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.
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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
Just wanted to say that though I am a pretty good cook, I am normally a below average baker! I have no patients for the science and precision required, however I really wanted to make cupcakes for my daughters 3rd birthday this year. I saw this recipe and thought maybe, just maybe this one would turn out OK! OMG I’m so happy, these cupcakes are the best I have ever eaten, let alone BAKED myself! Thanks so much for your post, I will be happily baking these knowing that they will be perfect on the day.
That’s so great to hear! I’m so glad you are happy with them! 🙂
I was so excited to find this recipe and try it. They were delicious! My only problem was they looked so beautiful coming out of the oven but then flopped. Do you know what can cause this? My kids want me to make them again but because they flopped they were a little dense in the middle. I am thinking maybe my baking powder was a little old? Or maybe I put too much sour cream? I weighed the sour cream to make sure I didn’t have any air pockets in the measuring cup. I am new at this, so please bear with me. Thank you! I can’t wait to try many other of your recipes.
I’m sorry about that Julie. Did they have a kind of a sinkhole in the middle? It’s hard to say exactly what happened, but that can happen sometimes with this cupcake if the batter is over mixed. Once everything is added, you only want to mix it until it’s just combined and everything is mixed. You could also add another tsp of baking powder. I’ve been doing that lately.
would the recipe still come out as good with semi-salted butter?
I’m not sure. It’s probably a flavor preference. The salt does add flavor. You could add some salt to offset the semi salted butter. Maybe 1/8 tsp?
Mine took 30mins to cook not sure why maybe filled them up too much… but still very yum ty
I followed your recipe exactly and they came out amazing. It was everything you had promised….moist, fluffy, and delicious. They even looked perfect….the right colour, texture, no flattening out like others experienced. I wish I knew how to post a picture of it. My hubby and kids loved them! This is my new go-to recipe for vanilla cupcakes. Thank you!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I made the strawberry cupcakes on this site and they are PERFECT! However, i made these vanilla ones and well, oddly enough, they taste similar to cornbread? Not sure why, but regardless they all got tossed.
I’m not sure why you had that problem. They both use basically the same cupcake base.
Hi Lindsay! I just wanted to thank you so much for this wonderful cupcake recipe!! I have been on the hunt for a really good vanilla cupcake recipe for a while, and I must say your recipe is hands down my absolute favorite. It is so perfect in terms of texture, amount of sweetness, and moistness, and I must say I have experimented with a bunch of different recipes. I will definitely be making a lot more of these cupcakes in the future! Thank you again!
That’s awesome to hear! I’m so glad! Thanks Caroline!
I wanted to light and fluffy vanilla cake recipe to make cupcakes for my son’s 5th birthday. I searched all around and settled on your version. I followed the recipe to a tee, and my cakes were dense and thick, not at all light and fluffy. I made two batches and they all came out that way……very disappointed.
what can be used instead of sour cream as it is not available where i live
You can replace it with additional milk.
CAN THIS METHOD BE USE FOR BIRTHDAY CAKE
Yes, you can use it for a birthday cake. You may want to double the recipe, or at least use 1 1/2 recipes worth.
Hi… I’ve made these for my sons Birthday party which is tomorrow… They’ve come out of the oven drenched in melted butter… the bottom of the case is all oily from melted butter and the trays have it in too… Idon’t understand what I did wrong??? They don’t look anything like yours they’re dark brown and crispy on top… really disappointed… have to ice them tonight as party is tomorrow…
I’m so sorry about that. It’s really hard for me to say what it was from a distance. I hope you were able to make them work.
Hello!!! I haven’t made these cupcakes yet but I have made the caramel apple cheesecake blondie (well I have madebthat SEVERAL times… Who am I kidding!!!) so I trust your baking skills 100%. I am looking for a delicious plain vanilla cake recipe and I understand this stems from just that. By any chance can you steer me in the direction of that recipe??? I would like to make a mini cake and the accompanying cupcakes for a baby shower. Thanks!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the caramel apple blondie cheesecake! This cupcake actually works as a cake as well – you’d just double the recipe. If you want the recipe this one is based on, find it here.
Hi,
I am excited about making these cupcakes! Especially after reading all the reviews!
I just wanted to confirm the temperature… 350 degrees?
Is this in farenheit?
I am assuming… but just wanted to confirm, and ask for advice on temperature in degrees celcius?
Thanks 🙂
Jess
Yes, it’s fahrenheit. I don’t have any experience cooking with celcius, I’m sorry.
Would the icing still turn out okay if I subbed coconut
Oil for the shortening. I don’t use shortening and only coconut oil, so I wanted to know if it can be done with that instead?
I don’t know about the coconut oil. I’ve never tried it. You can sub the shortening for butter though.
Thanks for this recipe! Sour cream is not something I normally have in the fridge, but it was totally worth it as these cupcakes were lovely and moist. Made them for the hubby’s birthday and he proudly shared them with his friends. Included a picture in my latest post at https://amyzinglycreative.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/the-neverending-meal-plan.html (tried to make icing dots with the leftover icing but it didn’t work so well)
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Amy! They look great! 🙂
I am definitely making these for my son’s birthday! Silly question, but my oven is electric and in Celsius, would I preheat and set it to the Farenheit equivalent?
That’s sounds like it’d be right. I hope it works!
hello, sorry can I ask if the oven degree in Celsius or Fahrenheit??
Yes, it’s Fahrenheit.