Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
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You have to try this vanilla cupcake recipe! This is the first cupcake recipe I’ve posted. Ever! I’ve posted muffins but not a true cupcake. I guess I’ve been waiting to discover this. My sister Alla introduced me to this recipe. She’s made it several times and each time it was perfect (naturally, if I eat at least 3 cupcakes, I request the recipe).
The original dough recipe is from Glorious Treats who tested scores of cupcakes before arriving at this fantastic and truly perfect cupcake recipe. She has also recommended cake flour for best results.
I decorated these beauties with raspberries or halved strawberries and basil leaves and the colors were so striking and lovely. They went fast at the baby shower. I suspect people ate more than one because not everyone had a chance to try them (and there were 45 since I tripled the recipe!). I don’t blame you for sneaking multiples ;).
P.S. F.Y.I. Readers who live in high altitude areas have reported that the cupcakes don’t rise as well in high altitudes.
PPS. According to the original recipe author, you can create a 9″ cake out of this recipe. I have not tested this but several readers have reported good results turning it into a cake. You would need to double the recipe for two 9-inch cake layers.
Servings: Makes 15 regular-sized cupcakes
Ingredients for Vanilla Cupcake Recipe:
1 1/4 cups cake flour *measured correctly (Watch How to Make Cake Flour) or Canadian all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil (vegetable or extra light olive oil also work)
1/2 cup buttermilk or plain kefir
Click here for the Best Cupcake Frosting Recipe (as photographed here), or try this new Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
How to Make the Best Vanilla Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups cake flour (or Canadian flour), 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed (30 seconds).
4. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed (1 minute)
.
5. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed. The batter will be thin.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. I use a level ice cream scoop for even measuring. Fill liners to about 1/2 full (do not over-fill).
7. Bake for 12 -14 minutes at 350 °F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. My oven takes 14 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove. Note: if baking mini cupcakes, bake 10 minutes.
Once the vanilla cupcakes are cooled to room temp, pipe on the frosting. I used this amazing cupcake frosting recipe. When piping on the frosting, I didn’t have the right frosting tip so I just used the coupler and made about circles working from the outside in. It was perfect and super easy!
P.S. Use lots of frosting. No one likes a gimpy cupcake.
Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour or Canadian all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or plain kefir
Instructions
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 cake flour (or Canadian flour), 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
-
Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed (30 seconds).
-
Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed (1 minute)
-
Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Add half of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed. The batter will be thin.
-
Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full (Do-Not overfill)
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Bake for 12 -14 minutes at 350 °F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove. Once the cupcakes are cooled to room temp, pipe on the frosting.
Recipe Notes
A note about the flour: all-purpose works, it just doesn't produce a cupcake quite as soft as cake flour or Canadian Flour.
P.S. Thank you all for trying this recipe and making it so popular! We’ve had to turn the comments off on this one after reading 1,231 of your amazing comments and reviews. Thank you all for trying this recipe and sharing it with the people you love ❤.
natashaskitchen
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Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi
Terry again. How do I get 1/4 cup of cake flour? What is the flour:cornstarch ratio?
Hi Terry, here is our recipe for how to make cake flour. If you experiment with another, please let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi
What is the measurement for 1 1/4 cups cake flour?
Hi Terry, I’m not sure I understand the question. This recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of flour. Are you looking for the metric measurement or weight?
I don’t have cake flour, so I wanted to know what is the 1/4 cup ratio with AP flour and cornstarch, please
Hi Terry, here is our recipe for how to make cake flour. If you experiment with another, please let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Terry, here is the tutorial for our homemade cake flour.
Can I make it vegan and into a cake? I know I can substitute the diary milk with soy or almond, but will omitting the egg affect the final outcome?
Hi Elaine, I haven’t tested that to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I just made these with Bob’s red mill egg replacer and they were fabulous!! Impossible to tell that there is no egg in there.
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha
I have tried several recipes and all failed. So I am looking forward to trying this one. Could you tell me what is the measurement for flour and cornstarch for 1/4 cup cake flour, as it states in your recipe?
Thank you.
Soft, moist and smells so good! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Melody!
Can this same recipe be used for a cake also?
Hi Denise, I haven’t tested it as a cake before but several readers have. You’ll need to double the recipe and bake in two 9-inch cake pans. I can’t say exactly on the baking time without testing it myself or if it will work in a 9×13, and I don’t recall anyone giving those specifics. Bake for the time in the recipe, then test with a toothpick. If it’s wet, add 3 to 5 minute
Hi Natasha! The first time I made this recipe, it came out perfect! Moist and delicious!! Unfortunately, when I tried it again, it failed terribly. It overflowed on the cupcake tin in the middle of baking time then deflated and created a creater in the middle. I tried 3x but all failed. I don’t know what went wrong when I made it perfect the first time.
Hi Jenni, wow that is definitely not normal, 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!
Can you use this recipe to make chocolate cupcakes by adding cocoa powder?
