This is my favorite recipe for moist and fluffy vanilla cupcakes. These cupcakes are perfect for any occasion and you can customize them to your liking by choosing your own frosting. I’ve included my three favorites in the recipe!
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Cupcakes are one of my favorite types of sweets because of their adorable size and the fact that you can customize them however you like. Make a batch of vanilla cupcakes and you can choose all kinds of fillings and frostings!
This is my absolute favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. They’re delicate and sweet, but stable enough to hold the frosting. They’re fluffy and moist, but not too crumbly. Sweet, but not heavy. I could go on and on… but just try them for yourself to understand how good they really are.
In this recipe, I’ve included my three favorite frostings for you to choose from: vanilla buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, and cream cheese frosting. All are classic and amazing so you really can’t go wrong! You can even top half of your cupcakes with one type of frosting and the other half with another.
How to make vanilla cupcakes
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Add the eggs. On medium speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add milk and beat until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly or fold by hand only until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
- Bake. Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (or 8-10 minutes if making mini cupcakes) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow cupcakes to sit for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Note: Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Vanilla cupcake frosting options
I’ve included three of my favorite vanilla frosting recipes for you to choose from. Let’s briefly go over the differences so you can choose when one you prefer:
- Classic Vanilla Buttercream: This classic American buttercream is made on a base of butter and powdered sugar. It’s sweet, creamy, and easy to make.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream cheese adds richness and creaminess. This frosting is slightly less sweet but just as creamy and velvety-smooth.
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Swiss meringue buttercream takes a bit of technique to make, but is completely worth it. This frosting is made from a base of meringue made from cooked egg whites and sugar, with butter whipped in to create light, fluffy, and downright dreamy vanilla frosting.
Storage Instructions
Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they’re made, but can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept tightly covered at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw, still covered, on the counter or overnight in the fridge.
- Frosting can be kept in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and whisk until smooth.
If you want to prepare the cupcakes ahead of time, make the cupcakes and frosting and store them separately. Then, frost the cupcakes with frosting the same day or the day before you serve them. Always serve them at room temperature.
Tips for making perfect vanilla cupcakes
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will help all the ingredients emulsify evenly and also allow your cupcakes to rise well in the oven.
- Don’t overmix your cupcake batter. Once you add the dry ingredients, only mix the batter until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing will make the cupcakes dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Fill your cupcake liners up ¾ of the way full. The cupcakes will rise as they bake and this is the perfect amount for a nice sized cupcake.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will melt as soon as you put it on your cupcakes.
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More of my favorite cupcake recipes
- Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes: The perfect cupcakes for serious chocolate lovers.
- Red Velvet Cupcakes: Made with a touch of cocoa powder and velvety-smooth cream cheese frosting.
- Tiramisu Cupcakes: All the delicious flavors of classic tiramisu in cupcake form.
- Apple Toffee Cupcakes: One of my favorite fall cupcakes of all time!
- Coconut Cupcakes: Topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and sweetened shredded coconut.
- Banoffee Cupcakes: Moist, creamy, and irresistibly delicious.
Vanilla Cupcakes
These classic vanilla cupcakes are moist, fluffy, and perfect for all occasions! Choose between three creamy frosting options for incredible cupcakes.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick/115g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (50g) sour cream (optional for dense cake)
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting , Cream Cheese Frosting, or Swiss Meringue Buttercream*
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
-
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. On medium speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add milk (and sour cream, if using) and beat until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly or fold by hand only until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
-
Divide batter evenly between the cups, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 15-20 minutes (or 8-10 minutes if making mini cupcakes) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow cupcakes to sit for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
-
Unfrosted cupcakes can be kept tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw, still covered, on the counter or overnight in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
* Pay attention to the quantities each frosting yields and adjust the recipe according to your number of cupcakes.
Elisa @ Insalata di Sillabe says
Classic and simple recipes like this are always my favorite ones! Vanilla cupcakes with a simple, classic buttercream will always be my number one choice. I’d love to visit London, it’s always been a dream of mine, and I’m planning a trip for next summer. Can’t wait to go there and experience everything you mentioned!
xo, Elisa
Shiran says
You should go Elisa! It’s such a fun city. When you visit there, just let me know, I’ll be more than happy to help 🙂 xx
Hadley says
I love your recipe !!
Danielle says
I was worried because the batter was so thick but came out incredible love it !
Temitomi Matiluko says
Same here. Hubby kept asking if it wasn’t too thick but it turned our great. Thanks
Hadley says
this is the best recipe !!
Aovella says
I would just like to know if I could use almond milk instead of regular milk
Shiran says
Yes you can, but the flavor and texture will be different.
georgie says
i love this resipe im 11 and i love baking i made these cupcakes for my mums birthday and she loved them thank you
Pamela Halpert says
Tried out this recipe. It’s super easy, barely takes any time to make, and tastes wonderful 💯 really soft texture
ching says
Tried this recipe and it’s oh so good!!! My family loved it.
koko says
🙂
Naomi says
To add to that can I swap granulated sugar For brown sugar?
Hadley says
best recipe EVER !!
Haley says
I liked your recipe, but I added a bit of lemon curd to it ! It was pretty good but over all your recipe was great. I am a young baker and have been finding different recipes to make my own so thx.
