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. 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. 
These are wonderful immediately after baking, great taste and texture. However, even if they sit for 9 hours they turned dense and a tad bit dry (stores covered). Again really great if serving immediately but to sit and serve later they still taste good but the texture completely changed.
I love these cupcakes, if I am serving them right away, the taste and texture are perfect. However, when I make them the night before, cover and serve the next day, they tend to get sort of dense and a tad bit drier. Not really sure why, have never had that happen before but again if served right away they are fantastic.
Best vanilla cupcakes ever. I bake these all the time. My daughter just love them. Thank you Natasha for this awesome recipe.
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad this is your go-to recipe for vanilla cupcakes, thank you for sharing.
Hi this is my favorite cupcake recipe but the other day I made and they turned out very eggy any tips on how to avoid that?
Hi Gemma, I haven’t had that experience. Did you possibly have the cupcakes cooking in an outdoor drafty area? Some people (like myself) are bothered by an amplified eggy smell when baked goods cool in outdoor draft, although that is usually more with sponge cakes and meringues that are mostly egg-based. Did the cupcakes bake long enough?
Can i use self rising flour? If so how will that change the recipe?
Hi Allie, I haven’t tested self rising flour so I can’t really say without trying it first. I do know it works well with Canadian all-purpose flour and cake flour. I have an easy tutorial linked in this post for how to make cake flour; all you need is flour and corn starch.
I did this last week, and am about to make another batch in a few minutes! I used self rising flour, salted butter, and omitted the baking soda and salt. It came out great and there were less steps to keep track of.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Renee!
Perfectly moist, fluffy and melts in the mouth. The best vanilla cupcakes recipe I’ve come across after trying a whole bunch that simply always lacked something. Thank you so much Natasha my search stops here!
That’s wonderful, Kay! Thank you so much for sharing.
I made these twice, they were sooo dry I refused to gift them to people!!!
Hi Carolyn, I’m sorry to hear that. These cupcakes have excellent reviews. Common reasons they can be dry are overbaking and using too much flour. If you’d like to attempt them again, I recommend watching our tutorial on how to measure ingredients. You may also check your internal oven temperature with this thermometer, if your oven runs hot, you may need to adjust the temperature or baking time. I hope this helps.
They were probably the best batch of cupcakes I have ever tastes they came out so evenly and I am only 11 and make them on my own!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Aubrey!
I made these for the son’s second birthday and they came out amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! Happy Birthday to your son!
My god I accidently did a bit of mistakes, but these cupcakes are delicious. Thanks for helping.
Oh no, what happened? I hope you’ll be able to still make it work.
Hello,
This may seem silly to ask but is the buttermilk cultured? I am not familiar with it and working on my grocery pickup order.
Thanks!
Courtney
Hi Courtney. buttermilk is a fermented dairy and most buttermilk is cultured. If you have trouble finding this, you can make your own buttermilk using 1 tbsp of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.
Is there a recipe for frosting? I couldn’t find it on this recipe, and I really would like frosting for this treat
Hi Renegade, we have this frosting recipe linked in the recipe, but you can also find it HERE.
Yes there is, here’s the Cupcake Frosting Recipe.
Definitely the most delicious cupcakes ever! Thank you so much for sharing 💜
Love if, thanks for the awesome feedback!
Could I successfully double this recipe?? I will be making 24 cupcakes at a time
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.
Will all of these cupcakes turn out good if i turn up the recipe to 24 cupcakes instead of 12? Or will it mess the cupcakes up?
This recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes, you will need to double the recipe to make 24.
Can I add lowfat 1% buttermilk? Can’t find the full fat at my grocery store.
Hi Haiqa, I haven’t tried this with 1% buttermilk. Any substitutions may hinder the outcome of the recipe. If you happen to experiment with this, please let me know how you like that.
Amazing!!!! So light and fluffy. My mom loved it, deserves a five star rating.
Awesome! Thank you for the five stars and great feedback.
The best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten! I was bored at home with my friend and we didn’t have much stuff to bake with. So we decided on a classic. Vanilla Cupcakes! We searched the web for recipes with basic ingredients and good reviews and we decided this was the best one. I never thought the best cupcakes I was going to eat would be the ones I’ve baked.I used Betty Crocker Vanilla Icing, I was scared it would ruin the cupcakes. but it also tasted amazing with it. And we didn’t have buttermilk so we just added some lemon juice and it was amazing! 100% making this again.
Hello Suki, nice one! I’m glad it turned out great, thank you for sharing that with us.
Look so yummy! Does the frosting tastes more like cream cheese or can you taste the vanilla?
Hi Lilth, the taste is just right. Not too much of the vanilla and cream cheese. I hope you can try this!
Best cupcakes ever!!!
Light, fluffy, moist. Can’t get enough. Thank you thank you
Love from South Africa
Thank you for the awesome feedback, Jenny!
