continue using your blog for as long as I bake (#forever)! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful posts!
Thanks so much Lola! I’m not sure why that recipe didn’t work out, but I’m glad you’ve enjoyed everything else!
These cupcakes were very good! I had a little oops… added the water to the wet ingredients instead of after, but turned out ok. The batter being runny made me worried but they were fine. My only issue was that I halved the batch and it made 12 cupcakes fine, but halving the frosting and using slightly less frosting than you show pictured per cupcake I ran out w/ 3 cupcakes to go so that was a little annoying. Next time i’ll just make a whole batch and frost not quite as much and it will be fine. recipe is definitely a keeper, thanks!
Hi. Just so you know your flour weight in grams is wrong. One cup of plain flour is 220grams, i just made your recipe, water thin. Supposed to be 550grams ????
Hi Nic! It isn’t wrong actually. I do weigh my ingredients, so the amount is correct as written. For a little info about my conversions, please see my conversion chart. The batter is meant to be very thin.
Hello Lindsay I made these cupcake this weekend, and the cupcakes were great, but I was a little concern with the shine to describe how they came out is rubbery and sticky, just the top part of the cupcake. My question is did I do something wrong? The recipe called for hot water was I supposed to use room temperature water. The cupcake was good, and the Icing came out great . Can you advise me if I need to make changes
Do you have an eggless vanilla receipe for this cake. pls can you send me the receope eggless.
thanks
I don’t have an eggless cake recipe. I’m sorry.