Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe (VIDEO)
Everyone loves cupcakes! This is the only vanilla cupcake recipe you will need. They are super easy to make and the texture is light, fluffy, and melt-in-your-mouth good.
Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time. We love these with our Cupcake Frosting because a cupcake isn’t a cupcake without frosting.
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Watch Vanilla Cupcakes Video Tutorial!
These cupcakes are perfect for birthday parties and baby showers and they always disappear fast which is why I always make a double batch for gatherings. They are quick and easy to make and homemade cupcakes taste way better than boxed cupcake mix.
Ingredients for Vanilla Cupcakes:
This recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes and requires simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, baking powder, salt and vanilla. The combination of softened butter and buttermilk creates an amazingly soft cupcake crumb that just melts in your mouth. Also, if you haven’t tried our (2-ingredient) Homemade Vanilla Extract, it will take your baked goods to the next level.
How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes:
These cupcakes are easy to master and you will be making bakery-quality cupcakes in no time.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a second bowl (or bowl of your stand mixer), beat together softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed 5 minutes until thick and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs 1 at a time, mixing to incorporate with each egg then blend in vanilla and scrape down the bowl.
- Reduce mixer to medium speed and add the flour in thirds, alternating with adding the 1/2 cup buttermilk and beating well between additions.
- Pour batter into 12 lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Bake in the center of the oven at 350˚F for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan then remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the BEST Cupcakes:
- Room Temperature Ingredients – eggs, buttermilk and butter must be at room temperature to keep your batter an even consistency.
- Alternate Adding Flour and Buttermilk – this keeps the mixture uniform and well blended. If you add in all of the flour or buttermilk at once, it can saturate the creamed butter and cause the mixture to separate. Mix well between each addition.
- Measure Correctly – be sure to use the proper measuring cups for wet and dry ingredients. Watch our video on measuring ingredients to ensure great results every time.
- Don’t Overfill – Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full or they will overflow and cause a muffin top. If you divide evenly between 12 cupcakes, you should have exactly enough batter. A trigger release Ice Cream Scoop makes portioning easier.
How to Decorate Cupcakes:
Once your cupcakes are cooled to room temperature, it’s time to decorate. This is a great vanilla cupcake base for just about any kind of frosting and toppings. We pipe frosting on with a pastry bag and our favorite Wilton 1M Tip. We have so many frosting options so pick your craving:
- Vanilla Cupcake Frosting – our go-to cupcake frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream – well worth the extra effort
- Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting – whipped and decadent
- Blackberry Frosting – you’ll love the flavor and color
Common Questions:
Can I Make Cupcakes Ahead? Once cupcakes are at room temperature, cover and keep at room temperature overnight or refrigerate if storing for longer. After cupcakes are frosted, refrigerate until ready to serve. Cupcakes are great served chilled or at room temperature because they don’t harden with refrigeration.
Can I Use This Batter to Make a Cake? We’ve had great results turning it into a Vanilla Cake. You would need to double the recipe for two 9-inch cake layers.
Can I Substitute the Buttermilk? Plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.
How Long to Bake Cupcakes? Bake until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted int the center comes out clean. These were perfectly baked at 350˚F for 22 minutes in a conventional oven.
More Cupcake Recipes:
Who can resist a cupcake? They’re just so cute and easy to love. We enjoy getting creative with cupcakes and they are one of the easiest desserts to make. These are our top-rated cupcake recipes:
- Moist Chocolate Cupcakes – this is a great base and so easy
- Pumpkin Cupcakes – with a marshmallow-soft frosting
- Honey Cupcakes – with a cherry filling
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes – with white chocolate frosting
Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, or plain kefir, room temperature
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed 5 minutes until thick and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
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Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition then scrape down the bowl. Add 2 tsp vanilla and beat to combine.
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Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the buttermilk, mixing to incorporate with each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined and smooth, and don't overmix. Divide the batter evenly into a 12-count lined muffin or cupcake pan, filling 2/3 full.
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Bake for 20-23 minutes at 350 °F, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before frosting.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This recipe was first published in June 2012 (below is the original photo). After testing countless batches, we improved the recipe, swapping out oil for softened butter and took out the baking soda to create a super soft crumb. Everyone agrees, these are the best cupcakes. Just read the reviews!
P.S. Thank you all for trying this recipe and sharing it with the people you love.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This is a very good recipe. My cupcakes turned out perfect for my first time baking from scratch. I added an extra teaspoon of sugar and two drops of almond extract, and it was oh delicious, fluffy, moist! I also made your buttercream frosting and that turned out perfect for piping and really good ! not too sweet 🙂
Hello Nessa, that’s lovely! Good to know that you enjoyed it!
I tend to make cake mix cupcakes for my kids because any recipes I have tried over the years come out dense and disappointing. This recipe is absolutely amazing! It was easy to do and came out light, fluffy and delicious. This is the answer to my cupcake problems! Thank you Natasha!