Can we omit the egg yolk to make the cupcakes white not yellowish
Hi Saosan, I have not tried that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
hi there , i was wondering do you have to use buttermilk ?
i making these for easter and i only have whole milk will this work ?
thanks so much.
Hi Elsie, the combination of softened butter and buttermilk creates an amazingly soft cupcake crumb. You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tbsp white vinegar to 1 cup of milk.
You are so fun to watch. I’m making your chocolate cupcakes tomorrow and wondering if this frosting pairs well with them. They’re going to be bunnies so I want a white frosting.
Thanks so much
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Liz
I’m hoping to make one large “cupcake” in a large 5 oz ramekin (3.5″ x 1.5″) for my daughter’s smash cake. How long would you recommend I bake it?
Hi Melanie, I havne’t tried those substitutions so I can’t speak to that, but maybe our Vanilla Cake would be a better alternative? If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi! I made these cupcakes and they came out very good, but the last few times I made these, they were dense. Is there anything I should do to fix this?
Hi Riley, did you change anything about the recipe? Also, did you possibly over-bake? I’ve had them taste denser and almost cornbread-like once when I over-baked. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup. I hope that helps; it’s hard to say without being there.
Natasha coming in clutch for my Ukrainian Bake sale. Outstanding cupcakes, FINALLY A RECIPE THAT ACTUALLY WORKS THAT I DON’T HAVE TO WASTE TIME TWEAKING.
I hope they’re a hit, Dort! Thank you for your fantastic review!
Loved this recipe! But I did notice the cupcakes get a bit hard with refrigeration. But other than that, it was tasty. 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Paula.
Hi Natasha, thank you for this recipe! I am so excited to give it a try tomorrow for my neighbour’s 70th birthday party.
I just have two questions:
1) Can I use margarine (70% fat content) instead of butter?
2) Can I double this recipe to make 24 cupcakes? If yes, do I beat it for the same amount of time?
Hi Dee, you’re welcome. I have not tried using margarine to advise. 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.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes 😊 I have a question, do you have the old recipe of these vanilla cupcakes?
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!
Just to experiment can I add vanilla pudding to the mixture to bring out the vanilla taste more?
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe, Cree!
Hi Natasha! Quick question – can any extra unfrosted cupcakes be frozen for later use and if so, what’s the best way to freeze them?
Thanks!!
Marianne
Hi Marianne, you could freeze or refrigerate them. If it’s up to 3 days, I would cover and store it in the refrigerator. I haven’t tried freezing with the frosting, though, so I’m not 100% sure on how that works, but I would store them in the freezer in an air tight container or or a ziplock freezer bag. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Hi, Natsha! I made these cupcakes and they came out heavy. The bread was dense. Can you tell me what I did wrong? Maybe mixed to long or speed of mixer too high? Please help!
Hi Anna, did you change anything about the recipe? Also, did you possibly over-bake? I’ve had them taste denser and almost cornbread-like once when I over-baked. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup. I hope that helps; it’s hard to say without being there.
Thank you! Im pretty sure I followed the recipe. I’m going to give it another try cause its possible I over baked. Cupcake frosting was amazing though!!!
Natasha, my cupcakes came out delicious the second time around. I’m not sure what I did wrong the first time. They are filled with flavor and so fluffy! Definitely making them for Easter you!
I’m so happy it all worked out Anna! That’s so great!
Hi Natasha!
First off every single recipe of yours is my husbands FAVORITE and he is very picky. So thank you! ❤️
2nd, we live in Colorado so I was wondering if you think we would need to change anything for high altitude?
Thanks so much!
Wow! That’s so great! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Brittnei! I don’t have experience with high-altitude baking but you can find more tips on High Altitude Baking HERE.
Great recipe!
Do you think I could add fresh strawberries to the cupcake batter before cooking?
Hi Maria, I haven’t really tested that to advise but feel free to do an experiment. If you give that a try, please share with us how it goes.
I tried this recipe, the flavour was perfect but my cake sunk in the middle, the top was sweet and moist and the edges were hard.
Hi Kezia, 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
I have just a small question for you 😅 about the recipe and now am little bit confused about the buttermilk in the video you say 1a1/2 buttermilk and on the recipe written at text only 1/2 cup .
which is the correct one?
Please let me know I was to start doing and now am not sure from buttermilk how much .
Thx
Regards
Djordje
P.s:You are amazing 🤩
Hi that me again can you please cancel this comment am so stupid I realised that correct 1/2 cup not more .
Sorry for that 😅
Regards
Djordje
No worries at all!
Hi Djordje, we used 1/2 cup buttermilk!
The best cupcake recipe ever! They came out delicious, vey light and moist, this will be my recipe to go! Thanks from Israel!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipe!
