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
Whipped these together for a baby shower when the person who was supposed to bring all the cupcakes called out sick; had never tried them before, and just HOPED they were good! 😂 Holy cow, EVERYONE was a fan! People kept telling me how good they were!! This recipe’s a keeper!!
Awesome! So glad to hear that!
Can I freeze them once they finish baking and cooking
Yes, you can. You can either store them in an airtight container or wrap them individually. I like to thaw them in the fridge before frosting them.
Hi, this looks like a great recipe I am just wondering how many cupcakes it makes.
It should make about 24 cupcakes.
The cupcakes tasted very good but took 25 minutes to bake. I had bought new baking ingredients for this recipe. I checked them at 22 minutes and they were still runny in the middle, then 3 minutes later they were slightly overcooked. Other than that, the flavor is good! The frosting is a bit too sweet.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Ovens can definitely vary, so I’m glad you were able to adjust the time.
Made these today in a pinch for my kids. They do not need 2 cups of sugar. I used 3/4 cup and they were plenty sweet especially after frosting. They baked up perfectly and so moist! Great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Terrible recipe for cupcakes, just pancake batter, rubbery and dense
This recipe is the best! Do you think it would work as a cake batter? what temp and time would you suggest?
I’m so glad you enjoy it! It does work as a cake. You can find it as a three layer 8 inch cake in this recipe. For that size, I baked it at 350° for 24 to 28 minutes.
This is my favourite cake recipe!! Do you think I could add chocolate chips to the batter?
I’m so glad you enjoy them! It’s a very thin batter, so the chocolate chips would sink.
I made them and they are very good but I had made your chocolate ones and they are not as moist as the chocolates. …the vanilla ones are good and moist (don’t get me wrong) but those chocolate ones are FABULOUS!!! any suggestions to get vanilla ones to the moistness of the chocolate ones?
I’m glad you enjoy them both! The main difference between the two (aside from chocolate to vanilla adjustments) is that the chocolate ones have more vegetable oil. You could try adding more to the vanilla ones, but they could become a little oily. If you do try it, you could also consider reducing the water by a similar amount.
Maybe some of the reason people have troublewith this recipe is they aren’t using room temperature ingredients and maybe they are using cold water in the batter.Just a thought😊 I use your chocolate recipe and it is fantastic. Im getting ready to try this one out!
I’m so glad you enjoy them! I’m still trying to figure out the issue. I’ve actually tested them with hot and cold water (and cold ingredients) and it works both ways for me. I appreciate the suggestion though! 🙂 I wish I knew what it was.
i was so happy that this recipe actually made very moist cupcakes. they were also soft and delicious!
I’m so glad to hear that!
It didnt work, the batter was way too thin and runny. We cooked them for at least 30 minutes total but they were still transparent and raw
The same thing happened to me, I tried the red velvet cupcakes recipe and it was perfect. Super fluffy, not too sweet so I thought I’d give the vanilla ones a try but no matter how long I baked it for, it was rubbery in the middle. I tried changing temperatures, moved it to the top and bottom rack hoping it would come out better but no luck. It might be mistake cause I halved the recipe but i don’t know..
I love this recipe so much!!! It was a life saver when I was trying to find a cupcake recipe for a science fair project, and I also ended up using this recipe in an essay too!! It is a fun-to-make recipe, and they taste delicious!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
This recipe is amazing! I’m saving it forever. I’ve never used a cake/cupcake recipe that called for this amount of water in addition to milk so I was hesitant, but it came out great. I also like that the cupcake has just the right amount of sweetness, so I can still use a sweet frosting and it doesn’t feel like too much. Highly recommend!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them!
Sorry I meant to say a confetti cupcake.
Can I use this recipe and turn it into a confetti cake?
The sprinkles would sink. I’d recommend my funfetti cupcakes.
Unfortunately I tried this recipe and the texture turned out so strange. The middle was almost raw/rubbery despite being cooked through. Maybe it’s my ingredients. What shame