Hi Deanna, I’m so glad you tried homemade. It’s always better than ready to cook mix cupcakes and so glad your family enjoyed them!
Hi Natasha! I am SUPER excited to make your cupcakes! But can I exchange the buttermilk for milk and cream of tartar?
Hello Audrey, I have not tried using the cream of tartar to advise. Plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.
Hello, I’ve made these a few times and LOVE them, specially the frosting! Do you happen to know the exact tip you used here to frost these? That makes it look like a ribbon? I have the XL Tips. Yours are so beautiful looking! Thanks
Hi Rachel! I’m glad you love the recipe. Yes, I try to include that information in the blog notes. I used a Wilton 1M tip for these. You can find it on my amazon link HERE.
P.S.—Forgot to say that most of the cake stuck to the paper liner. A mess!
I made your recipe for vanilla cupcakes, and they were AWFUL! I followed your recipe and the video exactly. The only differences from your video are that I weighed, not measured, the dry ingredients (as I always do), and I used powdered buttermilk (again, as usual). They didn’t rise at all and were dense and hard. I now realize that most sites tell you never to use baking powder with buttermilk. Is there a mistake on your recipe? Should it have called for baking soda? On the plus side, your chocolate buttercream is fabulous. I’m eating it and tossing the cupcakes.
HI Maria, I’m sorry to hear that and I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I haven’t tested this with powdered buttermilk so I wonder if that could be the culprit? Also, make sure not to overmix. Overmixing is a common reason why cupcakes or cakes can become dense. You want the batter to be just combined without prolonged mixing.
Made these for the first time as I have a cupcake order and didnt wanted to try it rather than using the premix. They came out lovely! I used Rama (SA margerine) instead of the butter. Fab!
Hi Dale! I’m glad they turned out for you.
These were just ok. I followed the recommended measuring technique. I did not have buttermilk so I used the recommended milk/lemon juice combo. Everything was room temperature as suggested. Baked 20 minutes (checked at 15). Toothpick came out clean and cupcakes were lightly browned on the top. I let them cool as directed then added frosting. The first problem was the cupcakes were stuck onto the cupcake liner and a lot of the cupcake was torn off. I made a different cupcake recipe last weekend using the same cupcake liners and they did not stick at all. They tasted ok, nothing special, but there was something not quite right about them. Almost like they weren’t baked long enough but I kept looking at it closely after each bite, and even pulled it apart with my fingers trying to figure out was the problem was. They looked fine, didn’t look underbaked. But that’s the only way I can describe it. Other reviewers seemed to have a better experience with this recipe, but I’ll take a pass on this one.
HI Kerrie, I’m sorry it didn’t meet the mark for you. I haven’t had that experience but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you add the full amount of butter 8 Tbsp and ensure it was softened to better incorporate into the batter? Also, make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking. Lastly, make sure you don’t overmix. The batter should be just combined before portioning into individual cupcakes.
The cupcakes were delicious. They were so easy to make, I am definitely saving this recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Erika!
Hey!
Cupcakes were very good, but I didn’t end up with enough batter to fill the cupcake lines 2/3, only about 1/2. For this reason they didn’t rise over the rim of the cupcake liner. Any reason why?
Thanks!
Hi Jenna! I’m glad you loved the cupcakes. Did you make any substitutions to the recipe? I have enough batter using this recipe and I measure with this size ice cream scoop. I would look over the recipe again to see if you missed anything or possibly measured some of the ingredients incorrectly. You can also reference the images above so you can see what my process looked like. I will attach my tutorial on how I measure my ingredient HERE. I hope that helps!
These cupcakes are a dream! Natasha, may I ask why you use butter in this recipe but oil in your dark chocolate cupcake recipe? Could I use oil instead of butter in these vanilla cupcakes and if so, how much?
Hi Beverly! This is a butter-based cake. I have not tested this recipe with oil.
I made these today for me and my family and they were so buttery and moist I loved them. They had such an amazing crumb to it. I will be making this recipe from now on. This was by far my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe hands down. Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Carmen!
I tried a few vanilla cupcake recipes before I found this one! Very fluffy cupcake with good flavor! This will be my new vanilla cupcake recipe. Thanks for posting!
So glad you found your new go-to recipe, Michelle! Thank you for sharing.
Tripled the batch and they all turned out perfectly. This will be my go to vanilla cake recipe!
That’s wonderful, Ashley! This is our go-to vanilla cake too. I’m glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! I’m gonna make these, but wanted to make them as mini cupcakes! What would the baking time/temp be?
Hi Jasmine, I have not tried that but one of our readers shared this “Made them mini cupcakes and baked for about ten min 💯🙌🏼
Also added sprinkles for a confetti look 🎉 Thanks for the best recipe!!” I hope that helps.
These were the hands-down best cupcakes we’ve ever eaten! My whole family agrees, and that was without the frosting!! I would give this six stars if I could. We are definitely going to be making these again 🙂
Hi Autumn! That’s wonderful to hear. So glad they are a hit! Thank you for sharing.