Hi I made these cupcakes and these where delicious. Can I use this recipe for a cake also and like what size cake would it make thanks
Hi Shalima, so glad you liked it! I actually have a Vanilla Cake recipe here that you can use.
I tried this recipe with almond milk instead of buttermilk (Allergies :/) and it turned out amazing!
Thank you, Sarah, for sharing that with us. I am so glad it worked out and that is great to know.
Hi Natasha.
Do you think I could use Greek yogourt instead of buttermilk?
I have yet to get a perfect vanilla cupcake that’s fluffy and delicious.
Hi Jane, I haven’t tried that substitute, but one of my readers mentioned that it works well in the comments. I recommend reading through them to see if you can find more tips on the yogurt substitute! 🙂
I made this recipe and they were indeed very nice. I used sour milk in place of buttermilk
Thank you so much for the wonderful review!
I found these cupcakes to be too dense. I like cupcake to be light and fluffy with a moist crumb. These were dense, reminded me of a texture closer to a pound cake than an actual cupcake. Flavor was fine but won’t be making these again.
Hi Karen, did you possibly add too much flour or change any ingredients? Check out our post on how to measure ingredients for baking which may help.
Looks delicious!Can you substitute eggs with anything else? Egg beaters or applesauce?
Hi Cindy, I honestly haven’t tried any substitute for eggs to advise. I don’t see any comments below too that they used any substitute.
Is their something else you can use instead of butter milk or kefir?
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.
I have a friend that is allergic to dairy in their cupcakes. Can you substitute almond milk for buttermilk?
Hi Eva, I don’t know of any non-dairy substitutes, maybe others can share if they have successfully tried something else? You can also check the comments section below if someone else has tried it.
How many cupcakes does this make? I’m accustomed to seeing that listed at the top of recipes. Thank
Hi Emily, we have that listed at the top of the printable recipe card. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. I hope this helps!
Hi! I made your recipe, but I replaced a couple of ingredients. First, I used all purpose gluten-free flour. Second, instead of buttermilk or kefir, I used Chobani blueberry yogurt. All in all, I ended up with delicious gluten free blueberry muffins. They turned out great! Thanks!
I’m so happy to hear it all worked out, Tricia! Thank you for sharing that with me!
I have your “perfect vanilla cupcake” recipe printed from 2015 (printed bc I must have loved it!). This Recipe is exactly the same except for the butter. Mine has 1/2 c oil instead of 1/2 c butter. We don’t like too much of a butter flavor. Just wondering why you changed it? I may do 1/4 & 1/4. Have you don’t that?
HI Diane, we found the texture to be better with the update. We only update when we feel it is a significant improvement. I’m so glad you love the cupcakes!
I made this recipe, and unfortunately the cupcakes were inedible. 2 tsp of vanilla is way too much and overpowered the whole thing.
Very disappointed.
Hi Claire, I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve never had that experience. Could it be the type of extract that you used? You can always use less as some can be more potent than others.
Hi Natasha,
What will be the baking time and temperature if I make these into mini cupcakes?
Hi Avi, I haven’t tried making a mini version of these cupcakes. I recommend checking out the other comments as others share how they made these into mini cupcakes!
Oh I tried with mini cupcakes and I just did what the recipe said which is 350° and baked them for 15 minutes. My oven is strong so depending on your oven it’s around 15-20 minutes at 350°. My cupcakes came out so good and so soft. You should really try it.
I’ve made these cupcakes 3 times…twice with the vanilla frosting and once with the chocolate buttercream frosting. My family likes vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting and chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting. To be honest you can’t go wrong no matter what, it’s a personal preference. I will say IF you follow each step exactly as instructed you will LOVE these! These are my go to vanilla cupcakes!! Everyone loves them! Thank you for sharing!!
Thank you for your thoughtful review, Vivian!
Do you think the icing could be made with Nutella instead of cream cheese? I need a Nutella icing recipe. Thanks.
Hi Helene, I haven’t tested that but if you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like that!
Hi Natasha! I made these cupcakes, and they turned out awesome! Instead of making ‘cupcakes’, I made the dough into cake pops! They were amazing!! Thank you so much!
(PS: My name is Isabela, and I love all your recipes! I have been a long time subscriber, too! I am 14 years old :)) I am a huge supporter of your business, and you inspired me! Now I own a home-bakery. (And by the way, I am Russian😊) Thank you!!)
Hi Isabela, nice to know that it was awesome as cake pops too! Thank you for sharing that with us, that is so useful.
beautiful flavour and texture! And they rose so perfectly too, will definitely be using this recipe again in the future!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Manu!
I love the cupcakes I make them a lot and my family loves it thanks for the amazing recipe
By the way, I’m 11 and u explain really well
Wow! That’s amazing, keep it up. I am so happy your family enjoys these cupcakes.
Do you have any gluten free cake recopies? very hard to find and expensive Thanks you
Hi Linda, my Almond Cake is gluten-free and so is the chocolate souffle recipe.
