The most perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe. It's so simple to make with a light cupcake made with your everyday pantry staples and a buttercream frosting that can't be beat.
Cupcakes are a favorite dessert across the world! This Vanilla Cupcake Recipe is simple to make and tastes delicious.
You start with some pantry staples for your cupcake then whip up a really easy buttercream frosting to go on top. These cupcakes are so moist and tasty.
They will be great for a weekend brunch or a birthday party. They will dazzle anyone who eats them, and they look amazing!
How to make these easy Vanilla Cupcakes:
The cupcakes are light and fluffy and the frosting is rich and creamy.
The perfect combo if you ask me. I used a simple piping bag to add the frosting on top once my cupcakes have cooled.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
- All-purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Eggs (room temperature)
- Sugar
- Unsalted Butter (melted)
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk
How to make a Vanilla Cupcake:
Step One - Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt then set aside.
Step Two - Using an electric mixer to beat eggs and sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes until eggs are a light yellow. While still mixing very slowly pour in melted butter and vanilla extract.
Step Three - Slowly mix in milk and your dry ingredients. Adding in a little at a time back and forth, scraping the sides as needed until all ingredients are well combined.
- Tip - A dense or dry cupcake is a result of not enough liquid in the batter. If you batter is really thick or dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to get to a nice smooth and creamy consistency.
Step Four - I used a piping back to fill my cupcake liners, or you can spoon the cupcake batter into your prepared muffin tin about ¾ the way full.
Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick can come out clean. Place on a rack to cool completely before icing.
- Tip - One thing an eager baker may do is check their cupcakes early. One big tip to help keep this moist and fluffy is to not open that oven until they have been in the over for about ¾ of the time. Opening the oven will offset the temperature by bringing in outside cool air, and this could affect the fluffiness.
How to make vanilla buttercream frosting:
Making homemade frosting is pretty easy. All you need are a few simple ingredients and a hand or stand mixer.
- Confectioners sugar (also known as powdered sugar)
- Butter (I used unsalted)
- Vanilla
- Heavy whipping cream.
With an electric mixer cream together confectioners sugar and softened butter. Once well combined add in vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream then mix in again. Add to a piping bag and top on cooled cupcakes.
Decorating cupcakes like a pro!
Frosting a cupcake or cake is so fun! I am a firm believer though that taste in some food, like a cupcake, starts at seeing it!
Yes, looking at a beautifully frosted and decorated cupcake really makes you want it more than you originally thought. Here are some tips for frosting your cupcake!
- Use a piping bag with a decorative tip: I love using Wilton Cupcake Tips. Piping bags can be difficult to use, but they really do create an amazing end result once you get the hang of it. If using a decorative tip you want to start perpendicular to the cupcake about a ½ inch above the cupcake. Use two hands on the piping bag and leave the cupcake on a flat surface. Start on the outside edge of the cupcake, and try your best to frost in one motion. Squeeze your frosting while slowly rotating the bag in a circular motion, moving towards the center of the cupcake. As you reach the center pull up, stop squeezing, and make a little "twist" with your wrist to cut the frosting off. Practice does make perfect in this, and it has taken me a lot of trials to get very pretty looking frosting.
- Use a frosting knife and rotating cake stand: If you do not have piping bags and frosting tips it is ok! Wilton also makes a really helpful frosting knife and you could also get this rotating cake stand. I used a frosting knife for the longest time. Hold a cupcake in your hand, and get a nice dollop of frosting on the knife. Place it right in the middle of the cupcake, and then make 2 rotations. Both going in half circles to spread the frosting on the cupcake. I know a rotating cake stand may seem large, but it also works well in moving your cupcake if you do not want to hold it in your hand!
Tips for making a great cupcake:
- Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature ingredients will not cause any drastic temperature changes to your batter when mixing. Yes, you need to melt the butter, but allow it to cool to room temperature before you mix it in with the ingredients.
- Make sure to use accurate measurements: If you do not measure accurately and use a heaping "cup" of flour you will have too much and your cupcakes will be dense and/or dry. One thing about this recipe is it is very simple to make but does need to be precise. Making a fluffy, moist cupcake is tough for a lot of people (including me), and using accurate measurements definitely helps!
- Allow to cool before icing: This may sound like a no-brainer, but icing these cupcakes that are still even a little warm will melt your frosting and make the frosting look runny. part of the appeal and deliciousness of cupcakes is how the frosting looks. Having beautiful frosting will make your mouth water before even tasting them!
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Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Frosting:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt then set aside.
- Using an electric mixer to beat eggs and sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes until eggs are a light yellow. While still mixing very slowly pour in melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Slowly mix in milk and your dry ingredients. Adding in a little at a time back and forth, scraping the sides as needed until all ingredients are well combined
- Spoon cupcake batter into your prepared muffin tin about ¾ the way full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cupcakes are cooked through and a toothpick can come out clean. Place on a rack to cool completely before icing.
Frosting:
- With an electric mixer cream together confectioners sugar and softened butter. Once well combined add in vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream then mix in again. Add to a piping bag and top on cooled cupcakes.
Video
Notes
- Tip - A dense or dry cupcake is a result of not enough liquid in the batter. If you batter is really thick or dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to get to a nice smooth and creamy consistency.
- Tip - One thing an eager baker may do is check their cupcakes early. One big tip to help keep this moist and fluffy is to not open that oven until they have been in the over for about ¾ of the time. Opening the oven will offset the temperature by bringing in outside cool air, and this could affect the fluffiness.
Nutrition
I made these cupcakes, substituted the flour for GF flour and they were delicious. Do you think the batter could be used to make a cake instead of cupcakes?
Yes, you definitely could. I would recommend doubling the recipe though.
I did make a gf cake and I doubled it. I also added coffee to the batter and to the icing. It was delicious. Thank you for the recipe. 😊
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
My batter is very thick, yet I followed the recipe exactly. Is this correct, or should I add some more milk? Thanks for sharing!
You can add milk if you think it needs it.
These are really really good. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is going to work out perfect for my daughters birthday!
So happy to hear that!