That’s really good is but is there anyway that I could change the cream cheese to something else because I’m lactose intolerant
Hi Emmerson! You could look through my frosting recipes HERE to find one that is more suitable. 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I love all of your recipes and have been using this one for years. I did notice, not sure why but, when I use buttermilk instead of kefir (what I always use) the cupcakes do not turn out as light and fluffy. Strange because they are normally interchangeable.
I’m so glad you love my recipes, Britinias! Thank you for sharing your experience, that is odd, but I have never tested kefir in this recipe.
Hi! I was just wondering if I could substitute the buttermilk for regular milk, or should I make the buttermilk from home by adding white vinegar?
Thanks,
Hi Jen, I recommend using buttermilk. If you don’t have one, you can make your own buttermilk with milk and lemons at home. The ratio I used to make buttermilk was 1 cup to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon. So you will be 1/2 cup of the buttermilk mixture if the recipe calls for 1/2 cup 🙂 I hope that helps.
hi
Is the cupcake nutrition facts for cupcakes with icing or without?
Many thanks
Hi Ruby! Yes, just for the cupcakes.
I’m not sure what happened but I made 3 recipes for cupcakes because I need it for an event and this vanilla cupcake recipe failed. It bursted open in the oven and splattered everywhere. Not pretty. The other 2 recipes for different flavors I made from other authors went amazingly. I’m disappointed in this outcome.
Hi Liz! I’m sorry to hear that. This has never been my experience with the recipe. Some of the issues that come to mind are, your oven was too hot, leaving agents were incorrect or the ingredients did not mix well. I have doubled the recipe before with no issues. Look over my process and recipe again to see if you missed anything. I highly recommend the use of an internal oven thermometer. Also- watch my tutorial on how to correctly measure your ingredients.
I love this recipe n have made it before but I need to make an egg-less version, is there a substitute I can use?
Thank you!
Hello Sue, I have not tried any substitution for egg to advise.
Natasha you saved me yesterday with you cupcake recipe. I made a different recipe that turned out terrible and I had 2 hours to fix my situation before a potluck. Ran to the store and got some buttermilk and made the best cupcakes ever. They were a hit and everyone (especially the kids) loved them.
Hi Natalie! That’s awesome! I’m so glad you were able to use this recipe. Thank you for the review.
I love this recipe especially the vanilla frosting. My kids love it. I followed all your tips about the frosting and turned out perfect. I made 24 cupcakes for baby shower with baby rattle design. Thanks, Natasha.
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
Didnt work for me. 😭.
Would you please define room temperature in your country? Bcs in my country, it could be 30s C.
I remember, a chef from other country mention (their) room temp is abt 25C .
I put the butter when the meringue is not hot anymore. It was glossy. I put butter, it is liquid now….
Butter is at room temperature when you can gently press it and make a small indention with your finger. The average room temperature is typically around 20°C, or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. This recipe does not use meringue. Are you referring to the swiss meringue frosting?
I used your recipe and we loved the flavor and texture. Wondering if I can multiply the recipe by 4 and prepare one big batch ? Thank you
Hi Fatima! You can scale up the recipe if you have a large enough bowl to mix the ingredients well without overmixing the batter. Also, it’s best to bake these right away the not let the batter sit for too long so if you’re oven can handle that many at once then it should be fine.
I made these today to take to my son’s preschool. They turned out delicious. However, I made one batch and only got 8 cupcakes.
I’m so glad these were a hit, Julie! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Followed the recipe with butter. I did add a bit of orange zest to batter thinking it would pair well with the blueberry vanilla goat cheese frosting…it did. Not sure what I did, the batter was fantastic but the cakes did end up a bit dense. Tasted fantastic. I did put it on the IG. The frosting I need to work on but that is a different recipe.
Hi Charles! That sounds like an amazing combination! Dense cupcakes can be a result of using too much flour, over-mixing the batter, or expired leavening. Watch my tutorial on how I measure my ingredients HERE. I hope that helps with your next attempt. Also- be sure to let your ingredients come to room temperature as recommended in the recipe notes. This helps them incorporate and mix together well so you have an even cake batter with a good texture.
Thank you so much!! My guess is over mixing the batter. I weigh all ingredients and I did take care to bring all ingredients to room temperature, I did catch that note. Thank you again, they were delicious!
You’re welcome, Charles! 🙂
Perfect! Simple! Easy to follow! Great for people who are not the most confident bakers. They Came out perfectly. Made these for my daughter’s birthday party. Her and her friends had an amazing time decorating them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kristie!
I added 1 tablespoon of sour cream to this recipe and it turned out so moist! Definitely recommend.
That’s a great idea and thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing!
May I ask if you used baking soda along with the sour cream ?
I just made these and they’re fantastic 🙂 Not overly sweet, which is perfect because that’s what frosting is for! I followed the recipe exactly. Definitely will make again! Thanks!