These cupcakes are the best!!! Yesterday I tried a different cupcake recipe… and it was a horrible fail – I had to throw them out. (Part of it was my fault…the butter was not at room temperature.) So I was determined to find and bake a better cupcake and came upon your recipe. I was specifically looking for one that didn’t use vegetable oil. I carefully followed the directions and oh my, they are delicious and the texture is PERFECT! I never have to use a box mix again!
Thanks for trying out this recipe, Peggy. I’m glad you loved it! Thank you so much for your awesome comments and feedback.
I had really high expectations for this one as it has very high reviews. But the cupcakes were dry and crumbly even though I followed the recipe as per instructions.
The frosting recipe was good though and saved it from going into dustbin.
I’m sorry to hear that. One of the most common reasons for dry cake/cupcakes is overbaking or using too much flour. Flour settles easily and becomes tightly packed in its container. Make sure you’re not scooping up packed flour, fluff it up a bit beforehand using a large spoon, then spoon the flour into your measuring cup and scrape off the excess making it level by using the back of a butter knife. I would also check the cupcakes a couple of mins earlier, as soon as a toothpick comes out clean, they are done! I hope this helps.
Hi I finished the batter but it looks really seperated will it be okay after baking it or do I have to start over. Please tell me what I didi wrong.
Hi Stella, it can look a little grainy if the temperature of the ingredients was a little too cool. I have had that happen and it still worked well in the end product.
Hello. I would like to try this recipe. Do you have this recipe using weight measurements in grams?
Hi Sharon, 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.
Hey Natasha! These cupcakes are super good! I could not believe what I was eating!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review, Angela!
Made this for my son’s birthday two days ago and everyone loved it! It was Ahh-mazing! It’s moist, melt in the mouth.. sooo delicious! Thank you Natasha for sharing your recipe! This one’s definitely a keeper! ❤️
Happy Birthday to your son! I’m so glad this was a hit!
I’ve made this recipe twice, and each time the cupcakes come out dense like pancakes. I think i might have used too much baking powder, but i thought I’d get an expert opinion before i try again.
Hi Magnus, I recommend ensuring your ingredients are not expired – especially the baking powder. Also, ensure you don’t add too much flour. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
Please help! I don’t have buttermilk in Mexico, any substitute that I can use?
They look amazing ! I can’t wait to try them! And neither my kids! Thank you!
Hi Maria, 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! I am Estella and I am new to your videos and I want to baker when I grow up. Your videos make me believe that I can be what ever I want. I know that every one is a big fan of you but I am your hugest fan. Thank you , I hope I can be like you some day.
Hi Estella, I think that if you really want to be a baker – go for it! Practice as much as you can and learn from the baking videos and recipes online. Wishing you the best!
I’ve made these once before and thought they were fantastic. Since then I’ve had to switch to gluten free so this time I made two batches, one for the family and one with gluten free flour for me. For the first time EVER, the gluten free came out just as delicious as the regular ones and stayed that way for days (instead of turning to cardboard like much gluten free baking does). All I can say is wow…what a perfect cupcake recipe. Thanks so much – this is my go to from now on. And my 4 year old (‘chocolate cupcakes/cake only please’) agrees. He actually asked for these…with chocolate frosting of course.
Hello Sherry, thank you for sharing your experience making a gluten-free version of this recipe. I’m happy that it turned out great! Thanks so much for your good feedback and review.
These were indeed perfect. Made them accordingly with metric measurements and whipped up your wonderful frosting recipe too. The best cupcakes ever! my boy will bring them to school tomorrow too celebrate his birthday. Thank you!
That’s awesome feedback, love it! Thanks a lot for the great review, I hope it becomes a hit tomorrow, and Happy birthday!
Hi Natasha, thank you for this beautiful recipe. I intend to make it but just want to ask what’s the size/dimension of the cupcake mould to perfectly yield 12 cupcakes?
Hi Elaine, I used a standard cupcake tin (this is an amazon affiliate link that should have dimensions in the product description). I hope you love the cupcakes.
Hi Natasha,
How would you adjust the baking time to make mini cupcakes?
Thank you!
Hi Agafiya, I haven’t tried making a mini version of these cupcakes. I recommend checking out the other comments as others share how they made these into mini cupcakes!
Hi Natasha,
Is this possible for you to share the measurements in gms/ml ???
In half cup buttermilk, what is the proportion of milk to curd. ?
Please guide.
Thank you.
Hi there, you can convert the ingredients to grams if you click on Metric. I hope that helps!
I’ve been making these cupcakes for a while now. My grandchildren love them, especially because I add sprinkles to the mix. I have some cake flour I need to use up. Do you think it would be ok to do?
Hi Mary, good to know that they love this recipe. These already have a very soft crumb – they might be overly soft with cake flour. I haven’t tested it with this particular cupcake, though.