Ryan says
Amazing recipe. My wife loved the cup cakes. Turned out perfect and moist. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
ruiti he says
I have never made a perfect cupcake until I found this recipe
Abigail says
Hello I did not try your recipe yet but sounds pretty good! I recently made boxed muffins and me and my dad ate all of it and didn’t leave the rest of my family any, so I hope your recipe will leave them shocked! (I plan to also find homemade butter cream)
Shammi says
I see you haven’t added baking/bicarbonate of soda. Will the cakes still rise well?
Abby says
The baking powder will make them rise
Raina says
These cupcakes are delicious. I added a rum caramel syrup and it made a wonderful birthday gift.
Karen says
Thanks a lot for the Awesome recipe……super moist cupcake…… everyone loved it…
Ava says
These are soooooooooooooooooooo wonderful!! This is the best white cake recipe EVER. I failed the first attempt and made cake pops out of it and OMG it was ammmmmmmazzziiinnggg. Its so light and fluffy and so good as a cake pop because its not super sweet but just PERFECT. I will never use another cupcake recipe again.
koko says
cool
great baker says
simple, quick and easy. i was just about to pour in the mixture to the cupcake holders and then i realised that i forgot about the eggs! i recomend usong self raising instead of plain
וויני says
וואווווו כמה שהם יפים
ניראים אפילו רומנטיים בגלל הצבעים, ואני אוהבת את זה!
Shiran says
Thank you Winnie! 🙂
Jess says
Ok I love this recipe, BUT I always have issues with my cupcakes baking? So.. some cupcakes turn out just fine in the oven, but some have some crunchy parts around the rim on the cupcake, or an air bubble creates and then deflates and that part of the cupcake doesn’t bake properly.. is there something I’m doing wrong? Is it my oven? It makes me so confused because some cupcakes turn out just fine! Help please!
Oana says
That’s my kind of cake as well! Loaded with vanilla and so delicate! Love these cupcakes, they look perfect. The frosting looks heavenly with those tiny vanilla seeds and the piping is amazing! Good job!
Shiran says
Thank you so much Oana! That’s so sweet of you 🙂 I’m glad you like it!
Flora Kafunda says
I LOVED THESE CUPCACES. SO SOFT AND MOST. I’LL PROBABLY MAKE THEM AGAIN
Mary says
Tried your recipe for my friend’s guests and they were impressed !
Stephanie Shaps says
This is an amazing recipe!! Great flavor and so delicate!! Thank you!!
Netty says
Tried your recipe last night. Simple, yummy, moist and just perfect!
Shiran says
I’m so glad to hear that Netty! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me! 🙂
Tash says
Hehe the best trips always revolve around food! I can’t believe you were in London! It sounds like you had a magical time. I wonder if we crossed each other in the street?!
I don’t think I have ever seen more perfect cupcakes. Period. PINNED. x
Shiran says
Tash!!! I can’t believe you live in London!! How did I miss that?! If I had remembered it, I would have totally meet you there! You are so lucky it’s your home, it’s indeed magical and I loved every single part of it. I loved it so much that I would probably be back soon 🙂 Then I’ll let you know!
Maggie says
Those cupcakes look perfect and I cannot wait to try them! I’d like to make the basic buttercream frosting. Classic and delicious!
I went to London this July and spent the most amazing 10 days in my life! I cannot be more agree with you that London is such an amazing city. Looks like I missed a lot of the nice places, oops! Thanks for giving me a perfect excuse to go back to visit again 😉
Shiran says
If I start talking about London, I won’t be able to stop! Like you said – such an amazing place. I’m glad I gave you an excuse to visit again 😉
I.B Alex says
Having a holiday party at my high school tomorrow. Needed a good recipe. Glad I found this one. Thanks for sharing!
Shiran says
Thank you! Enjoy the holiday party! 🙂
ishita kashyap says
I don’t have a paddle attachment. Can I use regular mixed attachment?
koko says
🙂
Ashley says
Is there vanilla bean in the cupcakes or am I seeing spots?
Shiran says
Hi Ashley! Yes, I use vanilla bean many times, and most of the time, you can use it interchangeably with vanilla extract. 1 to 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract will be the equivalent to one vanilla pod.
Elle says
I’m making these/I’m using half and half instead of milk.
Mara says
Hi Shiran!!!
This recipe is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Instead of cupcakes, I made a pound cake and it turned out divine!!! I added an extra 1/4 cup of sugar since I wasn’t going to be adding any icing on my cake! Gah, so good!!! Perfect texture, too!
I have a question – I would like to use this recipe to make a two-tiered birthday cake for my uncle. There will be approximately 40 guests, but I’d like to make it big enough to feed 50 in case anyone wants seconds! Could you please tell me how to adjust the recipe accordingly? I’ll be decorating the cake with fondant (I don’t know if that’s relevant).
Thank you so much!!!
