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.

Vanilla cupcakes with frosting and sprinkles

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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.

Ingredients for vanilla cupcakes with flour, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, butter and salt

How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes:

These cupcakes are easy to master and you will be making bakery-quality cupcakes in no time.

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. 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.
  3. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, mixing to incorporate with each egg then blend in vanilla and scrape down the bowl.
  4. Reduce mixer to medium speed and add the flour in thirds, alternating with adding the 1/2 cup buttermilk and beating well between additions.
  5. 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.

Step by step how to make batter for vanilla cupcakes

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 divide batter into cupcake tin for even rising cupcakes

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:

Cupcakes decorated with vanilla frosting and sprinkles

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.

Fluffy center of a perfect vanilla cupcake

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:

Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

4.91 from 2083 votes
Vanilla cupcake with frosting and sprinkles
This is the only vanilla cupcake recipe you need! They are perfectly soft, rise evenly and go well with just about any cupcake frosting. The best cupcakes!
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 cupcakes

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition then scrape down the bowl. Add 2 tsp vanilla and beat to combine.
  • Reduce mixer speed to medium and add the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the buttermilk, mixing to incorporate with each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined and smooth, and don't overmix. Divide the batter evenly into a 12-count lined muffin or cupcake pan, filling 2/3 full.
  • 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.

Nutrition Per Serving

183kcal Calories23g Carbs3g Protein9g Fat5g Saturated Fat49mg Cholesterol120mg Sodium80mg Potassium1g Fiber13g Sugar292IU Vitamin A38mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Perfect Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
183
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
49
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
120
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
80
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
23
g
8
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
13
g
14
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
292
IU
6
%
Calcium
 
38
mg
4
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cupcakes, vanilla cupcake recipe, vanilla cupcakes
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 183
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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.

My go-to vanilla cupcakes. Perfect every time!

The best frosting for cupcakes or cakes. Easy, delicious and pipes beautifully! | natashaskitchen.
4.91 from 2083 votes (1,316 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Cristina
    February 6, 2025

    Hi,
    I did this cupcakes and they are delicious! The only problem it was that my liners where all greasy. Do you know the reason please?
    Thank you in advanced and thank you for all the recipes!

    Reply

  • Yolanda
    February 5, 2025

    Natasha)) you were right!! The best cupcakes and is the only recipe I will be using!! My kids love it! I made some for their weekly snacks and my daughter took some to school to share with her BFF :)! I also baked these in my mini cupcake pan and it worked!! I just kept an eye on it for time, but they are delicious!! This week I made them again and added some rainbow sprinkles and did some with chocolate sprinkles since I didn’t do frosting (is hard to pack for kids with frosting)Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      February 5, 2025

      That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Yolanda! That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!

      Reply

  • Gabriela
    February 2, 2025

    Is it possible to add starberries to this recipe? My daughter requested starberry cupcakes for her birthday, wondering if I could finally chop some strawberries into the batter or what would work best. Thank you!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 2, 2025

      Hi Gabriela! I haven’t tested any add-ins. I think it would, just be careful not to add too much to weigh down the batter.
      Also- these cupcakes would great to fill with jam or fruit filling too.

      Reply

      • Hazel
        February 3, 2025

        If I’m using a stand mixer, what attachment should I use?

        Reply

        • Natasha's Kitchen
          February 3, 2025

          Hello! If you will be using a stand mixer, the best attachment to use would be the paddle attachment (also known as the flat beater). Hope you love it!

          Reply

  • Mya
    February 1, 2025

    Loved the batter! But the cupcakes did not turn out great. They were gummy and a bit dense. I followed the recipe exactly (only difference was that I made my own buttermilk with your recipe of whole milk and lemon juice) and baked at 350 for 20 minutes. What went wrong? How can I prevent gummy and get fluffy?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 2, 2025

      Hi Mya! This most often happens if your batter gets over mixed- it makes them gummy. Also, please watch my tutorial on How to Measure Ingredients to ensure you’re measuring your flour correctly. Using too much flour will result in a dense crumb.

      Reply

  • Sandy T
    January 28, 2025

    I thought these were great! Only thing I’m wondering is, can I add more powdered sugar to the frosting recipe so that it is stiffer for decorative piping?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 28, 2025

      Hi there! Feel free to add more sugar to the frosting to nmake it stiffer for piping. Just be careful not to add too much because adding too much sugar could make it sweeter than you’d like, so taste as you go!

      Reply

  • Lori
    January 26, 2025

    Can I make these cupcakes and freeze them to use 2 weeks later?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 26, 2025

      Hello Lori! Yes you can make them ahead, let them cool completely, wrap them individually, store them in the freezer for up to 2–3 months. Make sure to add the date in the label so you know when you made them.

      Reply

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