Hi, just want to make sure if the metric measurements are accurate. I like to use scale to weight out the flour and just want to make sure these come out great. Thank you! Excited to try out this recipe!
I hope you love this recipe Ashley!
Hi Ashley,
I would like to know what measurements you took in gms to make this recipe ?? Please share if possible. Thank you
Excellent dear thanks a lot . It was such a tasty treat (even without the frosting )when I wanted to eat something tasty 🥰
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Excellent dear thanks a lot . It was such a tasty treat to try just when I wanted to eat something tasty 🥰
Isn’t it the best! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made my forth batch. The kids and husband love them. I add some coloring to make them funny looking. Awesome recipe. I love it.
That’s nice, adding food coloring will be a lovely idea for the kids. Thanks for the review!
Hi I followed the recipe exactly and the cupcakes came out good but bland. They didn’t really have flavor. I did the recipe again this time adding 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract but had the same result. The only thing I could think is the vanilla extract is not good. I used McCormick’s pure vanilla extract. Any help would be appreciated. Thx!
Hi Rebecca, consider if there were any other changes in the recipe or substitutions or reductions such as the quantity of sugar. Also, make sure not to overbake or they can come out dry and seem blander. McCormick should be fine for vanilla.
These cup cakes are amazing the texture and flavor are balanced so perfectly well. I love them. My
favorite cup cake recipe thanks
Hello Esther, thanks for your good comments and review. Good to hear that you loved these cupcakes!
Loved these they turned out amazing. The cream cheese frosting was more loose than yours but I think I know why. It was still super delicious as well
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
This has been my go to vanilla cupcake recipe, so good! I have a birthday coming up and I’m wondering if it would be possible to fold in a half a cup of rainbow jimmy sprinkles at the end to make them funfetti cupcakes? Thanks!
Hi Nat! Sprinkles would be so fun here & I bet that would make the cupcakes look so cute! While I haven’t tried that, one of our readers had and loved it!
I baked these cupcakes earlier today and the entire family loved them! Thank you for such an easy and delicious cupcake recipe!
I’m happy to hear it was a huge hit! Yay! Thanks for sharing.
Followed the recipe to the letter and it came out so good. My four and three years old gave big thumbs up.
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
Natasha, What can I say? These were so delicious and quite frankly, the best vanilla cupcakes I’ve ever made…and I’ve made a lot of cupcakes over the years! The texture of the crumb was so soft and perfectly moist. It was just as great, if not better than bakery quality! Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Tammy! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cupcakes!
Hi Natasha,
I’m wanting to make Rumchata cupcakes for NYE and was wanting to use this recipe as my base. I’m just gonna add cinnamon and rumchata to the batter. Do you think I would be ok swapping the Buttermilk for rumchata?
Hi Monica. I’m honestly not sure as I have not tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Hi Natasha. Could I use this recipe for marble cupcakes by adding a little cocoa to a part of the batter?
Hi Tej, I bet that could work! I would replace some of the flour with cocoa to part of the batter and swirl that in. I hope you love it!
Natasha, I’d like to use this recipe for making cake balls. What size cake pan should I use instead of putting the batter into a muffin pan? I love your recipes and enthusiastic spirit!
Hi Kathy, you may try our Vanilla Cake recipe instead.
Hi, I was wondering if I can double the recipe to make 24 cupcakes and do I just double every ingredient straight across? I wasn’t sure about some of the ingredients like the baking powder. Thanks so much
Also can I use low fat buttermilk? And should I double the frosting recipe too? Thanks
Hi Julie, you can 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.
Dear Nathasha,
Thank you so much for this receipt.
How do you make them flat? For decoration purpose.
Regards,
Olena
Hi Olen, this recipe makes pretty flat cupcakes. I recommend looking at the photos under the section titled “Tips for the BEST Cupcakes:”
The flavor was good, but did not come out light a fluffy, had more like a dry muffin texture, like others have commented. All ingredients were room temp and bkng powder was new/ My oven is correct temp, but I would cut baking time, if I try them again.
Hi Frannie, were there any substitutions in the recipe or changes in the process? I haven’t had that experience so I’m not sure what to attribute it to.
I made these today. Followed the recipe with all my stuff also at room temp…..mine also came out dry and slightly less than Jiffy mix corn bread muffin texture.
Hi, I’m glad you love cupcake thanks for sharing. 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.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi! I’m about to do this now but I’m a bit confused if I should use half a stick of butter (1/4 cup) or a whole stick which is equivalent to 1/2 cup as you stated in the ingredients? I also saw in your video that the butter you used seemed to be smaller than 1 stick of butter. Can you please clarify? Thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Yanie, 113.5 g unsalted butter to be exact.