Hi Greg, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. One of our readers wrote: “It is super moist and fluffy with a light vanilla flavour. After trying out the vanilla cupcakes a few times, I decided to ads a tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate cupcake and it still turned out great.”
Hi Natasha! I love baking! I absolutely love the flavor of these cupcakes! I made them a handful of times, however I don’t know why the top comes out tacky (almost wet) to the touch. Completely cooked through though. I tried to experiment after original recipe did that twice and still can’t get them to be dry on top! Weird. Any suggestions?
Hi Anya, I’m more than happy to troubleshoot. Were you exact in your measurements? Did you use dry ingredient measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquid measuring cups for wet ingredients? I used a standard cupcake pan. Also, do you live in a high elevation area?
Hi Natasha. Yes I measured correctly and used standard lined cupcake pan. I live in Florida so high humidity.
I am wondering if I can use the same recipe for mini cupcakes? Do I need to change anything besides cooking time?
Hi Melissa, that should work, if I recall correctly, I believe it makes 36 mini cupcakes form one batch, just be sure to fill them only halfway. Also, bake mini cupcakes for 10 minutes.
Amazing recipe. I tried this recipe and it came out delicious. You explained this recipe gently. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I made these a couple times to adjust for high elevation (6300 ft). I found that if you add 1/4 cup extra cake flour they rise better and are a better consistency. So if you’re at high elevation I would recommend adding more flour. My biggest critique is that I feel the vanilla flavor is not very strong. It may because I added more flour for the elevation. My husband even said, “huh they don’t taste bad..they just don’t taste like anything.” We do like stronger flavors but that’s just our thoughts. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your advice on baking these cupcakes at high elevation. You can add a little more vanilla if you prefer more flavor.
Hello Natasha,
Your cupcakes are great, but I can bake only one 12 cake pan at a time. Could you adjust the recipe for 12 cupcakes?
Love the cake flour recipe!
Also, I would like to make this recipe in 8 1/2 x 2 1/2 round cake pan. Could you suggest temperature and baking time?
Hi Susan, you sure can! If you click Jump to Recipe that should take you to our printable option towards the bottom of the post where you can select and change the number of servings you would like to have.
Natasha, this is what I found after changing number of servings to 12.
I can change the decimals to grams (although you should included there), but 1.6 egg?
• 1 cups cake flour or Canadian all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 0.4 tsp baking soda
• 0.4 tsp salt
• 1.6 large eggs room temperature
• 0.6 cup sugar
• 1.2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 0.4 cup canola oil
• 0.4 cup buttermilk or plain kefir
Hi Susan, the scaling does have its limitations. You could weight the eggs and use what you need or use 2 small eggs and that would probably work fine.
Susan, you can always refrigerate remaining batter until the first batch is done. Just remember to cook your pan down before reusing!
I really want to try making this recipe but will I be able to use any other substitute for cake flour such as adding regular all-purpose flour and something else in?
Hi Tressa, here is our recipe for how to make cake flour. If you experiment with another, please let me know how you liked the recipe
Good morning, I’ve been reading a lot of the posts and it looks like this is the recipe I’ve been looking for. My son is getting married next fall and they asked me to make 120 wedding cupcakes. I was wondering if they freeze well.
Hi Elizabeth, I haven’t tried freezing them, but they should freeze well before adding the frosting.
Thank you, I’ll give it a try this week and freeze a few just to see how they turn out. By the way your site is wonderful. You explain things very well.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment!
These cupcakes were so tasty I kept eating them!
That’s so great! Sounds like you found a new favorite Cristina!
Hi Natasha. How do I get a flat top cupcake? I used your recipe and the cupcake was delicious but no flag top for me. Any suggestions on how to get a flat top enough for piping?
Hi Patricia, I recommed taking a look at our Post on Measuring to be sure the ingredients are measured correctly. Also, are you possibly at a higher altitude and need to adjust a few things? I hope this helps
This is my go to cupcake recipe…
! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Sharie!
I have tried this last year. I made 40 cupcakes 20 Vanilla n 20 Choc. Both using same recipe. This is the best eventhough I’m using buttermilk substitute. Thank You. This will be saved to my personal ultimate recipe book. Tqqq!! And by the way I have an order of 150 pcs this weekend. 😉
Sounds like you found a favorite on our blog! That’s so great! Thank you Joey!
How would this recipe work with heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk?
Hi Christina, I have tried it with the vinegar/milk substitute, but we like it better with buttermilk. If you experiment please let me know how you like that
I tired it with cold heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk & veggie oil, (the same measurement in the recipe) and boom! It didn’t affect the taste, density or fluffy-ness at all! I baked them for 22 minutes as well & they were ever so slightly underbaked but perfect. I don’t like such a dry, crumby cupcake.
My kids loved them! I did shift my dry ingredients especially when I use cake flour.
This is the only cupcake recipe I use because it works!
That’s so great Christina! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe & thank you so much for sending that feedback our way.