Shiran says
Hi Mara! I’m so glad to hear that, thank you 🙂 I’ve made this cake using 9-inch or 10-inch pans and I doubled the recipe for that (also double the recipe for the classic buttercream frosting if you use it). There’s no need to add more sugar, even without the frosting. I made a 3-layer 9-inch cake, baking each layer for about 25 minutes (start checking it after 20 minutes). I made 2 layers when I used the 10-inch pan, so that might be better for you. 40 guests is a lot though so it probably wouldn’t be enough. I usually just make standard-sized cakes, but I’m guessing you can easily find more information about it online. Hope this helps 🙂
Mara says
Thank you very much, Shiran! I’m going to try that this weekend! =)
Shiran says
Good luck! 🙂
Holly says
Hi Shiran, I was hoping you could help me. I use this cupcake recipe all the time and love it! Do you know how I would modify it for a 3 layer 8 inch cake? I see you have doubled it for a 3 layer 9 inch.
Thanks!
Shiran says
The easiest way would be to just double the recipe. Just make sure not to fill the pans more than 2/3 full with cake batter.
Lis says
Hi there,
Would you have any advice on how to ensure the cakes do not dry out if one needs to make a big batch? I find that mini cupcakes dry out super fast and get stale too 🙁 Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Shiran says
Some cakes dry out faster than others, and unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about it. Cupcakes, without their frosting, or muffins, freeze well, so I usually just freeze mine, and top them with frosting at the same day that I need to serve them. You can prepare the frosting ahead of time as well, as it would keep for about 3 days in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before using it.
PR says
My new go-to vanilla cupcake recipe. Easy and yummy! Finally found a basic vanilla recipe I’m satisfied with! thanks so much! <3
Shiran says
Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Anna says
Finally a basic vanilla recipe that isn’t dry or flavorless…! Of course I couldn’t resist the temptation of adding some cinnamon and walnuts in the half of my mixture just to experiment a bit and the result is dreamy! Thank you for the always flawless recipes!!!
Shiran says
Thank you so much, Anna! This would be a great versatile recipe for your experiments 🙂
Khadijah says
Literally perfection. This is the least fussy recipe I could find online yet the results exceeded my expectations. Thank you 🙂
Shiran says
They’re so good, right?! Thank you for your comment and I’m glad you like them! 🙂
Marta says
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk or will it change the taste?
Shiran says
Hi Marta, buttermilk would actually taste delicious, but in addition, you’ll need to substitute the baking powder in the recipe with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
Theresa says
So when using buttermilk, instead of a full tsp of baking powder, use only 1/4 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking soda? A total of 1/2 tsp of ingredients instead of 1 tsp?
Shiran says
That’s right!
Marta says
Thank you I am going to make it with the buttermilk and let you know how it taste
Heidi says
We make your chocolate cupcakes and they are light and delicious!!! The vanilla ones seem more dense (still delicious) any thoughts on what we might be doing wrong??
Shiran says
The texture of the vanilla cupcakes is a bit more dense (however not too dense) than the chocolate cupcakes because these are different recipes with different ingredients. Vanilla cupcakes are usually denser than vanilla cakes so they would hold their shape well. For moist cupcakes you can substitute the milk with buttermilk, and the baking powder with 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
Nancy says
Hi Shiran,
I just tried these cuppies. was expecting especially after trying your chocolate cake (making it for my birthday in a weeks time ?) but I did 3/4 cup sugar so the sweetness is just right… am sure the kids will enjoy them any way
Hermione says
Great and easy! Kids enjoyed helping, and they were so yummy!
Darcy says
I love this recipe! Do you think I could add a 1/2 cup of hot water to make them more moist like the chocolate cupcake recipe?
Shiran says
Hi Darcy! Hot water is especially good in chocolate cakes. For moist cupcakes, you can try replacing some (or all) of the milk in the recipe with buttermilk/yogurt/sour cream, and see if you like the result.
Wen says
Hi Shiran! I’m interested in replacing some of the milk with sour cream (maybe 1/2 milk and 1/2 sour cream). So instead of all the milk it calls for recipe, just use 1/4 cup each of milk and sour cream? Thanks.
Shiran says
Yes, you can use 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup sour cream.
Miri says
I’ve baked these 3 times already! with the cream cheese frosting and they were so good!!
Merav says
I just made these with the vanilla buttercream frosting, and they were sooo good! Couldn’t stop eating the frosting!
Ishwerya says
The best cupcake recipe! It was a hit for the first time itself. Everyone just loved it. Thank you!
Mara says
Hi Shiran!
I’ve made this cake several times and every time, it’s turned out marvelous! I absolutely love this recipe! I wanted to try experimenting with sour cream as a substitute for milk, so I’m wondering what adjustments to this recipe you’d recommend I make if I use sour cream?
Thank you!
Shiran says
Hi Mara! You can use sour cream instead of the milk without changing anything else in the recipe. I’ve tried it before and liked it.
Rene says
Hi shiran
I made the vanilla cupcake yesterday for Valentine’s party and everyone talked about how delicious they were all through the party. Thank you!
Sunita says
hi, is it okay to take powdered sugar or fine sugar. Has granulated sugar will take long time to mix with butter. If yes then do we take same measurement.
Shiran says
Hi Sunita, don’t worry too much about it. You can mix the butter and sugar just until it’s creamy, for about 3 minutes. The sugar eventually melts in the oven.