These cupcakes are delicious and tasty! My sister and I love baking and we found this recipe to be delightful. The frosting is soft and creamy on top of the already delicious cake. Thank you so much for providing this recipe, it caused lots of smiles!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Rakhi!
Amazing recipe. This is a foul proof recipe, came out perfect. Everybody raved about these cupcakes! Will definitely make these again!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Jen!
Hey there, Natasha! I want to add a handful of a mix of dried blueberries and raspberries. Is it okay if I do that?
Hi Anusha! I bet those will pair well! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made these vanilla cupcakes twice. Each time I felt they were dry not moist at all. What could I be doing wrong? I’m following your instructions exactly.
Teresa
Hi Teresa, are you possibly in high elevation area? Also are you using exact measurements for the dry ingredients (filling up the scoop and scraping the top, etc.)
Doing everything I’ve learned from you. (I much more messy now not sticking the scoop in the bag Lol) I don’t live in a high elevation area.
BTW I Love your recipes! I’ve tried so many new things.
Not making this again. Really disappointed. I followed all the directions and left all my ingredients to sit out at room temperature for HOURS but when i added all the ingredients together the completely split it looked hideous so I thought that my ingredients were to cold so left my ingredients out again overnight and tried remaking it today. And it curdled AGAIN i thought it was supposed to happen so I tried baking just yo see how they would turn out but when I tried one it was completely unevenly baked some parts were overcooked and some parts were completely raw. I’m really disappointed and these were supposed to be for my brothers birthday on saturday. Please tell me you know what i did wrong.
Hi Stella, I haven’t had that experience, but I will try to help troubleshoot. Ingredients should not be out for more than a couple of hours to get to room temperature. I would highly recommend watching the video tutorial to see where yours may have started too look different in texture. Regarding uneven baking – that is very unusual. I wonder if it may be an issue with your oven heating unevenly? I highly recommend getting an in-oven thermometer to hang in the center of your oven to track accuracy of the oven.
Hi! Just wanted to say this is one of the best cupcakes recipes I’ve ever tried! My grocery store ran out of buttermilk so I substituted with plain yogurt + milk and it worked out really well 🙂 Thank you so much for this recipe.
Hi Ruth, thanks for sharing that with us. Nice to know that the substitution that you used worked well.
Love the recipe. I made it and the cupcakes turned out fluffy and soft. just wanted to ask you that can i use this recipe to bake a cake as whole instead of cupcakes? would it trun out as soft and fluffy like cupcakes?
Hi Hira, you may use my Vanilla Cake recipe instead.
Hi! I’m going to make these cupcakes tomorrow (hopefully they turn out just as beautiful) but I was wondering, do they have to be refrigerated after baking because of the cream cheese and heavy cream in the icing?? I plan on taking them to work for a coworkers birthday and I wanna make sure they can be left out.
Thank you!!
hey natasha , just wanted to let you know how gorgeous you cupcakes turn out everytime . thankyou for the recipe <3. stay safe .
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review
Hi, I tried your cupcake recipe for my son’s birthday and received lots of compliments from everyone..And myself loved your cupcakes than anything I tried in the past.Perfectly soft and delicious! Greetings from Srilanka!
Hi Darshi! Thank you for the wonderful review! I’m so happy to you’re you’re all loving this cupcakes!
Hi Natasha, first time I tried your cupcake recipe for my son’s birthday and received lots of compliments from everyone..And myself loved your cupcakes than anything I tried in the past.Perfectly soft and delicious! Greetings from Srilanka!
Happy Birthday to your son, Darshi! I’m happy to hear this was a hit!
Could I use half and half cream as a substitute for buttermilk? I have extra on hand I want to use up!
Hi Andy, I haven’t tried using half and half. 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.
These really are the perfect vanilla cupcakes! I always look forward to making these. Both easy and delicious, they don’t last in my house!
That’s when you know it’s a good recipe! I’m so happy to hear you’re all enjoying this recipe, Kayla!
Hi Natasha!
I’ve done this recipe almost a dozen times already! These cupcakes are such a hit in my house!! The cupcakes are always so fluffy and moist. So delicious that sometimes I have eaten a teeny weeny bit of the batter even before baking them 😀
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Lot of love to you, your family and the whole crew behind the camera! ❤
Wow, looks like you have a new favorite and go-to cupcake recipe! I’m happy to know that you loved it.
really good. ive made this three times i think. everytime iv’e made it its made around 9 cupcakes. i would diuble if not tripple the recipe.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Chris!
Just wondering if I can replace buttermilk with sour cream in this recipe please?
Hi Mary, I can’t say that sour cream will work as a substitute here. 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.
What adjustments could I make in the recipe to make lemon cupcakes?
Hi Lynn, I haven’t tried turning this into lemon cupcakes to advise.
Depending on your degree of fondness of lemon flavor, add 1 or 2 tbsp of lemon zest and 1 tsp of lemon extract. Add the lemon zest to the sugar and butter.
