With an irresistibly fluffy texture and pillowy-soft crumb, this will be your new go-to classic vanilla cupcake recipe.
Why this recipe works
These perfectly sweetened vanilla cupcakes are wonderfully moist with a soft and light crumb. They truly are the absolute best all-occasion cupcake recipe that pairs well with vanilla or chocolate buttercream amongst a sea of other frostings!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
FLOUR – Using cake flour for cupcakes is what gives you that pillowy soft and tender texture. Use the scoop and sweep method if you do not have a kitchen scale to measure your flour. Aerate the flour then spoon it into a measuring cup until slightly overflowing. Level the top with the back end of a butter knife. Do not scoop straight from the bag or pack the cup with flour or you may end up with dry, dense cupcakes. Make sure your baking soda and baking powder is not expired before beginning for the perfect rise.
VANILLA – The most important ingredient to this best-tasting vanilla cupcake is the quality of the vanilla extract. If you can, try to use only pure vanilla extract as the artificial vanilla won’t give you that same depth of flavor.
BUTTERMILK – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own with a few pantry staples. Simply combine 8 ounces of whole milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Another great alternative is to use 1 part sour cream to 1 part whole milk.
How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and melted butter.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract, egg whites, and whole egg.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 additions (folding in the flour until just combined).
TIP – I like to use a soft silicone spatula to make sure the flour mixture is evenly folded into the egg mixture without the risk of over-stirring.
- Place 24 cupcake liners into two 12-cup cupcake pans.
- Using a large cookie scoop, fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full.
- Place the cupcake pans in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes rotating the pans halfway through for even baking. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake, it is ready if the toothpick comes out free of cake batter.
- Place the cupcake pans on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled transfer the cupcakes onto the wire rack and pipe them with your favorite homemade or store-bought frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
I would recommend storing your cupcakes in the refrigerator, they are good to eat up until 5 days of baking. Let the cupcakes sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes to let them soften up before eating (any baked item containing butter will feel more solid if eaten cold).
Yes, of course. You can prepare, bake, and allow the cupcakes to fully cool before storing them in an air-tight container or cupcake carrier. They will be fine to sit at room temperature overnight.
Yes, homemade vanilla cupcakes freeze well. Store the fully cooled cupcakes in a single layer in an air-tight container or heavy duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and frost.
Not measuring your dry ingredients properly or over-mixing your batter is the culprit to dense cupcakes. Use the scoop-and-sweep method to measure your cake flour. To achieve that light and fluffy texture, it is important not to over-stir your batter, doing so will activate the gluten in the flour resulting in a gummy and dense cupcake.
Serving Suggestions
Vanilla cupcakes are the best neutral base for all sorts of different flavored frostings. Here are a few of our favorites…
- Cherry Frosting
- Buttercream Frosting
- Brown Butter Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Fudge Frosting
The options are endless. Garnish with sprinkles, crumbled cookies, or fresh fruit. These cupcakes are excellent both chilled and at room temperature, enjoy!
More Cupcake Recipes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Pound Cake Cupcakes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
- Raspberry White Chocolate Cupcakes
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Vanilla Cupcakes
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 2 â…“ cups cake flour 276g
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar 248g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted, 226g
- 2 egg whites at room temperature
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk at room temperature, 170g
Things You’ll Need
- 2 Cupcake pan two 12 cavity pans
Before You Begin
- *This recipe will yield anywhere from 22-24 cupcakes (it all depends on how generously you scoop the batter into your cupcake liners.
- It is important to properly measure your dry ingredients. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I would recommend using the stir, scoop, and sweep method for best results.
- Make sure your baking powder and soda are not expired before beginning.
- The most important ingredient to this best-tasting vanilla cupcake is the quality of the vanilla extract. If you can, try to use only pure vanilla extract as the artificial vanilla won’t give you that same depth of flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and melted butter.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract, egg whites, and whole egg.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 additions (folding in the flour until just combined)TIP – I like to use a soft silicone spatula to make sure the flour mixture is evenly folded into the egg mixture without the risk of over-stirring.
- Place 24 cupcake liners into two 12-cup cupcake pans.
- Using a large cookie scoop, fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full.
- Place the cupcake pans in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes rotating the pans halfway through for even baking. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cupcake, it is ready if the toothpick comes out free of cake batter.
- Place the cupcake pans on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cooled transfer the cupcakes onto the wire rack and pipe them with your favorite homemade or store-bought frosting.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- I would recommend storing your cupcakes in the refrigerator, they are good to eat up until 5 days of baking. Let the cupcakes sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes to let them soften up before eating (any baked item containing butter will feel more solid if eaten cold).
- Make Ahead – You can prepare, bake, and allow the cupcakes to fully cool before storing them in an air-tight container or cupcake carrier. They will be fine to sit at room temperature overnight.
- Freezing – Store the fully cooled cupcakes in a single layer in an air-tight container or heavy duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and frost.
Nutrition
Kristen Rittmer
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