Sunita says
Hi, I am so happy, that my cupcakes were soft, delicious. My family loved it. It’s perfect. Thanks for the recipe. After baking and cooling I inserted mix berries compote and decorated with Swiss Meringue buttercream
Sunita says
Hi, I am so happy, that my cupcakes were soft, delicious. My family loved it. It’s perfect. Thanks for the recipe. After baking and cooling I inserted mix berries compote and decorated with Swiss Meringue buttercream
Francesca says
I came across your website and this recipe looking for a perfect vanilla cake recipe for Easter. I just made the cupcakes, and they are amazing! The texture is perfect, the cupcakes are moist but not too dense, and they taste like heaven. I added a splash of almond extract to the recipe and used buttermilk and 3 medium-smallish eggs. I topped them with french buttercream, to which I added a generous spoon of cream cheese at the very end, and two drops of red food coloring, so the frosting is rose petal pink 🙂 I will use this recipe for years to come, and will check out your other ones. Thank you so much!
Shiran says
Thank you so much, Francesca 🙂 I hope you enjoy more of my recipes!
Shea says
I mad the cupcakes and they good, but I was wondering should the batter be thick?
Shiran says
Yes, the batter is a bit thick.
Payal Sharma says
Hi Shiran,
I just made these cupcakes for my daughter’s 3rd birthday. The texture is amazing, very moist and delicate. But my batter was not thick at all, and the cake taste just a little on the eggy side. What am I doing wrong?
Shiran says
Hi Payal, the batter isn’t very thick, so don’t worry about it. Make sure you use room temperature butter, and beat the butter and sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Also, don’t overmix the batter, once you add the flour, mix as little as possible, just until everything is combined, but do make sure that the batter is fully combined. There aren’t a lot of eggs in the recipe, so it’s hard for me to tell what went wrong. Also, for the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
Jordan Delight Aston says
I tried out this recipe yesterday but added about an eighth of a teaspoon of almond extract, and a tablespoon of butted rum extract. So this it a nice subtle flavor of butter rum cupcakes, it puts a nice twist on the cupcake itself. Btw the cupcakes are light fluffy and not to sweet, I will be making these again
Banana says
Hello! If I need to make 25-35 cupcakes, how should I double/triple/duplicate this recipe? Should I duplicate each individual ingredient? If so, how many times would I need to duplicate it to make about 30 or so cupcakes? Thanks!
Shiran says
This recipe yields about 12 cupcakes, so you can triple the recipe. You need to multiply the amount of ingredients by 3.
L says
I want to make these for my son’s birthday, as several of his friends hate (?!?!) chocolate. Just realized I’m out of vanilla extract. Can I substitute vanilla bean paste? If so, in what quantity?
Thanks!
Shiran says
Yes, you can use the same amount, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste.
LP says
With crazy mash-ups and outrageous food combination desserts all the rage these days, it’s easy to forget simple classics like this. I made these cupcakes a few days ago, and had to give several away, just so I wouldn’t eat every last one! They were incredibly delicious! Perfect amount of sweetness and yummy vanilla flavor. I paired them with your basic buttercream – equally as divine. Thank you for sharing!
Leah says
Just made these and tripled the recipe. Made exactly 3 dozen. Used 2 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of almond. They taste great – just wish I filled them a little higher than 3/4, like pretty much to the top. They didn’t rise very much. Thanks for the recipe!
Jenna says
Hi! Is it possible to substitute almond milk instead of regular milk or will it too drastically affect the batter?
Shiran says
You can use almond milk instead, but keep in mind that it will change the flavor.
Ranya says
Is there another non-dairy substitute that would work better?
Emma says
There is a type of milk called Lactaid that has an enzyme added in to remove lactose, i am extremely sensative to lactose and this stuff tastes just like milk, except its just a little bit sweeter, it works really well in these cupcakes, I’ve done it many times. This is my go to recipe and the Lactaid adds a subtle sweetness to the batter.
Marcelle says
Shiran,
My son loves this recipe and asked that I make it as an 8 inch layer cake. Any advice I’d adjustments I should make?
Thank you in advance!
Shiran says
Hi Marcelle, I’ve used this recipe to make vanilla cakes before, it turns out great, but I don’t remember the exact quantities for a 8-inch layer cake. I think I doubled the recipe and baked it in 3 pans (not sure if it was 8-inch or 9-inch pans). Just make sure you don’t fill the pans with too much batter so it won’t overflow in the oven.
Lora says
I’ve made cupcakes with this recipe so many times and it is without doubt THE BEST recipe out there!
BUT… I’ve just come to make them again and realised I only have self raising flour in… will this still work and do I have to remove the baking powder etc?
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with us!
Vanessa says
These came out so soft and delicious… thank you ?
Bella/Tere says
7 Reasons why you should use this recipe
1.The instructions are simple and easy to follow
2.Level: beginners/2 out of 5
3.not too many ingredients
4.the texture of the cupcake is soft and fluffy
5.These are the most delicious and fluffy cupcakes I have ever made
6.The buttercream is easy to make yet very sweet
7.Its absolutely the best I’ve found on the internet1
Amman says
Hi My name is Amman and I’m 10 yrs old and I have found a new love for baking and these cupcakes were my first to bake. They turned out delicious!! And I finally got the hang of piping buttercream!! I’m really happy because it was really easy to follow and i did it with barely any help! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Shiran says
Thank you so much, Amman!
