This made-from-scratch recipe is quick and easy and tastes way better than the boxed stuff. This is your go-to recipe when you want delicious vanilla cupcakes, made in just one bowl, with no boxed mix required!
If you love these cupcakes, then you’ll love our original Most Amazing Vanilla Cake.
Why My Recipe
- Made with a one-bowl batter and ready in under 30 minutes!
- Buttermilk and a combination of butter and vegetable oil make these cupcakes ultra moist, while still giving you the best flavor.
- 5 delicious frosting options are included below!
Homemade moist and fluffy vanilla cupcakes in under 30 minutes? Yes, please! This recipe is so easy to make, no more grabbing grocery-store cupcakes (who knows how long those have been sitting there) or whipping up a boxed mix. These cupcakes pair perfectly with a wide variety of frostings. I love a classic buttercream, or go ahead and try your hand at any of the options below!
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter: Unsalted butter can be used, but add an extra pinch of salt to the batter. Make sure it’s softened for easy creaming.
- Vegetable Oil: Provides essential moisture for the softest cake texture. This recipe uses a combination of butter and vegetable oil so you can get the best balance between the two with moisture and flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Stick with standard granulated sugar for best results.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tang to balance the sweetness. Warm it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to bring it to room temperature quickly.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs make for a fluffier cake. To warm eggs quickly, submerge them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
- Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract if possible for the best results.
- All-Purpose Flour: Cake flour can also work in this recipe, but all-purpose flour is your staple go-to.
- Baking Powder: Check the expiration date to ensure proper leavening.
Frosting Options
Buttercream Frosting: Buttercream is our go-to frosting, and it’s pretty easy to see why once you’ve tried it. It is perfectly sweet and creamy, and tastes fantastic. We can eat this stuff by the spoonful. However, we promise it’s even better on top of a cake or cupcakes.
Cream Cheese Frosting: This frosting is creamy, thick, and has a slight tang. Simply add cocoa powder for a chocolate version.
Ermine Frosting: Also known as boiled milk frosting, Ermine frosting provides a lighter alternative with a fluffy texture and a subtle sweetness.
Sweetened Condensed Milk Frosting: A simple and easy way to make a creamy, sweet frosting. Whether you are making chocolate or vanilla frosting, it only takes 3 ingredients!
7 Minute Frosting: Made with egg whites and cream of tartar for a light and fluffy meringue-like frosting with the perfect, bright white color.
Pro Tip
This cupcake recipe is already quite fluffy. For an extra fluffy cupcake, separate your eggs. Add the yolks in to the batter and beat the egg whites separately. Fold the egg whites in with the finished batter for the ultimate fluffy cupcake.
Baking Tips
Do not over mix your batter. You should only mix it until the ingredients are just combined. Over mixing will develop the gluten in the recipe which will make your cupcakes rise in the oven, and then fall as soon as it is removed. This is what makes for a dense cupcake.
Keep the oven door closed! If you want to check on your cupcakes, simply peak through the window. Opening the door lets heat escape and lets cold air rush in. This creates uneven baking, especially with cupcakes.
Bake cupcakes in the center of the oven for the most even distribution of heat.
Remove the cupcakes from the pan immediately after removing from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Letting them stay in the pan will continue baking the cupcakes and could dry out your cupcakes.
Storage Instructions
Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Refrigerate frosting in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Before using, let it come to room temperature.
Is it possible to substitute something for buttermilk? That is not a normal staple in my house. If there is not a good substitute that is OK I will get some purchased.
Luckily, buttermilk is really easy to substitute with normal household staples. Here is where you can find the options: https://thestayathomechef.com/buttermilk-substitute/
Very yummy cupcakes but I definitely don’t get 18. I barely got 16. Would love if this was a 12 or 24 count cupcake. Not sure how you got 18…
This is one of my favorite. Before my Carmel frosting
Hi, am planning to make these soon but would like to ask if I double the recipe, that would call for 4 tsps vanilla extract and 4 tsps baking powder. Sounds a bit excessive. Should I just stick to that or should I maybe reduce it to 3 tsps of each item? Would appreciate your feedback as I’m just a home baker learning new things everyday.
If you double the recipe, you would double all of the ingredients. None of them should be reduced.
Used this recipe for 48 mini cupcakes! Baked for 11 min. Delicious and perfectly moist and fluffy! Thank you for the video and awesome recipe.👍👍👍
You guys are the BEST!!!
Great cupcakes ! I’ve made these a few times now and this time paired it with a strawberry buttercream frosting. They turned out perfect!
perfect!
I’ve been working my way through vanilla cupcake recipes and this is the one!! I haven’t found a recipe with a rise I like, with a dome I like – until this one! Lifesaver! Thank you! Excited to try your chocolate cupcake recipe next. Is it weird how excited I was by seeing those domes rise in the oven?! 😂 So satisfying.
These were amazing. Moist and not too dense. Followed the recipe exactly. I made homemade buttercream frosting that was a perfect compliment since the cupcake isn’t overly sweet