Nice to know that you liked the results!
Just made these tonight for a birthday party tomorrow. They are delicious and fluffy and one of the best vanilla cupcakes I have made!! I only baked for 18 minutes and they are perfect!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad to hear that. 🙂
I would love to try this recipe!
Just wondering if I can reduce the butter and add oil instead? If this works , what is the best ratio? Thank you
Hi Fatima, we find that using butter instead of oil and removing baking soda, yield better results. You might try extra light olive oil which is my go-to for baking and most of my cooking. I haven’t tried that specific substitution here though, so I can’t speak to that. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome.
Hello!
I am very excited to try this cupcake recipe. I noticed the note saying since further testing you replace the butter with oil and take out the baking soda (but the recipe reads powder).
Just want to clarify, you meant take out baking powder, correct?
and replacing the butter with oil would change this method from creaming to blending method, correct?
Thank you!
Forgot to ask as well, following the new and improved recipe, would you still alternate between dry and wet? or since there is a lesser likelihood of separating, you do not need to alternate?
Hi Emily, I would suggest following the recipe as written for best results. I hope you love it!
Hi Emily, I was previously adding baking soda and now I don’t. The recipe card is correct as written using baking powder and butter.
Could I bake ahead of time than freeze in plastic wrap each individually than thaw night before and add frosting on top?
Hi Julius! Yes, you can freeze these in an airtight container.
The cupcakes were dry. Baked for 20 mins in a regular oven. Any suggestions
Hi Bonnie! It could be that you used too much flour or baked too long. I recommend using an internal oven thermometer to check and see how your oven heats.
Also- be sure to watch my tutorial on how to measure your ingredients HERE.
Hi Natasha,
Should the flour be sifted? I’ve noticed such a difference in the fluffiness of cupcakes when I sift the flour but your recipe doesn’t specify that…. Sorry if this is a silly question! I am making these for my sons birthday and want them to be perfect 🙂
Hi Drea! No, I don’t necessarily sift my flour but yes, you definitely can. Watch my process here on how to measure correctly to ensure you end up with great results! 🙂
The cupcakes came out great – so fluffy. The only issue I had was the size of the cupcakes. I didn’t know how much batter to put in each well or what size the wells should be. The recipe says it will yield 12 cupcakes. I needed 24 cupcakes, so I doubled the recipe. I actually ended up with only 16 cupcakes. Also, the cupcakes sunk in the middle after I took them out of the oven. But I repeat, THEY WERE DELICIOUS!!
Hi there, Do you happen to live in a high-altitude area? For some reason, this recipe doesn’t bake up as well in high altitudes. Also, did you measure the baking soda and powder exactly? I ask because my sister’s came out sunken once and she admitted that she “eyeballed” the ingredients. lol. I’m not saying you would, but it’s the only other thing I could think of.
Hi Natasha. How would I go about making 24 mini? Do I half the time and how many tablespoon in each mini cupcake liner? Thanks so much
Hi Yuliya, I have not tried that but one of our readers shared this “Made them mini cupcakes and baked for about ten min 💯🙌🏼
Also added sprinkles for a confetti look 🎉 Thanks for the best recipe!!” I hope that helps.
tomorrow is vanilla cupcake day! i’ve made these for work with orange frosting. they are light and tender. i used my vanilla paste instead of extract. they are beautiful and buttery.
Good to know that you enjoyed our cupcakes recipe!
Hi Natasha,
Hope you are well? Do you have the original recipe (with the oils and baking soda)?
We were such fans of that recipe:)
This recipe was first published in June 2012 (below is the original photo). After testing countless batches, we improved the recipe, swapping out oil for softened butter and took out the baking soda to create a super soft crumb. The best way to look at old versions of a recipe is to go to this site and paste the url of the recipe in the search bar. I hope that helps!
Great cupcake. Would this recipe work for chocolate if I add cocoa powder?
Hi Sammie, I recommend my chocolate cupcake RECIPE instead.
Me again! 2nd attempt and they came out PERFECT!!! A+++++ recipe!
Ok, so I commented originally on October 2nd, 2022 that I loved the taste of the cupcakes, but that the cupcakes turned out very dense. I “thought” I followed the recipe correctly, but I read the post about “how to measure ingredients” that was provided by Natasha and I found my mistakes.
The first time,I scooped my measuring cup into my flour. This second time, I spooned/sprinkled it in and then leveled it with the flat side of a knife as noted her post. Wow….what a difference it made! I’ve been home baking for a long time, so I can’t believe I hadn’t read that before! 😊
I also realized that the first time I didn’t cream the butter/sugar long enough and also my new oven bakes MUCH faster than my old one used to! I started checking the cupcakes at 15 minutes and they were 100% done at 16 minutes! I didn’t start checking them the first time I made these until 20-21 mins.
I highly suggest everyone take Natasha’s advice to have an oven thermometer because over-baking by 5 minutes like that will make any cupcake dense!