ALEena says
Hey there I really want to try this recipe but I don’t understand the conversion of flour which u stated ( 1⅓ cups is 6.5 ounce) whereas 1 cup of sugar is 7 ounces . Is 1/3 cup addition to a cup of flour .. it’s very confusing .
Shiran says
You need to use 1 and 1/3 cups of flour. 1 cup of flour doesn’t weigh the same as 1 cup of sugar, that’s why they have different weights.
Andrew says
Great cake, a little on the sweet side for me. Would it be possible to cut some of the sugar out without changing the texture drastically?
I’m also a bit of a fanatic on getting light and fluffy cakes, so I separated the egg yolks and whites, added the yolks early on, and folded in whipped egg whites at the end. Turned out great, but still not the perfect lightness I wanted. Do you know how this recipe would react to cake flour? Or even half cake flour, half all-purpose flour?
Shiran says
Hi Andrew, it’s possible to use 185 grams cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, if you prefer that type of flour. For the frosting, you can use less sugar but the frosting might be too thin. You can always add more sugar later, until the frosting is thick enough.
Synthia says
Hi Shiran!
I have been searching across your site for a butter-less cake recipe but I haven’t found any. Do you have any butter-less cake or frosting recipe?
Shiran says
I do have cake recipes that use oil and not butter (such as orange almond cake or maple nut cake), but I use butter in most of my cakes.
MaryAnn says
These cupcakes were amazing! Definitely the best I ever made.
Maddie says
Your cake recipes are amazing
Linda says
Can you make this without a stand mixer? I have a mixer.
Shiran says
Hi Linda, if using a mixer (stand mixer or hand mixer) the cupcakes will be light and fluffy. You can make it without a mixer, but the texture might be a bit different. Read this guide. Mix the butter and sugar thoroughly first with a whisk or a wooden spoon until light and fluffy, then continue with the recipe.
Jeannette says
Approximately how many mini-cupcakes will this recipe make? I have never made mini-cupcakes before and am going to make them for my daughter’s birthday. Not sure if I can get away with making them the day before or very early the morning of. Will they dry out alot if I put them in the fridge overnight?
Shiran says
Hi Jeannette, this recipe yield about 36 mini cupcakes, but keep in mind that different size pans hold different volumes of batters. You can make the cupcakes and frost them a day before and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will be ok!
Cupcake says
These are THE best cupcakes I’ve EVER made. So easy to make, but with delicious results. I’ve already made them three times! However, I have a question, if I don’t have regular sugar, can I use powdered sugar? Would that alter the taste?
Shiran says
It should be ok but I can’t say for sure how it will affect the recipe without testing it. Powdered sugar has cornstarch in it so it will make a slight change in the final result. If you use powdered sugar, you’ll need to use 1 and 3/4 cups powdered sugar instead of 1 cup granulated sugar.
Sam says
just made these cupcakes and i love them!! was searching for the perfect moist light cupcakes and i found the perfect recipe! thank you so much.
with this batch i made 12 cupcakes normal and 24 minicupcakes 🙂
Priyadarshini Cs says
Made these cupcakes yesterday and they were so yummy and perfect!! Thanks so much for this blog!
Amalie says
Simply the best vanilla cupcakes I’ve ever come across thanks so much.
Celine says
I’m looking to make these for a friends party this weekend. Can I use stick baking margarine instead of butter? Dont have butter readily available.
Shiran says
You can, the cupcakes will be ok, but the flavor will be different.
Dani says
Hello! If I don’t have whole milk, will 2% be okay or will that affect the final result?
Shiran says
It would work, but in my opinion they will be less tasty. 3% is preferred.
Nabila says
I’d like to add sprinkles to this recipe, how much would be needed?
Thanks!
Shiran says
Add about 1/3 cup of sprinkles.
Patricia Melia Moore says
Wondering about adding white chocolate chips to this recipe. Making mini cupcakes. Any advice?
Shiran says
You can add chocolate chips if you like, about 1/2 cup.
alita says
very nice recipe, I baked this cupcakes my whole family loved it, however i add a lil twist to it but i didnt change the recipe at all I just bake a batch with lemon zest, a batch with cinnamon and a batch with rum it was amaaaazinng
Rita says
Hi !!!
I’m 11 and I’m going to try to make these cupcakes on Thanksgiving 🙂
bocetaum says
soooo delicious cant believe I made it! haha 🙂 really great recipe
Manju Sujith says
Can I use oil instead of butter
Shiran says
I’ve only made this recipe using butter, sorry!
Carole says
used vegetable oil ..a half cup …turned out amazing!!
Hadley says
Best recipe EVER !!
Cynthia Samoorian says
Made your cupcakes for a wedding tasting. They were perfect. The couple loved everything about them. Thanks for sharing.
Emily says
I made these tonight with my six year old daughter for her class and they turned out just right! So simple and easy to do. I doubled the recipe and ended up with 48. The recipe says yields one dozen but I think the one standard recipe yields a full 24. But this was great and now we have lots of cupcakes to eat at home and at school!
Edison says
May I use this recipe for a video? I’ll give a shoutout and a link.
deep goyal says
These vanilla cakes are one of my favorites. Pics you used are looking so good.
Thanks for sharing this vanilla cupcake recipe Shiran 🙂
Nancye says
Tell me what I did wrong! I was so looking forward to these cupcakes. I baked them in a standard muffin pan. They overflowed, has huge holes in the cake, and fell in the center. Help!