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect vanilla cucpake and this is it! I’ve tired countless recipes but I was never truly satisfied until I found this one! Moist, fluffy, and great flavor! This will be my go to vanilla cupcake recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Amber. I’m all smiles!
hi natasha,yum cupcakes
is 1 cup flout 120g or 130g as ive seen both,THANKS
Hi Kat, we measure it at 120 grams.
How many days in advance can you make these?
Hi Nataliya, These can be stored for 2-3 days ahead in the fridge. After being washed berries don’t last that long in the fridge and the moisture may cause them to bleed a bit. I would recommend adding those as late as you can so they fresh and crisp.
Absolutely the BEST ever cupcake! I made the cupcakes and took them to work. I asked everyone to rate them on a scale of 1-10. Obviously, 10 being Excellent! I was planning on having them at a wedding shower, so I needed to know if the “passed” the test. The final rating was a perfect “10” from everyone!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times with the Best Ever Frosting and never been disappointed.
However, I do have one question. Most of the time the cupcakes aren’t as full (puffy) as they appear in your post. I baked them with the Convection setting. Could this be the issue? Just curious if you have any idea why they don’t seem to puff up and out, like your pictures.
Thank you!
I’m so happy everyone enjoyed this recipe! I haven’t had that happen before – but we do use a conventional oven (not convection) so that may make the difference. Also, make sure the baking soda and baking powder weren’t switched – I’ve done that before and my cupcakes ended up concave in the center. I hope that helps!
Do you think that using gluten free all purpose Canadian flour would be an alternative or would it change the texture? New to using gluten free flour and trying to find a great recipe! Thanks
Hey there Cassidy, I haven’t tried with gluten free but few of my readers have reported great results using gluten free flour for the cup cakes and for the strawberry layer cake. Let me know how it works out for you!
These cupcakes are amazing!!!! I have been on the search for the perfect cupcake for a year and made dozens of recipes for my same group of girlfriends. Everyone agreed this are the winners!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Dede. I’m all smiles!
Very good recipe
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
These are amazing. I run a cottage food business and made no less than four vanilla cupcake recipes before finally finding this one. This is BY FAR the very best one! These cupcakes have a light, airy texture but can still handle the weight of a traditional buttercream and maintain their shape when pulling them from the cupcake liner. The recipe also seems foolproof- very easy to follow and execute, without much room for error. Natasha is right- using oil instead of butter makes things SO MUCH BETTER on many levels!! Thanks, Natasha!!
I’m so so happy to hear that Renee! Thank you for sharing your amazing feedback with us!
I wouldn’t call these cupcakes. They have more of a muffin taste/consistency. Not sure if it’s due to the buttermilk and/or cake flour. They taste good, just not what I was looking for or expected. Still searching for a delicious cupcake recipe:)
Hi Sam, I’m sorry they didn’t turn out like you hoped. I would highly suggest using cake flour which will give you a lighter crumb.
Nice and fluffy , i realized i forgot to buy buttermilk so i soured some milk with vinegar. I would say it needs more Vanilla taste. I used height quality vanilla but it was still barely coming through.
I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe Vika!
They were greasy and almost rubbery. Not a great flavor either. I did use vegetable oil instead of canola. I will not use this recipe again.
Hi Jessica, It is difficult to say what could have gone wrong without being there as I haven’t had that experience but the vegetable oil should have worked fine. I would suggest this post on measuring ingredients which may help in troubleshooting the issue.
My guests for Easter couldn’t get enough of this cupcake! Easy to follow and delicious! Just a simple sweetness not overbearing and gritty. Moist and fluffy, did not fold in if you don’t over fill the cups. I would be using this recipe everytime! Thank you.
That’s so awesome, Rizz!Thank you for that awesome review!
Hi do you have this recipe in grams or ounces ..I like to weigh my ingredients..thank you
Hi Carol! We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have 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 would these beauties dry out in the refrigerator? I like fruits and whip cream with my cupcakes.
Hi Yen, I would keep them covered in the refrigerator.
Hey! Wondering if I could substitute whole milk for the buttermilk? I don’t have any buttermilk right now and I’m hoping to avoid running out!
Hi Renee, I have tried it with the vinegar/milk substitute, but we like it better with buttermilk :). If you experiment please let me know how you like that
hi natasha 🙂
thank you for the recipe ! ahm. i would like to ask if i can make these beautiful cupcakes without using the oven like steaming maybe. Our oven was broken and i really want to make one for my mother this coming mother’s day to surprise her 🙂
That’s a great question! In haven’t tested another way beyond baking so I cannot advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like that.
14 minutes, more like 30 minutes for them to bake! I was baking these cupcakes for a special event and crumbled right when they came out of the oven.
Hi Allie, I’m sorry to hear that but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. We bake these per the recipe and haven’t the had the issue of crumbling so I suspect they were overbaked.
Hi Natasha, I would like to makes these but my baking powder already has baking soda and salt. Should I still add it? and if not how much of just the baking powder that has all 3 ingredients?
Thank you!!