Hi Natasha. I dont have buttermilk. Whats the best substitute??? I have plain yogurt. Is this okay?
Hi Kim, 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 Natasha,
For this recipe, I don’t have buttermilk so I will make my own with milk and lemon. But it’s 1 cup of milk for this recipe or 1/2 cup? Because I see 1/2 cup of buttermilk on the recipe.
Hi Jessica, 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.
By far this is now my go to recipe! And hubby who is a cupcake fanatic loved them! Light, airy ans the frosting was so simple yet perfect. Thank you
Hello Sandy, thanks for your review! I’m glad you found your new go-to recipe!
My granddaughter loved the cupcakes. She ate one after school and one the way to a class. They are delicious, easy to make and yummy to eat. Also I like that it makes twelve cupcakes instead of twenty four.
Great to hear that it was a success, Sandra. Thank you for the review!
Wonder why mine cracked? They also rose much higher than yours.
Hi Alastair, it’s hard to say what caused it without being there. I would recommend making sure there were no substitutions both in the steps and ingredients. Also, check out this post on measuring, I hope it helps!
I made these cupcakes for a co-worker’s birthday and they got rave reviews! One person said they were the best they’ve ever had! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for the great review, so glad your coworkers enjoyed them.
Wondering about putting a Hershey Kiss in them. Would you think this batter would work well for that? If so, would you put the kiss in the bottom the cover with batter, push a kiss into the batter to be covered or leave a bit of the tip exposed and the cupcake rises above it? Any tips are much appreciated.
Hello there, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise but I think that will be fine. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes!
Nice thick batter and I pushed Hershey kisses in the cupcake batter but didn’t cover the tip. After they baked, no tip is visible. The kisses sink just a bit and while they were not as soft as a chocolate chip, they are not as firm as biting into an “unbaked” kiss.
It was clear that a kiss was inside. I used both kisses and hugs. I wish I could attach a photo.
I gave them as an anniversary gift, commenting “These are made with hugs and kisses!” (Without revealing was was inside…Surprise!)
I thought my filling amount was accurate but I ended up 16 cupcakes. Tasty vanilla cupcakes and I would make again. Thanks very much.
You’re welcome! Thank you for your review.
I love these cupcakes when they are fresh out of the oven! I recently froze a batch and they are a bit dry. Any suggestions how to make them less dry before I decorate them? Help!
I would just let them come to room temp for an hour, also when you freeze them make sure they are airtight.
Hello. Wondering if it will still turn out the same if I triple the recipe for a party? Thank you!
Hi Lindsay, I’ve tried doing a double batch but not triple but I imagine that will work too!
Thank you for your recipe it’s so delicious 😋
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Amira!
I’d really like to make these pink. Would this recipe hold up with food coloring?
Hi Heather, I honestly haven’t tested that to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
I haver been using this recipe and it hasn’t fail. Do you know if the cupcake will come out the same if I put chocolate chips in it?
I’m so glad you’re loving it, Zoe! I haven’t tried that myself to advise it working but if you happen to experiment, I’d love to know how you like it, Zoe!
This recipe is beyond delicious. The flavor is unsurpassed as far truly vanilla. The scent of the cakes in the oven and once out of the oven, was a testament to this incredible recipe. It was hard to wait for them to cool before tasting. The texture is moist and fluffy and the cupcake removed cleanly from the wrapper. This is my new best vanilla cupcake recipe. Thank you Natasha.
Thank you for your great review, Maria! It made my day, and with your description, I’m now craving these cupcakes!!
It is a very good cupcake just a bit dry. I took them out of the oven when some crumbs still stuck on the tooth pick to taste if done. Texture is light and fluffy and over all a very good cupcake!
These cupcakes and vanilla frosting are the best ever. So light and tender, and not too sweet. The recipe made 13 for me, and it is just enough for the Hubster and me for the week. So happy with this recipe and I will surely make again and againl.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Nancy!
To say these cupcakes are good is an understatement. I subbed with vegan ingredients which is always a gamble. I almost gave up after trying other recipes. This embodies a perfect cupcake, amazing recipe !
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it, Lysa! Thank you for sharing the began tip with us! I’m happy that worked out!
As with every Natasha recipe, this was a hit. I actually put it in 2 6″ pans and baked for 20 minutes. Perfect beautiful fluffy cake. My mother is not a vanilla cake fan and she loads cake with icing… Considering this was my first attempt at vanilla cake and it was so light, I bumped into my cooling rack and broke a layer. I re did the recipe and made my intended cake which I gave to my Ain’t who had surgery and used my one good layer for my father who came by for his birthday (he is a simplistic person) just an old fashion family recipe of his mom’s icing on top. The cake that fell when into Tupperware with a side of the stacked cakes center layer of Ermine whipped cream and my Gmom’s mocha frosting.
