This moist and fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe is everything you want a cupcake to be. Light and fluffy with lots of flavor in a little bite! The buttermilk adds a wonderful tang, and a little bit of oil makes these cupcakes very moist. I may have eaten a couple without any frosting! If you like my white velvet buttermilk cake or my vanilla cake, you will love these cupcakes!
I love these vanilla cupcakes because there are so many frosting options that go with this recipe. You can combine it with strawberry buttercream to make strawberry shortcake cupcakes. Or frost them with some yummy chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream. For lemon lovers, try filling your cupcakes with some lemon curd and topping them with fresh stabilized whipped cream. You can even add spices to the batter and make them into spice cake or add in sprinkles to make them funfetti cupcakes! This is seriously the best vanilla cupcake recipe.
Table of contents
Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients
Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. Buttermilk is acidic and actually breaks down the gluten in the flour, making a more tender cupcake as well. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
Oil is important for keeping the cupcakes moist, but too much oil in a recipe will cause the wrappers to peel away from the cupcake.
Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which coats the flour in a layer of butter and then whips in the air. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, so it's important to use it to get the right texture. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."
Making Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes
I recommend first making the vanilla cupcakes, and then making the frosting while the cupcakes are in the oven. They will need time to cool after baking, so don't pipe frosting onto a warm cupcake.
If you're making these for an event, it's best to frost and fill them on the same day that you're going to deliver and serve them.
Making Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
- Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. Protip – Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside.
- Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time.
- Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two.
- Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
- Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
- Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
- Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.
Making Easy Buttercream
- Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
- Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
- Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
- After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
- Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
- Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
- For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.
Storing Vanilla Cupcakes
These cupcakes are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, and can sometimes dry out in the fridge. If you're using a buttercream that is shelf stable, store them in an airtight container on the shelf for up to 2 days.
Baked cupcakes without frosting can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.
If you're using a fruit filling or frosting that isn't shelf stable, it's best to refrigerate them after about 4 hours. I love filling these cupcakes with fresh homemade raspberry filling.
Tips For Baking From Scratch
*This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on them I might get a few pennies.
I suggest purchasing a kitchen scale if you don't already have one to make the best scratch recipes. One cup of flour can vary from scoop to scoop depending on how packed the flour is and the humidity in your area. Too little or too much flour can ruin your recipe, so all of my cake recipes (except doctored box mixes) use a scale.
Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place) which means you measure everything before you start mixing so you don't accidentally forget something or add any ingredients out of order. I use a set of medium and small pyrex glass bowls I got from goodwill for this and it makes things SO much easier.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature or even a tiny bit on the warm side. I warm my milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. The butter should be soft enough to live an indent in it when you press it but firm enough that it’s still holding its shape. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes to warm them up.
FAQ
You might be baking at too low of a temperature. Baking at 350ºF makes the cupcake nice and fluffy and set’s the dome. Baking at too low of a temperature will make your cupcakes flat. Not sure what your oven temperature is? You can get an oven thermometer to calibrate the temperature of your oven.
The secret to fluffy cupcakes is enough baking powder to really get that high rise and higher oven temperature to create a lot of lift and to set the dome of the cupcake. Too much liquid in your cupcakes or over-filling your liners can cause them to collapse.
It could be that your recipe has too much liquid, oil, or that your liners are not grease-proof. Your liners can also pull away if you are storing your cupcakes in a closed container and the moisture causes them to pull away.
You can easily change the flavor of these cupcakes from vanilla to lemon or spice by replacing the extract and adding in things like spices or zest. You can also add up to ¼ cup of any dry ingredient like sprinkles, crushed Oreos, or fruit without changing the recipe.
If you cover your cupcakes with plastic wrap or put them in a container before they are completely cooled, condensation will collect on top of the cupcake and make it soggy.
Cupcakes can shrink from over-mixing your batter, over-baking, or too much fat/liquid in the recipe
Cupcakes can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.
Sour cream or milk mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar make great buttermilk substitutes. Be sure to check out my buttermilk blog post for more substitutes.
Related Recipes
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Paddle Attachment
- Whisk Attachment
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- 10 ounces cake flour
- 9 ounces granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 ounces vegetable oil
- 5 ounces buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm
- 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Easy Buttercream Frosting Recipe
- 6 ounces pasteurized egg whites
- 24 ounces powdered sugar
- 24 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tiny drop purple food coloring optional for whiter frosting
Instructions
Making Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
- Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside.
- Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside.
- Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time.
- Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two.
- Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
- Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it's fully combined.
- Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
- Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
- Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.
Making Easy Buttercream
- Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
- Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
- Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
- After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
- Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
- Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
- For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.
Video
Notes
- For the best rise, fill your liners ⅔ with cupcake batter or 1 ½ ounces per cupcake
- Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing your batter (milk, butter, eggs).
- Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF for 30 minutes before baking to give your cupcakes a good rise and set the dome.
- Baked cupcakes can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.
- Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. If you don't have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for "Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour."
Von says
I was wondering if I can make these lactose free ie: almond milk based buttermilk and soya margarine?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can replace the milk with almond milk, not sure about the margarine 🙂 Definitely do a test.
Tara says
I have self rising cake flour, can i omit the baking soda and baking powder?
Tyler says
Is there a reason why you use egg whites only?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Keeps the batter whiter 🙂
Smithy says
The recipe says two eggs not egg whites so I am confused but the response as to me batter suggests the cake mix and not the frosting which uses whites. Please clarify.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I'm sorry, I didn't understand the question. You can't use whole eggs for the frosting.
Christine says
Can you PLEASE POST A VIDEO ON THESE???