HI Nathasha, I am not familiar with that mixture – was it sold that way? I couldn’t recommend that without experimenting with proportions or knowing what is actually in it.
I have tried so many cake recipes for vanilla cake. This is the only one that turned out amazing. It’s slightly fluffy and good flavor. This is the third recipe on the website I have made that turned out perfect.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Emily!
Hi
Your recipe is amazing.
I did a little experiment with 1 of the cupcakes. I put the batter of a single cupcake away in the freezer for a few days. I then thawed the batter and baked it in the airfryer. Came out beautiful Was just like the original batch.
Thank you again for this amazing recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Gita! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hi
For the vanilla cupcakes. Must I use granulated sugar or castor sugar?
Regards
Gita
Hi Gita, we used granulated sugar to make these cupcakes.
Good morning! I hope this reaches you in time for my son’s birthday tomorrow 🙂 I will be trying this recipe as it great such great reviews! However, I’ll have a few substitutions as I already went shopping for (a failed recipe’s) ingredients lol.
Can I substitute heavy cream with anything? Yogurt and milk mixture perhaps?
Also, I am specifically making ice cream cone cupcakes. So instead literally putting the batter in an ice cream cone for baking. Since these cupcakes rise a god amount, approximately how much should I put in each standard cake cone?
Thanks so much and looking forward for the tasty treats!
Hi Camryn, I don’t think anything lighter would work in this recipe besides heavy cream or the frosting would be too soft. I wish I could advise on the ice cream cones – I haven’t tested that but it sounds like a fun idea – maybe google to see what others are doing. Happy birthday to your son!
Thank for your reply! And sorry about the typos lol 🙈
I’ll make a run to the store for the heavy cream! And thanks for the tot’s birthday wishes 🙂
Can’t wait to try this yummy recipe!
I hope you love it!!
Hello 🙂
I want to make 60 cupcakes with that recipe! Do you suggest to multiply the ingredients by four, or to do the recipe 4 times?
Thank you!!
Hi Julie! I haven’t tried that but one of my readers recommended to do it in separate batches. For what ever reason it did not work for them to double it (four times in your case. It may be because if you leave the batter on the counter while the first batch is baking, it may effect how effective the baking soda and baking powder are in the recipe. I have always personally made separate batches.
Thank you for this great recipe….
You’re so welcome!!
For a 13×9 baking pan would I just double this recipe?
Hi Tashmier, I haven’t tested it as a cake before but several readers have. You’ll need to double the recipe and bake in two 9-inch cake pans. I can’t say exactly on the baking time without testing it myself or if it will work in a 9×13, and I don’t recall anyone giving those specifics. Bake for the time in the recipe, then test with a toothpick. If it’s wet, add 3 to 5 minute
Can I use extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil ? I thought I had canola but no 🙁 I also have butter but don’t think that’s a good idea
Hi Kris, you might try extra light olive oil (not extra virgin) – I purchase it at Costco and find it to be a really great all-purpose oil which works well for baking and higher heat cooking.
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I made a three layer cake this weekend for the daughter’s birthday and paired it was a classic buttercream frosting. The cake was devoured by all – children and adults. A co-worker mentioned that the cake was “life changing.” =) . Kudos for a great recipe!
That’s so great! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that! Happy Birthday to your daughter!
Thanks for sharing…mine came out great!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Anita!
Love this recipe! It’s my go to recipe for vanilla cupcakes as well as a small vanilla cake. Turns out perfect!
Hi Rashmi! It sounds like you found a new favorite! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!
Great recipe!
I’m happy you enjoyed that! Thank you for sharing your review with us!
Hi there! this recipe look so delicious and i was going to make it for my boyfriend for valentines day! i was just wondering what kind of sugar you used? 🙂
Hi Zoe, we used regular white sugar.
Thank you! Would it be okay to mix the dry ingrediants a few days prior and put it away for usage later on?
Hi Zoe, this batter is meant to be baked right away or the leavening won’t work properly to make the cupcakes rise.
Hi natasha..my cupcakes are in the oven right now but I have a query..what is the size of cupcake liners that we should use ?..thank you so much for sharing your recipe
It must smell so amazing in your home right now Suneeta! They are standard sized 2-inch baking cupcake liners.
Thank you so much dear for your quick reply.The cupcakes cakes came out absolutely perfect and now this recipe will stay with me forever as my go to cupcakes!! You are an awesome cook Natasha.
That’s so great! Thank you for the update! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha
Am an amateur baker and have been looking for a moist sponge recipe for ages. Am very critical of recipes that seem simple but turn out horrible. I must praise you for this recipe. It was quick and simple i even made your cake flour recipe. Today was the first time i tried it and the only thing i did differently was i made it citrus flavored. 2 tsp of lemon zest mixed into the flour. I also made my own buttermilk (buttermilk is not something you will find on trini groceries shelves) with lemon juice and added 1 tbs of lemon juice at the end after all ingredients were incorporate. The cupcakes came out moist with perfect texture. ( I reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup and the salt by 1/2 tsp just a personal preference). U give you 10 stars 🌟
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us! I’m so inspired reading your review.