Shiran says
It sounds like you filled the cups with too much batter.
Amber Wells says
amazing it tasted amazing i made this for my best friends b-day and everyone loved it
Isabel says
Hi Shiran, just found this recipe and absolutely love it! New favorite vanilla cupcake recipe for sure (and I used buttermilk, with the edits you suggested in another comment). What do you think about making mini cakes (4”) with this recipe? Would appreciate your thoughts on baking temp and time! Thanks!
Allie says
Can I use salted butter? It doesn’t specify which one to use and I have salted right now that I can use up. Should I just omit the salt if I do? Same question for your buttercream frosting.
Thank you! Can’t wait to make these!
Barbara says
Hello I would love to make these cupcakes for my daughter’s gender reveal party. However, I don’t have a standing mixer. Would I be able to use a regular hand mixer instead?
Alice says
I love this recipe. It is delicious.
– Thank you
Megha says
Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe! The cupcakes are super moist and so flavourful, absolutely love them!
Cynthia says
I’m using this vanilla cupcake recipe for a wedding in a couple of weeks. Was wondering if I can double or triple the recipe.
Barbara S sheehan says
DO YOU EVER USE CAKE FLOUR INSTEAD OF ALL PURPOSE FLOUR? I DON’T UNDERSTAND
THE DIFFERENCE — SOME RECIPES INSIST ON CAKE FLOUR AND SOME LIKE YOURS DONT.
Komal Lawrence says
Is it unsalted butter that you use?
Shiran says
Yes.
Alix says
I’m having troubles with the recipe, works amazing single batch… but if your double or triple it the batter seems to separate during baking and the texture is off? Is it that it can’t be yielded to more than 12 per mixing?
hellogreetings says
These cupcakes are scrumptious and easy to make. Swapping regular flour for gluten free flour, it’s still delicious – although a tad crumbly. It has such a yum stand alone taste, the icing is really the “icing on top”!
Monika says
These are really simple to make for a novice baker! Light, fluffy, and the taste reminds me of sugar cookies 🙂
Mya says
Hi Shiran,
I just fed this amazing recipe!!!! I am so glad I tried out you’re website today and I definitely don’t regret it!!
I used you’re cream cheese frosting recipe along with you’re vanilla cupcake recipe and it was delicious!!
I decided to make them vanilla, spice cupcakes in stead so I added some nutmeg, all-spice and ground ginger and it tastes even more amazing! I am a pretty amazing baker myself so I know what to expect when I find a recipe. If you’re famous great but if you’re not you should put it on you’re bucket list and you can cross it off within a week because you are someone worth being famous!
thank you so much for the amazing delicious recipes, Mya
Rebecca says
These are delicious.
I don’t have an electric mixer so I had to do it by hand but they still turned out great!
Laurie says
I just made these cupcakes tonight, followed the recipe to a T which was easy to do because it’s such a simple recipe to follow. I actually ended up with 16 total cupcakes but that’s just fine with me. These cupcakes taste amazing and from now on this will be my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe.
Laura says
I love this recipe! Was wondering if it would alter the texture of the cakes if I mixed in some blueberries?
Shiran says
It’s ok to mix in some blueberries!
Yael says
Followed the recipe exactly. So yummy and moist!
Holly says
Hi there, I use this recipe all the time for cupcakes and large cakes and absolutely love it!
I’ve been asked to make a cake with Oat milk and Vitalite instead of normal milk and butter (The boy is allergic to dairy).
Would it be okay to use these instead? Thank you in advance! 🙂
Maryam says
Hi!
I made these cupcakes and they turned out awesome!!! Loved the fact that they were not overpoweringly sweet!
They were also super easy to make:)
jess says
Love this recipe so much! My only problem, is that some of the cupcakes have, I would describe as, air pockets. I make sure I don’t overfill the cupcake liner. When I take them out, I would say a third of them has this issue. it’s like when the cupcake rises..theres some parts of the cupcake (mostly on the outer part/side) that would still be liquidy w/air pockets and then I have to pop them and it deflates…then becomes crispy. is there something I am doing wrong? this doesn’t happen to all the cupcakes though? the rest turn out perfect. help?
Shiran says
Hi Jess, it’s hard to tell what went wrong without being there. Does this happen to all cupcakes you make? If some cupcakes turn out ok, maybe the the oven heats unevenly.
Ruby says
Hi can you kindly give me the ingredients in metric please?
Sharon says
I was trying to find a good recipe for cupcakes and I loved yours the best. Can you tell me about how many cupcakes will this make.
Sharon C. says
I was trying to find a good recipe for cupcakes and I loved yours the best. Can you tell me about how many cupcakes will this make.
Milly says
12 cupcakes
Ishwerya says
The best cupcake recipe! It was a hit for the first time itself. Everyone just loved it. Thank you!
AUDREY E RODRIGUES says
Hi Shiran!
Thanks a ton for this awesome recipe! I am a champ at chocolate cupcakes and decided to try my hands at vanilla! your recipe is simple and yet the cupcakes are yuuuuum!!
Bethany says
Hi,
What is a standard size cupcake?
AnnT says
This recipe works. Yielded delicious cupcakes. Yum…..