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure 🙂
Maria F says
If I want to add the hole egg, how many eggs should I add to the batter?
The Sugar Geek Show says
For every two egg whites, replace with one whole egg
Riya says
Is it okay to use oil in cupcakes? wont the cupcakes come of the liners then?
The Sugar Geek Show says
For this recipe the oil is ok. If there is too much oil in a recipe it can cause the liners to pull away
Beth says
There is no cake flour where i am what could i use thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Try a recipe that uses regular flour like my white cake
Bianca Henry says
If I need to multiply this recipe....do all the ingredients remain the same. I've heard that the eggs or leavening may need tweaking. What say you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't do anything to my recipes when I multiply them
Kathy Bussman says
Can I use pasteurized egg whites instead of fresh egg whites?
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you use fresh egg whites you'll need to heat them. Use this recipe for swiss meringue buttercream https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/swiss-meringue-buttercream/
Oriana Suarez says
Can I add crushed oreo cookies to these and make them oreo cookie cupcakes ?without affecting the cupcake
Fadekemi A says
Please, is there a way you can put the measurement in OZ/Cups for the benefit us that are not familiar with OZ. Also to get accurate measurements.
Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
I can't do cups but I can do grams.
Melissa says
Can't wait to try these! ? How much batter do you recommend I fill each cupcake cavity? 2/3 - 3/4 full?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I do about 2/3 full
Amber Dull says
I love this recipe. It’s ALMOST perfect... flavor is amazing. Texture, density and moisture is perfect. But my cupcakes fall flat every time. I’m sure there’s something I can tweet to fix it... but I can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. I’ve tried it at different temps, and started with higher temp reducing to lower to try and get the dome shape but it hasn’t worked. I’m always sure to time 1.5 minutes when mixing oil/buttermilk... Should I try adding extra mixing time at that step? Any other ideas?
AV says
Just had a few questions:
1. Is this a cupcake version of your "Best Vanilla cake?" I really enjoyed it, and was hoping to make it in cupcake form.
2. What type of frosting would you recommend using? (Swiss meringue, american etc.) Do you have a favorite recipe?
3. How would you recommend flavoring the cake?
Thanks!
The Sugar Geek Show says
This is a cupcake version of my white velvet buttermilk cake which is my favorite flavor. Any frosting goes with vanilla! Truly! You can switch out the extracts for any other kind of extract you like
Hussein Rahman says
Is this the best recipe for vanilla cupcakes. Anyway what if I don't use oil, then I use butter, won't it work out??
The Sugar Geek Show says
It will just be a little bit dry tasting because of the lack of oil 🙂
kylee says
is cake flour plain or self raising in this recipe, i can purchase either plain or self raising cake flour, If I use self raising would it matter if i added the baking powder, baking soda and salt? thank you.
The Sugar Geek Show says
It's neither. Cake flour is it's own type of flour that may not be available in all parts of the world. Some people have told me they can find low protein flower which is the same thing as cake flour.
Brandie says
This recipe was excellent... a little bit of a learning curve if you’re not used to the reverse mixing process, but no biggie, it’s well explained in the recipe. My mom at first asked me why I brought cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday instead of making them, I told her I did make them! She couldn’t believe it?, they were delicious!
Carolyn says
Can i bake these the night before if so how do i store them?
Mari says
How and when do you incorporate the butter??? I was lost when I realized I still had butter left?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The butter is combined with the dry ingredients and mix on low until it resembles coarse sand. Then you add in the milk mixture and mix for 1 1/2 minutes. Then you add in the egg mixture in three parts.
Olufunmi O says
Am trying to cancel my membership, but it's keeps saying oops something went wrong... I have so much going on and can't afford to be debited this month.
The Sugar Geek Show says
You should email customer service info@sugargeekshow.com if you have a problem with your account
Kate Bailey says
Where is the icing recipe?
The Sugar Geek Show says
first link in the first paragraph 🙂
Dana says
When giving oz for liquid (oil and buttermilk) is it weight or fluid ounces? I notice the liquid is in grams for the conversion?
Saf says
Can I replace buttermilk with sour cream or natural Greek yoghurt
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can
Kadian says
So if you replace it with sour cream would it be the same measurement 8 ounces?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it would be the same amounts by weight
Angie says
Can i replace the buttermilk for whole milk to be more like your vanilla cake?
Dana says
My stand mixer just broke and all I have is my egg beater/hand mixer; any tips for using this to make them or should I forget it?
Laura Gray says
I love, love, love the flavor of this vanilla cupcake. I am having an issue with temp and bake time. I am sure it is my oven but until that can be replaced can you offer some suggestions. At 400 dome is perfect but my cupcakes are getting to brown when baked at 16 minutes. Should I lower the temp maybe 5 degrees and leave 16 minutes or keep temp at 400 and reduce baking time. I know this is trial and error based on my oven, but ingrediants are way to expensive to experiment over and over. I did notice when I attempted to remove before 16 minutes at 400 they were still wet on the tops. Thanks for any suggestions.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Move the cupcakes away from the top element if they are getting too brown. or reduce the temp. the high heat is what helps them rise.
Laura says
Thank you, I’ll definitely try that. Oh, I’m looking for a new oven and considering a double oven, do you use one and/or are they worth it? Again, thank you for your professional insight.
Laura
The Sugar Geek Show says
They definitely come in handy when you need to bake multiple layers!
Alvita S says
Can milk with lemon juice /vinegar be used instead of buttermilk?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I usually do 1 cup of milk with 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar otherwise the cake will have a lemon flavor