Hi Natasha it’s Trini again. I used your recipe to make red velvet cupcakes. By just removing 3tbs of cake flour (your recipe)and adding 3tbs of unsweetened cocoa powder plus red food coloring i had the perfect red velvet cupcakes for Valentine’s.
That’s so great, Trini!! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Hi Natasha! Best cupcakes ever, I try a new recipe every week and this is the BEST so far, I have a question, I’m all out of baking soda… any suggestions?? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Mia, I haven’t tried this recipe without baking soda. Buttermilk with lemon may be an option but that would require some experimenting. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Hi Natasha thanks for your reply! So I did not experiment indeed 🙂 im a cupcake freak and have tried every recipe out there, love this one. So I’ll tell you what I did, I didn’t have baking soda as I said(used it for cleaning), so I replaced it with baking soda, and didn’t have canola oil, I used corn oil, didn’t have pure vanilla so used powdered vanilla tubes, and didn’t have kefir or buttermilk, I used 1/4 cup yogurt, with a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of milk and worked perfectly. The only thing was due to the baking powder it has a slight salty taste, but I mean very slight, but once I out my frosting on you couldn’t even notice. The cupcakes were fluffy and just mouth watering, best texture ever and my husband said it’s Thai was definitely the best I’ve ever made. Next time if I don’t have the right ingredients I’ll do this but with less baking powder. Thanks for the great recipe!!! Was a huge hit!!! As always!
That’s so great, Mia! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Delicious and foolproof. Love that you added the mixing times. Very helpful.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Is it ok to use vegetable oil instead of canola?
HI Caitlin, yes a vegetable oil will work.
Thank you for the recipe! Cupcakes are very delicious:-)
You’re so welcome, Anastasia! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
This recipe was fantastic! Definitely delicious. However, I made mini cupcakes and this recipe made 50 cupcakes. I thought it would only make around 30. I also had to bake the mini cupcakes for 14 minutes to get them cooked.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Heather!
I followed the cupcake and frosting recipe as instructed! My cupcakes came out great! Soft and moist just like I wanted, the frosting was great to pipe with. The only thing I swapped was in the cupcake batter I used butter vanilla extract to incorporate some butter flavor. Great Recipe, thanks a ton! I have tried a million cupcake recipes with disappointment but this one was a home run!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
This recipe is so easy and delicious! Thank you!
You’re so welcome!
This is the 4th time I’ve used this recipe and everyone loves them. I make a lemon and blueberry compote and fill the middle and then add some of the compote to the frosting.
That’s so great!! Thank you for sharing that with me! 🙂
Will I be able to use this for a 6inch cake? How do I adapt the recipe to that? Please share if u know… thank u.
Hi Jojo! I haven’t tested it as a cake before but several readers have. You’ll need to double the recipe and bake in two 9-inch cake pans. I can’t say exactly on the baking time without testing it myself and I don’t recall anyone giving those specifics. Bake for the time in the recipe, then test with a toothpick. If it’s wet, add 3 to 5 minutes.
This recipe didn’t work for me, it started out good but when I took it out of the oven it sunk down. I was disappointed because I’m positive I followed every instruction. The cupcake itself was eggy, and had some holes in it. any tips?
Hi Livia, is there a chance you might have swapped the baking powder with baking soda? My sister has done that before and had the same results. I hope that helps to troubleshoot!
I have never been so grateful for a series of posts that I am for these *right now.* such a perfect recipe of vanilla cupcake.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Elon!
I made The cupcakes it was amazing, but im planning to make a cake for this recipe . Im wondering how long the baking time in the oven for a cake 🙂
Hi Via, I haven’t tested it as a cake before but several readers have. You’ll need to double the recipe and bake in two 9-inch cake pans. I can’t say exactly on the baking time without testing it myself and I don’t recall anyone giving those specifics. Bake for the time in the recipe, then test with a toothpick. If it’s wet, add 3 to 5 minutes.
Hello Natasha I truly love this recipe hands down its the best vanilla cake I’ve tasted thus far. I have once changed the vanilla extract to strawberry and added pink coloring to it to create a layered cake, it was amazing. Now I have a strawberry two layered half sheet cake request… so my question is how many times should I multiple the batter to full the half sheet pan? Or do you have another wonderful recipe that I can use for the strawberry sheet cake?
How cool! Thank you for sharing your strawberry version with us!
Hi, I was going to make these, but I couldn’t find any vanilla beans. Do I need to add them?
Hi Lilly! If you don’t have vanilla beans to make your own vanilla, vanilla bean paste or extract will do. Hope this helps!
The easiest and most perfect cupcake recipie. Thanks Natasha!
Thank you for this amazing review!!
Hello, can you substitute the oil for unsalted butter?? If so how much?
Thanks😊
Hi there! I haven’t tested butter with this recipe so I can’t really recommend it. My experience with butter in certain cupcake recipes is that it tends to make them firmer, especially after refrigeration. This is why I prefer oil over butter for cupcakes.