Rochelle says
100% the best cake recipe to date! I made these last week for my son’s 7th birthday and all of my guests RAVED! Thank you for elevating my baking prowess in my community! I cannot wait to make these again. Cheers!
Milly says
This recipe tastes amazing. I made it into a cake for my son’s birthday and he loved it. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Shiran says
Happy birthday! 🙂
Marcelle Polednik says
How could you convert this to a layer cake recipe?
I don’t have sour cream on hand 🙁
Harumi says
AMAZING! Everyone in my house loved them! Recommend 100%!
simran dhairyawan says
amazing recipe! cupcake sponge was so soft and airy . PERFECT.
just added 1/4 cup oil to this recipe
Maddy says
The amazing recipe I loved baking with it. The cupcakes taste amazing!!!!!
Jennifer says
These.are.amazing. I added sprinkles to the batter and topped with your basic buttercream for my son’s second birthday. I’ll never buy a box again. Thank you for posting this!!!!
Mariam Jalloh says
This is such a great recipe. I have never baked before in my life, so I was a bit scared as to what the results would be. The cupcakes turned out great! They had such a nice fluffy texture even with the thick batter. Would highly recommend this recipe.
Francesca says
Finally a great vanilla cupcake recipe!
Kjerstin Fogo says
This recipe sounds delicious!
Neema Okal says
Delicious…..I tried it today and came out nice…What a wonderful recipe, simple, easy, delicious…..love love this – will use it often…
Cupcakes!! says
These cupcakes were one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! My entire family was shocked that I made such amazing cupcakes, (I’m not the best baker…)!
Anne says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I made a batch today and made a mistake of putting 3 eggs instead of 2. It still turned out really good though, my family and I love it! We didn’t even need frosting, it was yummy even without frosting. Oh yeah, another mistake I made and the biggest one is that I didn’t double the recipe! I had to tell my kids that this was just to test it out, and that next time I’ll make sure to double the recipe.
Maggie May says
I made these luscious little beauties with gluten-free flour, and they came out light and fluffy and wonderful! I also made them vegan by using an egg substitute, and I clabbered the milk with a teaspoon of vinegar to insure fluffiness. So good! Thanks!
Andrea says
Tried these for the first time last week since I had a young family coming over, it was a hit with the adults and the toddlers too!
K Smith says
Perfect! Now that I know how simple and quick it was to make cupcakes from scratch, I will never go back to the box. The difference in taste and texture is incredible. My kids and I have made them several times now. We have to substitute coconut oil for butter and almond milk but they are still delicious. We’ve made your buttercream frosting (with Earth Balance) which is also fantastic. Thank you!!
Anna says
What would happen if I added an egg white to the two eggs in this recipe? Would it ruin the cupcakes or give it a more fluffy texture?
Thanks! I’m loving the blog
Shiran says
Thanks, Anna 🙂 I don’t know what would be the result exactly without trying it, but it won’t ruin the texture, and would probably be ok.
Laura says
These made fantastic cupcakes. I used soy milk as some different flavoring, and these bakes up beautifully! One of the best cupcake recipes I’ve tried yet.
Deborah says
DELICIOUS!!! I just made these and cut the recipe in half to just test it out to see if I liked it, and I love it!! I have a question though, could I fold in sprinkles to make these into funfetti sprinkles? I like this recipe way more than any funfetti one I have ever made!
Shiran says
Yes you can 🙂 Or maybe try my funfetti cupcake recipe.
Deborah says
DELICIOUS!!! I just made these and cut the recipe in half to just test it out to see if I liked it, and I love it!! I have a question though, could I fold in sprinkles to make these into funfetti sprinkles? I like this recipe way more than any funfetti one I have ever made! Thank you
elaine says
that was a bit rude henryetta
Shannon says
This is the best recipe ever! I tried these cupcakes today and they turned out exactly like the delicious fluffy ones you get from the store! I’m so glad I came across this recipe. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Alaycia says
This cupcake recipe is amazing!
Amrita Menon says
Thank you soooo much for this recipe!!! It’s amazing. I have made this almost 5 times now and every batch comes out just as perfect as the first time! They are soo fluffy but a little crispy on top(which is way I like it). Anyways I will surely recommend this to my friends!!
Mae says
This recipe is sooooooo amazing!!!!!! My family and I enjoyed this recipe very much.
Mae says
This recipe is sooooooo amazing!!!!!!
Critter says
This recipe is really sweet good!!!!!!!!!!i helped my mom make it , and my whole family loved it!
jenn says
I made these cupcakes this morning and maybe I did something wrong… the batter was a little thick when I filled the cups but didn’t think much of it. The rose well in the oven and have a nice dome. But the bottoms were very greasy and some of the cupcakes have big holes inside them. Maybe I didn’t let the butter come to room temperature or I didn’t cream the butter/sugar long enough? What do you think?
Charlotte says
Amazing! My go to recipe for vanilla cupcakes. I subbed the butter for margarine and used gluten free flour as my mum and sister are lactose/gluten intolerant, and they were just as delicious they loved them! Thank you!
Owami says
This recipe is so delicious. It is light and airy and not to sweet so that you can add icing. Its is so fluffy and not to moist. It also uses everyday ingrediants so that everyone with and oven can make. This is now my go-to recipe.