So Natasha, your recipe truly is absolute PERFECTION and your post about how to correctly measure was just what I needed! The first attempt’s dense cupcake issue was 100% my own doing! Ha!
Thanks so much! I love your site and have been having fun going through all your recipes! Can’t wait to try more! 🥳
Glad that suggestion helped! Thanks so much for sharing that with us.
Disappointed! My husband and I were excited to try these. Bought the ingredients and followed the recipe exactly and we didn’t care for the texture – Way to dense/heavy for us.
I’m sorry to hear that Michelle! These cupcakes turn out great and have had excellent reviews. Dense cupcakes are usually due to using too much flour or over-mixing the batter. Watch my tutorial on how to measure ingredients HERE.
1 tip and 1 question
Tip: Watched your video on measuring where you state to scoop the flour in the cup and the risk of adding too much if you scoop it directly from the bag. It is best to actually weigh the flour vs. measuring to ensure you have the exact amount you need.
Question: My cupcakes (after baking) shows are fluffy on the outside but dense the center. I am guessing I have to bake at lower temperatures and longer (I am guessing my type of oven makes the difference). I am trying to skip a number of trial/error attempts here with this question. What do you recommend?
Thanks for your videos and recipes. You’re awesome!
Hi Dave! Thank you! Yes, measuring by weight would be the most accurate however, not everyone owns a scale so this is the way that allows those without a scale or those who run out of a scale battery to still get the best results. Regarding your cupcakes, over-mixing the batter or letting the batter sit too long before you bake it could cause dense cupcakes. I also highly recommend using an internal oven thermometer to see how your oven heats. Every oven bakes differently and you may need to make some adjustments. I hope this helps!
Hello! I have a question…I’m doing 12 cupcakes but I’m doing it with 3 different flavors, so it would be 4 of each flavor and I was thinking to do this recipe and separate the batch and just add cocoa powder, almond extract and vanilla of course, but I was wondering if it would still taste good if I use this recipe and just add cocoa powder?
Hi Kendra. The almond extract would be fine but for a chocolate cake, you should use a recipe specifically designed for that to get the best results. Cocoa powder can change the structure and texture of the cake so you’d most likely have to make some adjustments to the recipe if you used a vanilla cake recipe.
Can I make the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe in 2 -6 inch pans or 8”? Thank you , Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, I haven’t tested this in 6-inch pans, but we did convert this to a vanilla cake recipe here.
These were absolutely amazing. As a beginner cook and baker, I had trouble selecting a cupcake recipe that looked airy, light, fluffy and used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour which I didn’t have. I also didn’t have buttermilk but I used some lemon and mixed it with 2% milk first before starting to prep. I took them out a little early as my oven is hot so I learned to adjust 1-2 mins less than the minimum suggested time. I worry when making any adjustments to recipes as a novice but these came out great. Thank you!
Hi Naomi! I’m glad they turned out great! Thank you for the review.
I was wondering, if you cater? I love your recipes, but I need 60 cupcakes.
Hi Arush, I do not but I’m sure you can do this at home too! Just practice before the event.
I just made this recipe for a 10”cake, I doubled it and made a double layer cake for my friend’s birthday. Everyone raved over it!!! Look no further, this is the best recipe!!!
Love it so much! Thank you for sharing, I am so glad that I saw this feedback. I hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes that you will try.
I always loved cupcakes when I was a kid, but I could never get it right when I baked them myself. So I gave up for a few years and stuck to muffins. I decided to try this recipe and I’m so glad that I did!! This is the best vanilla cupcake recipe ever!! Thank you for sharing a great recipe.
Aaaw, thank you for your awesome feedback!
Love this recipe! Got a ton of compliments, along with your vanilla buttercream recipe! Definitely my go to!
Could I use this exact recipe to make a 3 layer 6in cake? Or would I need to double it?
And how long would I need to bake it for?
Thank you!
Hi Kelly! I’m glad you loved this recipe. Follow my vanilla cake recipe HERE for instructions on making this into a cake. It makes 2- 9” pans, you’ll have to experiment with the baking time if you use smaller pans because the cake will bake faster. I do not have the exact amount you’d need for 6” pans but you may find this articlecake pan conversions helpful.
Loved the cupcakes. But I wanted to know if I could make the cupcake batter ahead?? I have have a muffin tray of only 12 cupcakes. And I need to prepare 36 cupcakes.
Hi! I’m glad you loved them. I have not let this batter sit long to know how this could affect the texture of the cake crumb. If you experiment, let us know how it turns out.
hellooo! I really like this recipe and I plan to make it tomorrow but I have two questions:
1.Can I replace buttermilk with milk itself? Cuz I don’t have lemon or vinegar
2.Can I use low gluten flour?
Hi Chello. I have not tested either of these to advise but some of my readers have made these with gluten-free flour successfully and others have reported using milk and even kefir in place of buttermilk. Let us know how it turns out if you experiment.