This recipe turns out so beautifully! the cupcakes are perfect!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Blandine!!
I make these.all the time. Always a hit. I pair the vanilla cupcake with a dulce de leche cream cheese icing. Or sometimes I take out 2 tbsp of flour and replace it with 2 tbsp pumpkin spice and top it with cinnamon cream cheese icing! Yum!
Could you convert this revipe to a chocolate cupcake?
That sounds amazing! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. One of our readers wrote: “It is super moist and fluffy with a light vanilla flavour. After trying out the vanilla cupcakes a few times, I decided to ads a tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate cupcake and it still turned out great.” Thank you for sharing this great review with us!
Hello! I absolutely loved this recipe! It’s my absolute favorite vanilla cupcake recipe however they turned out a bit salty… it also amazed me they tasted so buttery when there was no butter in them!
Hi Anna. I didn’t notice that they were salty but you can cut down on the salt without negatively affecting the recipe. I’m happy that was the case, many readers used butter instead to allow a more buttery flavor! 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I would love to make these for a bridal shower. Do you think I should make them and freeze or make the batter and freeze it?
Thanks much!
Hi Joy! I haven’t tried freezing them, but they should freeze well before adding the frosting
Hey, could I use vegetable oil instead of canola oil, if not then what other substitutes could I use?
Hi Tatyana! Yes it sure can!
Hey dear! The recipe is amazing, frosting and all! Can I put the berries and basil on tonight for a wedding shower in the morning or will it bleed in to the frosting? Thank you!
Hi Natalie! These can be stored for 2-3 days ahead in the fridge. After being washed berries don’t last that long in the fridge and the moisture may cause them to bleed a bit. I would recommend adding those as late as you can so they fresh and crisp.
These cupcakes are awesome, never thought about using oil instead of butter, great recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hey Natasha, George here! I was just wondering if i can use just plain all pourpose flour instead of Canadian or cake flour! Thank you in advanced! <3 :)(:
Hi George, I’ve done it and it works but they are not as soft. If you have corn starch and all purpose flour, you can make your own cake flour easily. 🙂
George thanks you very much!
Hi Natasha,
I’m from Australia and haven’t heard of Canadian flour.
So what is the ratio of the corn starch colour and all purpose flour?
Hi Thi, here is our recipe for how to make cake flour.
I had just made those cupcakes and they were delicious and fluffy!
My kids loved it!
Thank you so much!!!!
That’s so great, Patricia! I’m so happy you all enjoyed that!
Hey! Mine came out super moist and fluffy but almost like they had a sweet corn muffin taste/consistency… Is that what they are supposed to be like or if not any idea what I may have done wrong? Thank you for the recipe!!
I figured out my mistake! Going to try again! 😂🤣
What was your mistake? Mine had a corn muffin taste as well but so moist and fluffy I loved that part.
Hi Selena, did you change anything about the recipe? Also, did you possibly over-bake? I’ve had them taste more dense and almost cornbread-like once when I over-baked. Over-mixing could also cause this. I hope that helps!
I made these today for my great grand daughter’s 4th birthday party tomorrow. I made a double recipe and made 1/2 in white, then to the rest of the batter I added 1 TBSP cocoa powder and they are delicious as well. They rise beautifully and are so light and delightful. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Hi Betty! Sounds like you found a new favorite! Thank you for sharing this wonderful review with us!
Love how these turned out; would like to make chocolate ones with the same ingredients, but not sure how to go about it, looked at your chocolate recipes but I can’t have coffee.
Hi Maryanne, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. One of our readers wrote: “It is super moist and fluffy with a light vanilla flavour. After trying out the vanilla cupcakes a few times, I decided to ads a tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate cupcake and it still turned out great.”
Hi I made these cupcakes today and It taste great. One issue is the cupcakes are rising in the oven but deflated and ugly once cooled.
What could be wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Yvonne, I haven’t had that happen before – did you use a conventional oven (not convection) and also make sure the baking soda and baking powder weren’t switched – I’ve done that before and my cupcakes ended up concave in the center. I hope that helps!
Definitely going to try this recipe ! Looks yummy
Thank you for that wonderful compliment! Enjoy!
My two little ones had been asking to do some baking for the past 2 days, finally I gave in and instead of making our go to choc cupcake recipe I decided to google “quick, easy, plain cupcake recipe ” and found this recipe. My 5 year old daughter, 3 year old son & I gave this recipe a go and ohhh my goodness, not only is this recipe quick and easy this is the most delicious, light, soft cupcake we/I have ever made, this is our new favorite cupcake and we will be making this all the time. Thank you for sharing. Happy Tummies
Ivy, Luke and Mum (New Zealand)
Aww that is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great! Thank you for the wonderful review and sharing that with us!
I tried to follow this recipe but I have the impression I made a mistake because my cupcakes taste eggy, has anyone experienced this?
Hi Kriz, I haven’t had that experience. It could be due to a substitution or change in the recipe? It’s difficult to say without being there.