Noel says
Do you use unsalted butter? I want to make them for my nephew birthday..
Shiran says
Yes, unsalted butter!
Mary says
i loved it! 🙂
Vidhusha says
This recipe is perfect. The cupcakes we light and fluffy!
I halved the recipe and made 12 mini cupcakes.
Thank Shiran 🙂
Nikki says
I love this recipe so much I bake a lot but now that I found this recipe I’mma be using it A LOT tysm!!
Kelly says
Can I use Caster sugar or does it have to be regular table sugar?
Shiran says
You can use caster sugar instead (same amount in grams).
Tina Maria says
I really love this recipe! It was the first ever time I made cupcakes and your recipe was the one I found. They’re very moist and soft. Just follow the exact recipe (exact quantity and the order of steps), and they come at perfect each time. I’m going to try your chocolate cupcakes next!
Sophie says
i made a few batches of this recipe for a garage sale and they turned out amazing! im only 12 but it went perfect. love it.
Georgia Mckay says
Hi, love this recipe definitely the best, so light, can I just ask if the time for baking changes if I put it in one big cake rather than cupcakes
Shiran says
Yes! The baking time would be much longer if you make a large cake.
Nayla says
Hello ! Can you we use this recipe for a vanilla cake instead of muffins? Thanks !
Shiran says
Yes, you can 🙂
Sibley Higgins says
I doubled the recipe, and the batter came out great. They were delicious, and I will defiantly use this again in the future!!!
Karla says
Hello!!
Can other milk be used? Like coconut or almond milk?
Shiran says
Yes! The flavor and texture would be different though. Coconut milk would work great.
Natalie says
These cupcakes are awesome!!! I made them for my family once and they remembered it to this day!!! It tasted great and it is awesome for sweet toothed people or just the ones who only really enjoy under sweetened things.
Madi :D says
Hi! I’m 11 and I was making these for a saint Patrick’s party and they came out great! The batter looked thick but it turns out that didn’t matter because these cupcakes were awesome! You should totally try this!
Susan says
These were fantastic. We loved the flavor and texture. They baked up beautifully moist and we’re just as good the next day. I’ve been reading about reducing the sugar in recipes without ruining the outcome. I used 160 grams in this recipe with no problem. I’m trying your chocolate cupcake recipe next.
Deborah says
I have made these twice and doubled the recipe both times. They are wonderful!! Easy to make, don’t require special ingredients and have been perfect each time! Thank you!
Marianne says
Hello,
This has been my “go to” vanilla recipe for over a year! It is fantastic! I was wondering how you think it would work by adding jimmies to the batter to make “funfetti” cupcakes?
Thank you so much in advance for your thoughts 🙂
Shiran says
Hi Marianne, yes you can add jimmies to the batter, it won’t change the recipe 🙂
Makayla says
Im sorry to interfere with this conversation but i was reading the comments and came across this one!
1. What are jimmies and 2. Would sprinkles and food dye affect the recipe?
Shiran says
Hi Makayla, jimmies are another word for sprinkles 🙂 And you can use these as well as food dye in this recipe, no problem!
Makayla says
One of the best cupcakes I’ve ever made!!!
Just one problem reading the recipe I couldn’t find the recipe for the buttercream 🙁 These cupcakes turned out moist and tasty! Thx😊
Charlotte says
My go to vanilla cupcake recipe, amazingly delicious and moist, highly recommend making these!
Celeste Seguin says
Really looking forward to trying this recipe! Does the whole milk need to be cold or at room temperature?
Shiran says
The batter is more smooth when using room temperature ingredients, but using cold milk will work, too.
Kindcoco says
These vanilla cupcakes look adorable.
Carole says
the best cupcake i ever made you guys! added cinammon to m y batter three quater tsp ..it turned out amaazing!!!im so grateful to pretty simple sweet. …my question is if the same recipe can be used to make a cake ??
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Hi Carole, yes absolutely!
Robyn says
Hi Shiran
This recipe is delicious and so fluffy! I followed the recipe exactly but the cupcakes cases/liners were very oily once baked. Is there anything that can be adjusted in recipe to stop this?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Hi Robyn, sorry to hear that! The liners definitely shouldn’t be oily. This can happen if too much fat is used in the recipe. I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale and see if it makes a difference 🙂
Sara says
This recipe was so good! I loved how the texture was, my son said it tasted a little like pancakes, but it was all right! I give a tip though. When we were mixing the butter and the sugar, it started out okay, after we put in the eggs, we directly put the milk. and then the whole half of the dry part, it turned out grainy. So i recommend that you put a bit of milk and a little flour then a little milk and then a little milk and then a little flour and then a little milk until it all runs out! but over all, this turned out super great i reaaaaaaaaaallyyyy recommend this!
Jodi Di Vito says
Fantastic moist but dense cupcakes! I have made these for many birthday parties and everyone RAVES about them! Thanks for the recipe!
Emma says
I love this recipe Shiran 🙂 Question- what do you think makes the best frosting for these cupcakes? Buttercream, cream cheese or Swiss meringue?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Hi Emma, I don’t think there is a “best” frosting for vanilla cupcakes – you really can’t go wrong with any of the three, it just depends on your personal preference 🙂