I thought this might not work out for me too given that it didn’t work for some of the people. However, this turned out AMAZINNGG!! They were extremely soft and delicious. Thanks alot for sharing this as it was really helpful!!
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for your great review!
Cupcake texture was excellent but it was way too sweet. Will reduce the sugar by 1/3 in the future. Pairs well with the cream cheese frosting
Hello, could I make these cupcakes beforehand and put them in the fridge 1-2 days before frosting them for an event?
Hi Renee! That should be fine if you store them well in an air-tight container. These will be the moistest when they are fresh but we enjoyed these a couple of days later too.
HI! what would be a substitute for buttermilk? could I use almond milk or does it have to be plain kefir or buttermilk?
Hi Elli! I haven’t tried using just almond milk or non-dairy milk. Plain kefir will also work well instead of buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk at a ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Combine and let it sit 10 minutes to curdle then stir and use.
Hi,
Can I use cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
I like the texture of cake flour when baking.
Hi Paula, I have not tested it but one of my readers said, “ I used cake flour instead of all-purpose flour the cupcakes turned out very dense, but still very delicious.” I don’t know if the cake flour had something to do with it. I hope that helps.
I made these today as it is my birthday… They are too dense . My kids love cupcakes and they did not like these
Hi Sarah! I’m sorry to hear that. Dense cupcakes are most likely due to using too much flour or over-mixing the batter. I have a tutorial on how to measure ingredients HERE.
I used this recipe for my uncle birthday. I had the same outcome and followed the instruction to the T. If I had time and extra money I’d would have found a new recipe and remade them. They’ll have to do for now. I’ll just explain to everyone.
Hi Crystal! I’m sorry you ended up with dense cupcakes. We have excellent results using this recipe. It is well-loved on our website with excellent reviews. Dense and dry cupcakes are usually a result of using too much flour, not measuring wet/dry ingredients correctly, over-mixing the batter, or over-baking. I highly recommend using an internal oven thermometer to see how your oven heats, every oven bakes differently and adjustments may need to be made. Also, see my tutorial on how to measure ingredients correctly, HERE. I hope that helps in your future baking endeavors. 🙂
Hi Natasha, I’ve only tried this recipe once, and I’m sure that I followed it correctly, but after cooling, I found that the cupcakes and the liner were quite greasy. It’s possible I added too much bitter, but I don’t think I did…is there anything else that could have caused that? Perhaps not mixing for the whole 5 minutes?
Thank you
Hi Rachel, are you using the correct amount of butter? 1/2 cup = 8 Tbsp of butter. Also, make sure it’s softened and not melted. It could be the mixing if that is the only thing that was changed. I haven’t had that experience where the liner turned out greasy.
The BEST cupcake ever. They were delicious and I will be making them often!
Great recipe! I used cake flour instead of all purpose flour the cupcakes turned out very dense, but still very delicious.
I thought I measured the flour exactly and made sure it wasn’t packed in, but this is my first time trying cake flour in cupcake recipes so I’m assuming my change of flours is what did it and not the fault of the recipe. 😊
Actually, I also used pure vanilla bean paste instead of pure vanilla, but I’m not sure if that would have been significant enough to make a difference.
Would adding a little oil into the batter into a thick batter be a reasonable fix if it happens again?
The taste of the cake was beautiful! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Christy! I’m glad you loved the taste of these cupcakes. I always recommend making the recipe first as instructed and then making adjustments/substitutions from there. I have not tested this with cake flour to advise on what the issue would have been. Dense cupcakes usually result from too much flour. Here is a helpful tutorial on how I measure ingredients, HERE.
Best recipe ever! My kiddos loved it and cupcakes are so fluffy. First time making cupcakes and they were a hit with my kids! Thank you
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
hi, im nevaeh. I love baking and this cupcakes where amazing thanks for the recipe my fam loved them. YOUR AMAZING
It’s wonderful to meet you and thank you for your kind message.
didnt turn out very nice. there was a film of wet moisture on top and I followed the recipe exactly. I did however use oat milk instead. wont be making these again.
Hi Kim, I haven’t had that experience and I suspect it was the substitution of oat milk that might be the culprit. I haven’t tested that in this recipe but it’s good to know it does not work well.
Cupcakes shrink considerably when cooling. What could be causing this? Lovely dome when pulled out of oven, then it’s like they deflate in just minutes.
Hi Lisa. I’m happy to help troubleshoot. A couple of things to check. Make sure your baking powder is not expired and that your oven is fully preheated before putting in the cupcakes. Often times this could be due to the oven temperature so I recommend using an internal oven thermometer to check and see how your oven is heating. You may also find my tutorial on how to measure your ingredients correctly, HERE helpful. Measuring correctly will ensure the most consistent and a well-balanced batter. Be sure to not over-mix your batter. I hope this helps.
Heavy batter. More like a muffin. Not tasty, not bad , just not good.
