These are quite literally the BEST vanilla cupcakes!! With the softest and spongiest vanilla cake topped with airy buttercream frosting, they're a full on celebration in snack form!
I have been working on perfecting vanilla cupcakes since FOREVER!! And I'm so happy to finally have this perfect recipe which yields bakery-worthy cupcakes every time!
This recipe is adapted from my favorite red velvet cupcakes recipe. Swapping out some of the cocoa powder for flour (along with a few other minor tweaks) made for an absolutely incredible vanilla cupcake.
what makes these vanilla cupcakes the best?
When I tell you these cupcakes are moist, I mean MOIST. They are seriously the softest cupcakes I've ever held in my hands - think: those packaged cupcakes you buy from the grocery store, but a million times better.
2 main components in this recipe help achieve that unbelievably moist texture:
- butter and oil: Something I've reaaallly been loving lately when crafting cake recipes. Butter adds richness and flavor while oil keeps the cakes moist and soft!
- sour cream: A very tiny amount in this recipe yields an extra airy and moist cupcake and it gives it just the slightest tangy flavor.
Aside from their perfect texture, what I also love about these cupcakes is the fact that they're low fuss and so easy to whip up. You probably already have all the ingredients on hand and, if you know how to mix, you know how to make vanilla cupcakes!
how to make the best vanilla cupcakes
1. Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Cream together butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy.
3. Whisk eggs in one at a time, followed by vanilla.
4. Alternate mixing in dry ingredients and sour cream / milk. Whisk about half of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Add all the sour cream and milk and whisk to combine. Finish off with the remaining dry ingredients. Take care not to overmix!
5. Portion into your cupcake tin and bake! Cool for about 5 to 10 minutes in the cupcake tin then transfer onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
6. Make the buttercream: Mix together butter and powdered sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Add remaining buttercream ingredients and whip until fluffy.
8. Pipe / spread buttercream on the cooled cupcakes! Top with sprinkles if you like and enjoy!
the keys to making the BEST vanilla cupcakes
A few features in this recipe make for the softest vanilla cupcakes:
- measuring flour: Accidentally mismeasuring flour can cause cupcakes to come out dry, so it's important to measure flour by weight or (if using cups) by spoon and leveling.
- room temperature: room temperature ingredients whip up and incorporate easily, and you're less likely to overmix when working with ingredients that incorporate smoothly.
- mixing: Still on the topic of overmixing - overmixing your cupcake batter can deflate the air bubbles and overwork the gluten, so watch the mixing carefully! It's totally normal if the batter is a little clumpy, it just makes for a more tender cupcake!
- portioning: It's important not to overfill your cupcake cups with batter, otherwise the cakes will dome up excessively, which can cause the centers to collapse as the cakes cool. So do make sure to only fill the cups (at most) around ⅔ of the way full.
- baking: Overbaked cupcakes are (obviously) going to end up drier and harder. It's definitely important to watch the bake time, but it's equally important to not let the cupcakes cool completely in the pan. The residual heat from the pan can continue to dry out the cupcakes. It's best to cool the cakes in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes max then finish cooling them on a wire rack.
storage
Keep cupcakes stored in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap. Protecting the cupcakes from air will keep them moister, longer! These cupcakes will keep for about 3 days at room temperature or around 1 week in the fridge.
freezing instructions
You can freeze these cupcakes if you'd like as well! I recommend freezing the cupcakes un-frosted, unless you have a frosting you know freezes well.
To freeze un-frosted cupcakes, place in a freezer bag. Push out as much air as possible, and seal. Keep frozen for up to 3 months.
To freeze frosted cupcakes, arrange on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour, or until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months. This method helps make sure your frosting stays in tact.
Defrosting instructions: If you froze your cupcakes without frosting, you can just defrost them in the plastic bag at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. If your cupcakes are frosted and you'd like to defrost them on your counter, you should take them out of the plastic bag before defrosting so the plastic bag doesn't ruin the frosting as it softens. You can leave them in the bag if defrosting overnight in the fridge.
check out these other recipes!
• Moist Chocolate Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
• Pecan Pie Cupcakes
• Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cupcakes
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
Print
Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16-18 cupcakes
Description
These are quite literally the BEST vanilla cupcakes!! With the softest and spongiest vanilla cake topped with airy buttercream frosting, they're a full on celebration in snack form!
Ingredients
For the vanilla cupcakes:
- 1 & ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (90g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or any neutral flavored oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) sour cream, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (180mL) milk, at room temperature
For the vanilla buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (520g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 to 6 tablespoons milk
- sprinkles (for decorating)
Instructions
Make the vanilla cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard sized cupcake tins with 16 paper liners and set aside. *(see notes for using 1 cupcake tin)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, oil, and sugar. Whisk together until pale and fluffy.
- Whisk eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Mix about half of your dry ingredients in until almost completely combined - a few streaks are fine! Add sour cream and milk and whisk to combine. Finish off with the remaining dry ingredients and mix until the dry streaks just disappear. Take care not to overmix!
- Divide the cupcake batter into your prepared cupcake cups, filling each one no more than ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes in the center of your preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the cupcakes for 5 to 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack and set aside until cooled completely before frosting.
Make the vanilla buttercream:
- *Note: If you like a lighter layer of frosting on the cupcakes, feel free to halve this recipe.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and about half of the powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to mix together on low speed until the sugar is dissolved. Add the remaining sugar and mix again on low speed to dissolve.
- Add salt, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons of milk. Whip on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, gradually whisk in more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to reach your desired consistency. If it's too soft, add in more powdered sugar.
- Pipe or spread the frosting onto your cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles if desired, then dig in!
Notes
* If you only own 1 cupcake tin, you can easily bake these cupcakes in batches using the same pan. Just make sure you allow the cupcake tin to cool completely to room temperature before adding in the next batch. This cupcake batter can sit at room temperature for a bit after being made, but it should be baked within no more than 1 hour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Enjoy!
Anon says
How can these be left at room temp for storage when the icing calls for MILK?
Mimi says
Due to the high amount of sugar, and the relatively low amount of milk, it makes for frosting that can be safely kept at room temperature! 🙂 If you're interested about the science behind it, this article is a cool read!