Hi. I have made a lot of different cupcake recipes over the years and this one was by far the best. Thank you for sharing yours with us.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can this recipe be used to make a cake when doubled?
Hi Marakie, yes 🙂 I have a note on that towards the top of the recipe post.
So I baked these for a school assignment, but I realized that I actually didn’t need them today, more rather, I needed them for next week. How can I save these cupcakes? Or should I just use this batch for something else and make a new one for when I actually need it?
Hi Sitapa, I haven’t tried this yet, but they should freeze well before adding the frosting.
Oh my goodness. The BEST cake ever! At the last minute this morning, I made a 9 in cake for my (surprise;) 3rd baby’s 1st Birthday party today with this recipe and it was to die for! I had already made 24 cupcakes, but I wish I had made cupcakes with this recipe instead of King Arthur’s Chocolate Cake mix (GF)- not that the cake box mix is bad but it’s not as pure as this. I used my favorite Cup4Cup Gluten Free flour that I always use when baking or cooking, and you would never know it’s GF. Also didn’t have buttermilk, so used sour cream and water in place of buttermilk. I have bookmarked this page!!
Thank you Alisha, for such a nice review and for sharing your version of the recipe 😀
can i use veg. oil instead of canola oil?tnx
Hi Cecille, yes a vegetable oil will work.
Just made these almost exactly and they were delicious! Used regular flour instead as I didn’t have cake flour or corn starch. Made them into little Minnie Mouse cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday. Frosting was light and yummy but not as stiff as I had wanted.
Hi Anny, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! For the frosting, it helps if the ingredients aren’t overly softened and also to beat your cream straight out of the fridge while it is chilled until it is stiff and spreadable. If you start folding in the whipped cream while it is too soft, the frosting will also be soft. I hope that helps for next time! 🙂
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe, I loved them. I was just wondering if you could freeze the batter for latter, and if you can how would you do that. thank you 🙂
Hi Julie, I honestly have not tried freezing the batter so I’m not sure if it would work. I wish I could be more helpful with that, but I don’t know if the leavening would still work after freezing and thawing. It’s usually best to bake soon after the mixture is combined.
I froze another cake batter and the cupcakes came out great.
So happy to hear that, Kathleen!
Can you use yoghurt instead of buttermilk/kefir?
Hi Anneke, one of my readers, Anna, wrote in with the following helpful review: “you can also use plain yougurt thinned with water. This was an amazing recipe-my cupcakes have never been stellar, but this was an incredibly delish cupcake. Thank you!”
Made these a couple of days ago and they were delicious!!!!!
Yay, I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe Lena! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Natasha,
I have made this as cupcakes/layered cakes countless times and always turned out wonderful.
I have got some caramel flavouring (store bought) lying around and wondering if I can use this in place vanilla. Would you think it will be overpowering if I use the same amount as Vanilla Extract?
Hi DS, I haven’t tried adding caramel flavoring instead of vanilla but I think it would be worth experimenting. You might google substituting vanilla with caramel flavoring. I haven’t tried that product so I can’t give any specific advice on it.
Hello, I am wondering if I can make mini cupcakes with this recipe? Has anyone tried making mini cupcakes using this recipe?
Hi Melissa, if I recall correctly, I believe it makes 36 mini cupcakes form one batch, just be sure to fill them only halfway. Also, bake mini cupcakes for 10 minutes.
Living here in Colorado you have to altitude adjust anything that requires baking soda or baking powder. I altitude adjust mine and they come out just right. It’s a learning process, something I had to learn as I’m from Texas.
I’m glad the recipe is a success! Thanks for sharing your helpful review! 🙂
The best vanilla cupcake recipe that I have found. Thank you for sharing.
Wow, that’s quite the compliment! I’m glad you love the recipe Alice, thanks for sharing!
Made these cupcakes and they were amazing! Everyone had positive things to say about them. Would this batter still produce the same light fluff texture if it were made into a cake? Can it be used for a 6″ three tier cake? If so, how long would I bake the layers for?
Hi Paige, I have not tried making this into a cake but the original recipe author said that if you double the recipe you can make an eight or 9 inch round cake. It seems as though she kept the baking instructions the same.
I’ve always been searching for the Perfect Vanilla Cupcake. But all turn out to be either not enough flavour, or the top of the cupcake are usually “harden”. But! I’ve finally found the Perfect Vanilla Cupcake! I made it yesterday and this cupcake was super moist, super soft. And now i’m just gonna used this vanilla cupcake for the rest of my life 😀 Thank you so much for the recipe!
Elyn, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review and you are welcome 😀.
DELISYOSO!!!
Just made a little tweak. I did used cake flour. I used just 1/2 cup sugar. I realized that I don’t have buttermilk so as Asian as me, I used coconut milk. I used olive oil instead of canola oil.