But back to the point… Natasha never fails me. My first attempt at vanilla cake and my mother was eaten a broken layer with no icing because the cake itself was so good!!! That’s why I come here for recipes. You made my father’s birthday special… He said even my Gmom just used box cake and I took her frosting and remade it perfectly, but I placed on cake she could never make. I ruined box cake for him!!! My Aunt is a wedding planner and does tastings all the time, and said this was hands down one of the best textured cakes she has had. The caked just melts in your mouth. I used vanilla bean paste so it tasted of real vanilla!!
Thank you for helping me create something beautiful on my first try!!
Hello Rebecca, great to hear from you and thank you for your kind words and good feedback. This helps inspire me to do better and create more content. Thanks so much, I appreciate it!
Is it possible to over beat the butter and ruin the recipe?? When I made them the batter looked slightly different from yours.
Hi, I don’t think you could overbeat the butter. If your butter mixture wasn’t smooth it could be that it wasn’t softened enough. In that case, I would let it rest at room temp for 15 minutes then continue beating until smooth.
Wonderful cupcakes. I believe I’ve just found the cupcake recipe that will be my go to going forward.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
You are so welcome, Careen. Thank you for your review and feedback, we appreciate it.
Hi Natasha
The cupcakes were amazing!!!
I did make homemade buttermilk so how long can I store it in the fridge for?
Hi Amreen, if stored properly, and made with fresh ingredients, you can pour buttermilk into a clean glass jar, cover tightly, and store refrigerated for up to two weeks.
I baked them for 20 minutes and they are very dry, would not make again.
Hi, did you possibly bake them in a convection oven or air Fryer? This recipe is meant to be baked in the center of a preheated conventional oven on regular bake mode.
Hi Natasha, I want to try these but I can’t find buttermilk or plain kefir easily where I live. Are there any substitutes I could use or make buttermilk at home? Please suggest
Hi Kruti, 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.
Hey, I had a question I make these all the time but every time I take them out the oven instead of having that fluffy top like they were in the oven they deflate when I take them out to cool down. My eggs were room temp and as for my buttermilk I always microwave it to get it to room temperature. Idk what happened ? Can you help me ? I love the recipe but they always deflate and it is baked because the toothpick comes out clean so I am so lost
Hi Julie, it’s hard to say what caused it without being there. I would recommend making sure there were no substitutions both in the steps and ingredients. Also, check out this post on measuring, I hope it helps!
Hi
Should these cupcakes be refrigerated if you don’t eat them right away?
How well do the cupcakes and frosting freeze? Meaning if I wanted to make them ahead of time then pull them out the morning of the party?
Thank you
Hi Zofia, you could freeze or refrigerate them. If it’s up to 3 days, I would cover and store it in the refrigerator. I haven’t tried freezing with the frosting, though, so I’m not 100% sure. If you experiment, please let me know how it goes.
Hello Natasha I tried this recipe yesterday it wasn’t a success because it deflated and it was very oily at the bottom of the cupcake can you please help me out
Hi Mildred, it’s hard to say what caused it without being there. I would recommend making sure there were no substitutions both in the steps and ingredients. Also, check out this post on measuring, I hope it helps!
Yes thank you a bunch I guess it had something to do with the amount of butter I really appreciate your help
You’re welcome, Mildred! I’m so glad that was helpful!
I recently saw a suggestion on keeping bottoms of cupcake papers from being too greasy and that was to put one layer of uncooked rice at the bottom of the tin before putting the cupcake paper and adding the batter, then baking.
Hello Natasha, can I have the measurements in grams. I usually don’t get the correct measurement when I measure in cups. Thanks
Hi Beatrice! 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.
Love Love these cupcakes!! The cupcakes and the frosting are amazing and they look so pretty too. I’ve made these 3 times exactly as shown and they’ve turned out perfect. So easy to make too. Just a beautiful dessert for any crowd on any occasion!! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes. Love your videos too!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Syzy!
Is there an easy way to convert this into a chocolate recipe?
Thanks! Can’t wait to try.
Hi Matt, I imagine that is possible, but I haven’t tried that yet to advise you, you’d probably have to make some substitutions. I also have a recipe for chocolate cupcakes, you can also check it out.
Hello!
I haven’t tried these yet but I was wondering if I can make the dough before hand and put it in the fridge or if it is best to bake it right after making the recipe.
Thanks!
Hi Gloria, I wouldn’t recommend that. The cupcakes will likely lose their volume waiting to be baked.
This cupcake recipe is the best I have tried, they are just perfect, do you think they would do as well if I doubled the recipe.
Thank you I love watching your video’s
Hi Jean, you can 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 made these this morning. They are delicious. The tops never browned. Do you know of a reason they did not brown?
Hi Beth! These shouldn’t have too much color. As long as they are cooked through, they should be great! Ovens vary from model to model, and that could be why they have less color.