Made with sour cream and melted butter, this vanilla cupcake recipe is easy to mix by hand and makes extra-moist, tender cupcakes filled with sweet vanilla flavor. They’re super simple to make and topped with big, pillowy swirls of homemade vanilla buttercream (or your favorite frosting). Don’t forget the sprinkles!
After baking and tasting about a million cupcakes over the years, I can say this: Everyone needs a delicious, simple vanilla cupcake recipe, one that can be whipped up even without a mixer present.
This vanilla cupcake recipe combines sour cream and melted butter for a smooth, flavorful batter. And here’s the best part: Making these cupcakes is as easy as whipping up a box mix, but the result is incomparably better.
These cupcakes are a bit denser than my oil-based moist vanilla cupcakes. Butter results in a tighter crumb and also makes these cupcakes a little richer. Meanwhile, the sour cream adds moisture and highlights the subtle vanilla flavor.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this recipe is ideal for those looking for an easy, no-fuss batch of vanilla cupcakes. This cupcake recipe also makes a quick, simple base in desserts like these fresh strawberry cupcakes.
What Makes These Vanilla Cupcakes Different?
I have a few vanilla cupcake recipes on the site. Each one is delicious with its own unique ingredients, methods, and personalities. Here is what sets these vanilla cupcakes apart, and why they might be a great fit for you:
- Whole eggs. Unlike white cupcakes that rely on egg whites, there’s no need to separate the eggs for this recipe.
- This recipe uses sour cream. It tenderizes the cupcakes and gives them a wonderful springiness along with added moisture.
- A combination of baking powder and baking soda gives these cupcakes the best rise and texture.
- Melted butter mixes very easily with the other ingredients. It also means you don’t have to wait for the butter to soften to room temperature, as you would if you were using a creaming method like in my classic homemade vanilla cupcakes.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make these simple vanilla cupcakes from scratch. You probably have most of the ingredients already in your kitchen. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure the flour accurately, so you don’t end up with a dry cake. I always recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method is also an option.
- Baking powder and baking soda – This is my only vanilla cupcake recipe that uses baking soda in addition to baking powder. Baking soda reacts with the sour cream, giving extra lift to the cupcakes. See my post on Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda for details. Avoid using leavening that’s old or expired.
- Unsalted butter – No need to bring it to room temperature. You’ll be melting it for the easy mixing method.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar not only adds sweetness, but also moisture, and it affects the final texture of the cupcake.
- Vanilla extract – A good quality vanilla extract is perfect for a vanilla-focused cupcake. You could also use an equal amount of vanilla paste.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not small or extra large.
- Sour cream – I like the extra moisture and richness sour cream adds to these cupcakes. However, if you aren’t a sour cream fan or don’t have it in the fridge, you can replace it with additional milk or Greek yogurt.
- Milk – I recommend using 2% milk or whole milk.
How To Make Vanilla Cupcakes Without a Mixer
These simple vanilla cupcakes come together quickly. The batter is easy enough to mix by hand, though a mixer does come in handy when whipping the frosting. Here’s a quick look at how to do it. For more thorough instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Next, combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whisk in the eggs, followed by the sour cream, then the milk.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
Bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes. Then, place on a cooling rack to cool.
Frosting the Cupcakes
- Make the frosting. Beat the butter until smooth. Mix in half of the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla, 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream, and the salt. Finally, mix in the remaining powdered sugar.
- Get the consistency right. You can add a little extra heavy cream if you would like a thinner frosting.
- Frost. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Check out my in-depth tutorial, How To Frost Cupcakes for extra guidance. You’ll be a frosting pro in no time!
Frosting Options
Instead of vanilla buttercream, try frosting these simple vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting, Ermine frosting, or tangy cream cheese frosting.
Pro Tips for Amazing Cupcakes
- Don’t over-mix. When whisking the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix just until everything is smooth and well incorporated. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, giving you tough, dense cupcakes.
- 3/4 full. You will want to fill the cupcake liners just a little more than 3/4 of the way. If you overfill them, they will rise out of the liners and create a muffin top and/or fall in the middle, which you don’t want here.
