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
Love these! Quick question can you make them a day a head? And If so how do you recommend on storing them.
I’m so glad to hear that! Yes, I often make them a day ahead and store them at room temperature in an air-tight cake carrier.
ok so i saw the note when my cupcakes were already in the oven, the water was sooo unnecessary, i added about 3/4th of it but it IS what will make your cupcakes come out flat. i was aiming for a risen middle for a mushroomlike shape but u cant preshape ur cupcakes if the batter is too thin if that makes sense😭😭u should definitely edit the recipe itself and put the note somewhere more noticable or make the water optional .
I didn’t see the step about water and skipped it, so my cupcakes turned out good and mushroom-like. 🙂
I wish I had seen this comment about the water before I baked these. The good: they taste good, not too sweet. The bad: they are so damp and doughy I wondered if they were even cooked. I baked 25 minutes to make sure I wouldn’t be eating raw batter. The second batch is baking now and I think I’ll push it to 30. The ugly: They do not brown, at least mine didn’t, leaving one to wonder if they are cooked. I’m going to take both batches, peel off the liners and air-dry them on a tray overnight. Rn it’s like eating underbaked batter in the shape of a cupcake. Will try these again maybe just 1/2 cup water.
I use this recipe all the time and have gotten so many compliments
I’m so glad to hear that!
Best cupcakes!! I’ve made this recipe a few times and I always end up needing to keep them in the oven for 30/35 mins. They come out then absolutely perfectly and are delicious and moist, so the extra cooking time doesn’t harm them at all. Not sure why it is?! But love these little guys – thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoy them!
I love this recipe it’s my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe always get lots of raves on them. Today I’m going to attempt to do it as a layer cake wondering if there’s enough batter for three layers and if so what the cook time is?
I’m so glad you enjoy them! Yes, you can do a layer cake. I usually do an 8 inch cake with 3 layers, like in this cake (which you could refer to, if you’d like). I bake the layers for 24-28 minutes.
Unfortunately, this recipe did not turn out well for me. The cupcakes stuck to the wrapper and seemed to be underbaked even though the toothpick came out clean. I will return to your other vanilla cupcake recipe. I do appreciate all the effort you put into providing us with recipes. Thank you.
I’m sorry to hear that! I wish I knew why it gives some people trouble.
I’m glad to hear you enjoy the other recipes! I have several vanilla cupcake recipes. I looked and don’t see a comment on the one that you enjoy. Just curious which one it is. I always appreciate feedback on those too. 🙂 Thanks!
I got enough for 24 cupcakes but I only have a 12 cupcake tray. I had the same problem with the first batch, I think the oven was too hot, they were lovely and golden and toothpick came out clean. When I broke one open, it was very slightly underdone. Next batch I tuned the oven down to 160C and cooked for 20 mins. Worked well.
Very interesting! Thank you for the feedback!
I love this recipe so much that I was curious if it would hold up as a whole cake?
I’m glad you love it! Yes, you can make it as a layer cake, or even a 9×13 cake. I’ve made it as a 9×13 cake and a layered cake.
The cupcake recipe was amazing, I loved that they were moist yet fluffy! My only question would be, why would my frosting turn out like a glaze of some sort? I followed the recipe very closely and for some reason mine came out liquidy.
I’m glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! If the frosting was runny, it sounds like you adjusted something. It’s just a balance of the powdered sugar and the butter, plus the milk or water (which doesn’t have to be added). If you use too much powdered sugar for the amount of butter, it’ll be too thick. If you don’t use enough powdered sugar (or add too much milk/water/cream), it’ll be too thin. So the first question I’d ask would be did you reduce either the amount of butter or powdered sugar? Either of those would throw off the balance. You can reduce the powdered sugar a bit (I know some people don’t like things too sweet), so technically you could go down to 3 cups and it still wouldn’t be liquidy (you’d just have less frosting). So you’d really have had to reduce it a lot for it to be that thin/liquidy. Also, your butter needs to be room temperature, not too melty. And then finally the milk or water added (or even heavy cream) should only be added until it’s the right consistency. I’m guessing you didn’t add too much of that and that it was already too thin to begin with? Hopefully that helps. Feel free to give me more information on what you did if you’d like more help troubleshooting.
I love it very good and moist! Did you make-up this recipe all by yourself Lindsay? or did you follow a different website.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! No, I did not get this recipe from another website. It’s based on my moist chocolate cupcakes, which are a big hit, and I made all the adjustments myself.
This was so bad! Why would you put a note at the end of the recipe saying maybe don’t use the water? Wasted my time and ingredients! Turned out dense and wet. Utter garbage! Change your recipe to say “add water if too thick” instead.
So disappointing!
I’m genuinely sorry you had trouble with it. The only reason the note is there is because I have been trying to troubleshoot the problems that people seem to have with the recipe. I cannot re-create the problem in order to fix it. I have hired a recipe developer to try to re-create the problem and she was not able to. I have had friends test them in different parts of the country to see if that has something to do with it. I genuinely don’t know what the problem is or I would fix the recipe. It seems to me that there is something that that people are doing incorrectly, but I truly don’t know. I also wonder if it could be the elevation. Some recipes don’t work as well at a higher elevation. But I can’t test that because I don’t live at high elevation. I say all of that to assure you that I do care that people have trouble with it. I just cannot figure out why. And there are so many people who swear by how wonderful this cupcake is (and I myself make it all the time) that I would be remiss to remove it.
My go to cupcake recipe always turn out great so easy to make and so quick no messing about
I’m glad you enjoy them!
Taste good but these did not rise at all, very flat and not fluffy, I only added half the water suggested and my baking powder is fine.
Do you think I could substitute coconut oil instead of using vegetable oil? This is our favorite cupcake recipe!
I honestly don’t know. I’ve never tried it. It’d be worth trying. So glad you enjoy the recipe!
These turned out so great for us! I did watch the consistency when it came to adding the water. I only needed 1/2 cup of the water. I knew right away from testing the batter these would taste delicious and they smelled amazing coming out of the oven. Happy kids and happy mom over here!
I’m so glad they were a hit!
These turned out so good! I used half the water and the consistency was perfect not too dense not too soft. They pulled away from the wrappers but still held together and tasted delicious. I made 24 with these I filled them about 3/4 full. They turned out picture perfect.
Great! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I love this recipe so much, light and moist.
So glad to hear that!
Must I add water in it
I always do. They are more moist that way. But I do have a note above the recipe since some people have had trouble with the cupcakes and one thing I recommend is to try without water. So you could certainly try leaving it out.