Sorry to hear that. Did you make any substitutions or do anything differently? I have not had that experience with this recipe. A dense and heavy batter is usually due to using too much flour. Watch my tutorial to see how to measure your ingredients HERE.
I couldn’t place the texture but yes, definitely like a muffin. Maybe even more so.
Can I just use regular milk as I don’t even like butter milk make me sick to my stomach even just the smell of it
Hi Pearl, yes you can, but the buttermilk is what gives this cake its amazing crumb and texture. You can also make your own buttermilk at home using 1 cup of milk to 1 tbsp of white vinegar, stir and let sit for 5-10 mins until curdled. This is not quite like store-bought buttermilk so it may not effect you the same way but this substitution works really well in place of buttermilk in cakes.
We made these cupcakes and they were absolutely amazing! Can I add sprinkles into the cupcake batter to make it into a confetti cupcake?
Awesome, thanks for the great review! I’m sure that will be a good addition to these cupcakes.
The cupcake was really good, but the icing came out soupy. Any advice?
Hi Brie, there are several factors. It could be because o using too much cream, overbeating the mixture, or using more egg white than necessary. I recommend rewatching the video and making sure that the ingredients were all measured correctly too.
Amazing!!! I am usually not a great baker because I don’t have patience to follow all the steps but this time I did – followed the recipe to a tee and they were absolutely perfect!!
Very nice and great job! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
Would these cupcakes taste good with oreo frosting?Great cupcakes though i personally dont like vanilla added so i dont put it and it tastes great.
Hi Emma! This recipe is versatile. I think Oreo frosting would be great.
Making these tomorrow! I bought all of the ingredients but forgot buttermilk. 🙁 do you think that it would be possible to substitute it with plain yogurt? It’s a organic brand and pretty runny.
Hi Kristina! I haven’t tested it but that may work. You can also make your own buttermilk with 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp vinegar. Stir and let sit for 5-10 mins until it curdles and its ready to use.
Hello going to try soon. Is it possible to use whole milk instead of buttermilk? Would it make a difference
Hi Misa! Buttermilk gives this the best texture and flavor. You could use whole milk to make your own buttermilk. 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp white vinegar, stir and let sit for 5-10mins until it curdles and its ready.
If I’m using Jumbo cupcake liners/pan what does bake time change to? Thanks
Hi Mo! I have not made this in the jumbo version to advise. You will have to keep an eye on them and start with an extra minute at a time.
Thanks so much Natasha for another amazing recipe!
I am about to make this for my son’s birthday for his classmates. I am wondering is it ok if I double the ingredients to make 24 cupcakes? Or better to do each dozen separately?
Yes, you may double the recipe. If doubling the recipe, I would recommend using the same ingredients without substitutions, otherwise, it’s a guessing game and needs testing.
I usually use a scale to measure how many grams I need when I bake. May I ask how many grams is equivalent to your 1 cup？
Hi Lolo, click on “metric” in the recipe card and you will be able to see the grams.
Hi Natasha
can i substitute the butter with sunflower oil?
Hi Carlyn, I haven’t tested that so I can’t make that recommendation.
Thank you for your response Much appreciated kind regards xx
These were delicious, and I already had all the ingredients — double win! (I used oat milk because it’s what my husband and I drink, and I can report that these still turned out great!). The batter was thick and silky and the cupcakes are dense but moist and soft. Extra tasty with strawberry buttercream frosting!
Perfect timing! Thanks for sharing your experience trying out this recipe, we appreciate it!
I just turned 10 and I made these cupcakes with my mom for my birthday party. They are the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Happy Birthday, Cora! I’m so glad you loved the cupcakes. Thank you for sharing that with me.
My husband and I made these and as he is a diabetic, we used 1/2 Splenda and 1/2 sugar. Our cupcakes turned out dry. Could that be why? The batter looked like the picuture and we baked for 22 minutes. We are new to scratch baking so am curious why they are dry. Any advice?
Hi Keely. I have not tested Splenda in this recipe to know if that could be the cause. The most common reasons for dry cupcakes is using too much flour and overbaking. Be sure to measure your ingredients using this tutorial. I also highly recommend using an internal oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven temperature. I hope that helps.
Quick comment – I followed the recipe exactly, and my cupcakes overflowed. I used large sized muffin tins.
Hi Jan, that shouldn’t happen, but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you bake 15 of them and fill them half full? If you overfill them and don’t give them room to rise, they can overflow. Also, if you filled them correctly, are you certain you didn’t switch the baking powder and baking soda measurements? Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder and that could cause a similar situation. I hope that helps for next time!
I made these for a 50th birthday party. Everyone loved them. I was asked to make these cupcakes for a wedding reception. Not all recipes turn out if doubled. Would you recommend doubling this recipe?
Hi Lycreica. That would be fine, I make a double batch of these for family gatherings. Just be sure to use a bowl that is large enough and make sure the ingredients incorporate well without over mixing your batter.