- Get the frosting right. To get the buttercream to the proper consistency, you may need to play with the amount of heavy cream you add to it. You’ll find everything you need to know on the subject in my post on how to get the right frosting consistency.
- Cool before frosting. Allow your cupcakes to cool completely before applying the frosting. This prevents the frosting from melting and sliding off of the cupcakes.
Proper Storage
These cupcakes are best eaten within 4-5 days. Here’s how to store them for best taste and shelf life.
- Keep the cupcakes airtight. Seal the cupcakes in an airtight carrier or other airtight container that can accommodate the frosting. Store them at room temperature for up to 2 days so that they don’t dry out as quickly. After that, they should be refrigerated because of the buttercream.
- Freeze. You can freeze these frosted or unfrosted. If you’re freezing the frosted cupcakes, seal them in an airtight container tall enough to accommodate the frosting and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving. You can also freeze these cupcakes sans frosting and whip up a fresh batch of vanilla buttercream just before serving.
More Cupcake Recipes To Try
Cupcakes are the perfect sharable dessert. They bring everything you want from a cake to the table, without all the slicing and serving! Here are some of my other favorite cupcake recipes.
Download the previous version of this cupcake recipe here.
Print
Simple Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 Cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made with sour cream and melted butter, this simple vanilla cupcake recipe is easy to mix by hand (no creaming!). It’s topped with creamy vanilla frosting, perfect for everyday baking.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 2/3 cups (217g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (115g) sour cream
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp (30-45ml) heavy cream
- Pinch or two of salt
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract together until well combined.
- Add the eggs and whisk together until well combined. Next, add the sour cream and whisk together until well combined. Now, add the milk and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined, but do not overmix.
- Fill the cupcake liners a little more than 3/4 full (60g) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
- Carefully add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of the cream and the salt to the frosting and mix until well combined.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add additional cream as needed to get the right consistency.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. I used Ateco tip 844. Add sprinkles, if desired.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 2 days, then refrigerate them. Best served at room temperature. They are best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Notes
See my newest Vanilla Cupcake Recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 459
- Sugar: 42.9 g
- Sodium: 176 mg
- Fat: 25.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 56.2 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 46.6 mg
Hi! how are you? i absolutely LOVE the pictures they look insanely good and i would seriously love to give it a try but i just wanted to know before if i could use a substitute for sour cream ?
I believe replacing it with additional milk would work.
Wow! Tried this recipe today and I am in love! The cupcakes turned out to be very moist which is what I expect from a good cupcake. This is definitely going to be my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe!! Also, love how I can do this by hand, no fancy stand mixer needed.
Thanks so much!! 🙂
I’m so glad you liked them Helen! Great to know that mixing by hand worked too – I hadn’t done that. 🙂
I’m just wondering why mine kind of sunk in the middle! I tried the recipe and loved it, when I looked inside the oven they rose! When I took them out and let them cool it sunk in the middle
Absolutely lovely vanilla cupcakes. Best vanilla cupcake recipe I’ve found yet, thanks life, love and sugar!
I’m so glad to hear that Maddie! Thank you!
I haven’t tried the cupcakes yet, but they were amazingly easy! Thank you!
I don’t think my butter was warm enough or I didn’t mix long enough because I had melted butter in the bottom of the pan when I pulled the cupcakes out. The frosting is the best I’ve ever had. I can’t wait until I can try the whole shebang. Again, thank you fir such an easy recipe
I’m so glad you are happy with them Margot!
I’m so glad I found this! I’ve been trying so long to make the perfect cupcake and have failed and I almost gave up! Then I tried this recipe. Not kidding, this is hands down the best cupcake I’ve ever had. It is better than any box mix and world’s better than the mass market bakeries. I made a batch today and I almost cried. I’m proud of how they turned out. I only wish I had come up with it myself. I’m making my little nieces birthday cake and am definitely using this recipe! 1000 times thank you!!!!
Aww, thank you Kimberly! I’m so glad you were happy with them! 🙂
Is the sugar granulated or is it caster sugar? Also should I add salt. I want to make these for a friends birthday they look amazing!