For the frosting, I used your Prague frosting recipe with lots of tweak. I used 1/3c coconut milk, 3eggs,1/4c honey and a cup of chocolate chips. The end result was so soft & silky. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for sharing your review and how you improvised. I’m sure that will help others who may not have something on hand. Now I want to try your variations! 🙂
I have been searching for a long time for a good vanilla cupcake recipe & tonight I found it!!! Thanks for the recipe! Made two dozen & most of them were gulped down by two of my grandsons before they were even frosted! Yum!
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. Thank you for sharing that with me 😀
This is a great recipe! It is super moist and fluffy with a light vanilla flavour. After trying out the vanilla cupcakes a few times, I decided to ads a tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolate cupcake and it still turned out great.
That’s so awesome, thank you for sharing your wonderful review and your idea for making them chocolate. It’s great to know it works 😀.
I baked mine for 14 min and they are still runny with batter… what am I doing wrong? 😮
Followed recepie to the t and filled to half. Is my oven broken?!? LOL
How many am I supposed to get frön one batch? TIA
That is definitely unusual. Do you have that experience with other baked goods? It’s hard to say without being but it really may be your oven based on how you’re describing it. 1 batch makes 15 cupcakes.
I had the same problem. Though I kind of expected it since it normally takes about 22 minutes to get a nice fluffy cupcake from my oven.
Has anyone ever doubled this recipe? If so, did you double all the ingredients or just some?
Hi, I just doubled the recipe and it came out fine 🙂 I doubled all the ingredients… Some people say that doubling recipes is an issue, but I have worked in pastry for a while and have never seen an issue with it.
I’m afraid that the recipe would become dense so I’m adding 2 tablespoons of sour cream for moisture…
Hi Nikita, I haven’t tried that modification so I can’t really say how that would affect the recipe. They always turn out fluffy and soft without needing sour cream. I’m curious though how the sour cream works out for you.
Would I need to make any adjustments to this recipe to make a 6″ round cake? And do you think it would stack well? I’m thinking about doing 4 layers
Best recipe ever!! I used your recipe to make cupcakes for the first time and are delicious!! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy you loved the recipe! 🙂 Thank you for sharing your awesome review!
Hi Natasha! I’ve made these using cake flour & they have turned out fabulous! I’m making your Strawberry Layer Cake for my son’s upcoming birthday (I’ve made it for all birthdays this year and it’s been a hit!), but I wanted to do gluten-free cupcakes for those in my family with allergies. Do you think a gluten-free flour would work with these?
Jacy, I haven’t tried with gluten free but few of my readers have reported great results using gluten free flour for the cup cakes and for the strawberry layer cake. Let me know how it works out for you!
Hi Natasha. Wondering if I can use egg whites instead of whole eggs for this recipe? That is all I have on hand. If so, what are the measurements?
HI Maymay, I haven’t tested it that way so I can’t say for sure how it will affect the recipe. I hesitate to recommend it though since in general, yolks add fat and moisture to baked goods and help to create a smoother batter.
Natasha,
Can I substitute melted margarine instead of Canola oil?
Hi Azka, I haven’t tried that substitution so I can’t say for sure. If you experiment, let me know how it works out 🙂
Wow, looks delicious and so easy to make! Can i replace this flour with almond meal?
I’ve never tested it that way but I imagine you would have to make other adjustments to make that work.
I just made these cupcakes today. I filled them with a salted caramel filling and then frosted with a salted caramel buttercream. They were wonderfully moist and light, but still held up well with the filling. I will definitely use this recipe again in the future. Thanks Natasha!
Lev, that’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and you are welcome 🙂
These are amazing! Only change I made was to use half butter, half oil for buttery flavour. Thanks!
Rosie, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha , thanks for a great recipe – mine did taste a tad bit floury though- could u help with the flour measure in grand – I’m kind of addicted to using my kitchen scale ☺thanks so much
Hi Ambika, it is unusual that it would taste floury. I haven’t measured it that way and I actually don’t have any ready made cake flour to weight it for you at the moment. Here’s a good chart you can reference. 1 cup is about 120 grams.
Hi. these look great and I hope to try them for my son’s birthday. I wanted to ask if you can use a food processor instead of a mixer to combine the ingredients? Will the regular knife attachment work?
Also do you think it will work if I sub a xylitol/stevia mix instead of sugar? Thanks!
Hi Mo, you could even do these cupcakes by hand with a regular bowl and whisk, you’ll just need to increase your mixing time (which really isn’t long to begin with) 😉 I don’t use sweeteners because I don’t like the flavor of them but that is a personal preference. I haven’t tested it to say how it would affect the recipe to substitute.
Hi Natasha! I love your recipes! I’m really into baking muffins and cupcakes, so I was wondering if you could make more recipes for those. I would greatly appreciate it, Thank you!
Delish flavor and great with the suggested frosting. I made two batches and both came out pretty dense, almost like corn bread/muffin consistancy. How can I remedy this? Any tips?
I used King Arthur cake flour.
Hi Corina, did you change anything about the recipe? Also, did you possibly over-bake? I’ve had them taste more dense and almost cornbread-like once when I over-baked. I sure hope that helps!