I made these tonight for work tomorrow. I really didnt think they would turn out because the batter was so thick but they turned out great. So light and moist. I doubled the recipe for 24 cupcakes. I was looking for a vanilla cupcake recipe for so long that i really love. This is it! Thank you Natasha
I’m so glad you found this recipe, Penny! Thank you for the review.
I was craving vanilla cake and chose this recipe because I love buttermilk in baked goods. The only change I made was to swap out the vanilla extract for 1 tablespoon of my homemade vanilla bean paste.
Cake itself is light and fluffy with the finest crumb. Thanks for sharing it.
You’re very welcome, Allie! I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks from an 🇮🇹 italian granma. My 4y grandoughter asked me cupcakes: never did it. I immediately looked out in the web for a real american recipe and chose yours. I made buttermilk with lactose free cooking cream and lemon and added finally whipped egg whites. 👌 really perfect dough
That’s wonderful, Linda! Thank you for sharing that with us. 🙂
What type of butter did you use? For the baking powder did you use 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp?
Hi Elizabeth, I always use unsalted butter unless I state it otherwise. For the baking powder, I used 1 and 1/4 tsp, or 1.25 tsp. I hope you love the cupcakes!
if you use salted butter you might as well just not add salt.
I have tried this recipe several times over the past few weeks with my grandchildren. it’s the best cupcake recipe quick and easy.
That’s wonderful, Pauline! So glad it’s being enjoyed! 🙂
I was trying to make an Ube cake last night and I tried 4 recipes, ran out of ube jam and burned ube powder while trying to hydrate it and I am 7 months pregnant with twins so I was feeling done and sick and tired. So I decided to look up a vanilla cake recipe and just add ube extract and purple food coloring and call it a night and this recipe was amazing for my needs! I tried two vanilla cake recipes, swapped out vanilla for ube extract and I put oil instead of butter because I wanted to save my butter for my frosting. Anyways this recipe came out perfectly purple and dense enough to use for cake and it was such a relief to have found it. Thank you.
Hi Ashley! I am so glad you came across this recipe. Thank you for sharing your experience.
These cupcakes are unreal!! So good!! I just tried one once it cooled and it was so perfectly moist. Only thing I changed is I lowered the temp to 345 and baked for 20 minutes. In the photo, the bottom looks a little dark for my liking so I figured lowering the temp might remedy that. They were perfect, inside and out.
That’s great! Thank you for the feedback and review.
These cupcakes were delicious, I followed the recipe exactly. Baking time in my oven was only 18 minutes!
Glad you enjoyed them, Sherry!
My job has been understaffed for a bit and I’ve been getting a lot of decorating videos on my feed so I decided to treat my coworkers. No feedback from them yet as my second batch is baking right now but these check all the boxes. Simple recipe, easy to make, and delicious. The fun part will be decorating them, but these make the perfect flat tops for something delicate yet intricate.
Hi Shelby! Thank you for the review and feedback. I hope that your coworkers love the cupcakes.
Perfectly most, light, and fluffy!!
Made them mini cupcakes and baked for about ten min 💯🙌🏼
Also added sprinkles for a confetti look 🎉
Thanks for the best recipe!!
Great feedback, Evelyn. Thank you for sharing. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂
Thank you for the information about mini cupcakes and baking time!! 🙂
Baked these for a friend today, put the mix in the pans and then pushed a few choc chips in some of them. The rest, I waited until baked and put a small slit in the top to hid a sour jelly bean! Topped them all with condensed milk frosting.
Hi Sandra, that sounds wonderful!
Followed the recipe.
The only thing I didn’t let set to room temp were the eggs. Turned out dense and a little dry.
Glad I baked them the day before to test them out!
Hi Brittney. This is often due to using too much flour. Be sure to measure your ingredients correctly by viewing this tutorial.
I was looking for a good vanilla cupcake recipe. I tried this one and I LOVE it. I ended up making a second batch and added sprinkles to the batter for a funfetti cupcake. Turned out fabulous. Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe 😊
Hi Cheryl, thank you for your good comments and feedback. Happy to know that you loved these cupcakes!
Been looking for the best vanilla cupcake recipe. Finally got the very best, tried this recipe and it’s everything i love about vanilla cupcakes. Thank you Natasha!
Sounds like you found a new go-to! That’s so great, Amty! Thank you for your wonderful comment!
I was wondering if you have the measurements in grams instead of cups? I prefer to weigh my dry ingredient-much faster! Thanks.
Hi Charis, If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help.
Hi what is buttermilk? and what is the amount in milliliter?
Great!! They came out absolutely delicious! They were insanely fluffy and the perfect light, airy, cakey(?) Consistency, however, I did have to bake them for about 25 minutes, so a bit longer than it said but still perfect! I put cherry vanilla swirled buttercream on them after they were done, my whole family loved them! Which is quite rare so 10/10 for me! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hi Kayley, love the awesome review! Thank you for sharing that with us and for giving this recipe a perfect rating!