I use regular granulated sugar. I also use salted butter, instead of adding salt to the recipe.
Hi, I was curious as to why you chose this method to mix your batter as opposed to the creaming method with the butter and sugar and also, why do you only use the egg whites – Thanks!
Also, I have a hand mixer, roughly how long should I mix the batter, (you said until smooth), does the sugar grains need to melt?
There are a couple reasons – one is that I wanted to have a simple method. The other is that for this particular cupcake, it actually produced better results. I played around with creaming the butter and sugar and ultimately preferred the results with this method. I used only egg whites for a couple reasons as well – to keep the cake whiter and also to lend a lighter cupcake.
You shouldn’t need to mix the cupcakes for long. Just long enough so that the batter has all come together. The sugar will not melt during mixing.
I just made these cupcakes and they are everything you made them out to be and more! Very moist, not overly sweet, buttery, and came out of the wrappers beautifully. I have been in search of a moist vanilla cupcake recipe for a very long time and I can now confidently say that my search is over! This one is a keeper! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with all of us!
I’m so glad you liked them! Thanks KC!
Hello Lindsay, I notice that you use egg whites only instead of the whole egg in your recipe. Does the egg yolk change the texture of the cupcake.
Egg yolks can make the cake a little heavier. You can use them though. I have a version that uses them here.
Hi, I was wondering how many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Thanks.
It should make 12-14 cupcakes
I have, as many other who have commented, have searched high and low for a good vanilla cupcake recipe. I thought I had found one but lately after months of the perfect domed cupcake it seems like they are starting to sink a bit and I’m not sure why. So now after reading every single one of the comments above I am convinced and I am going to give your recipe a try tomorrow. Actually, my decision was already made after reading your description and looking at your photos. They do look like the perfect, moist vanilla cupcake!!! To add to other comments, the recipe I use (used probably after tryiing yours) calls for either sour cream or half sour cream and half full fat greek yoghurt so yes, it can be substituted with the same result. And I totally agree with you on the shortening in the frosting. I do not like the taste of butter so I use half and half and use whipped cream and whip the heck out of it to give it a fluffy consistancy and it takes away the strong flavour of the butter and just leaves you with the best frosting! It is so hard to keep the fingers out of the bowl! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe!
I’m so glad you found the recipe Shanny! I hope you enjoyed it!
Hi. I don’t have sour cream my part of the world so I use 3/4 cup buttermilk instead. The cupcakes rise nicely in while baking but once they are out of the oven deflate and sink in the middle. Have tried every method I know but nothing seems to help. Any idea why?
I would think the buttermilk would work fine as a replacement for the sour cream, though I haven’t tried it. But you should only use 1/2 cup, since the recipe calls for 1/2 cup sour cream. 3/4 is probably too much liquid.
I use 3/4 cup buttermilk in place of 1/2cup sour milk and 1/2 cup milk because I think it would be toop much liquid in that case. Is it 200g of flour and 200g of sugar in metric units. I prefer to bake measuring in grams to cups.
Oh, I see. You should be able to use 1 cup of buttermilk to replace the milk and sour cream, I’d think. It’s 200 g of sugar and 240 g of flour.
Is the oven temp supposed to be 350 degrees?
Yes, 350 degrees fahrenheit.
I just want to say the cake and icing recipe is the best I’ve made so far!!!! I thought I read once when making a 8″ round cake to Double the recipe? Is that to make one pan or two pans?
I’m so glad you liked them! Yes, when making an 8 inch cake, you’ll want to double it to get to layers, and you’ll want to bake it in two pans.
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it! Yes, to make an 9 or 8 inch cake, you’ll want to double it in two or three pans.
Hi Lindsay,
I’m very excited to make these. Thank you for sharing your recipe and hard work!! Just curious, why egg whites instead of the whole egg?
One reason is that egg whites lend a whiter cake. The other is that in theory egg whites should lend a lighter, less eggy tasting cake.
is this recipe a thick batter cupcake or thin? The cupcakes look amazing!! the pictures are perfect 😀 please reply ! <3
It’s somewhat thick. Not really thick, but not thin.