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
- 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
Filed Under
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.
Wonderful recipe! They were perfect!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your great review, Alpha.
I’m confused with this comment. I don’t see sour cream in the ingredients?
Hi Natasha,
I tried this recipe a few days ago and although they were great , they were a bit dry.
I did store them in the fridge uncovered, not sure if this was the culprit or if I did something wrong?
How do you suggest storing them as I usually make cupcakes a day before I frost and serve them.
Hi Sameeha, storing them in the fridge uncovered will make them dry out faster, especially if they are not frosted. I suggest covering in the refrigerator.
I made these for easter but they tasted like cornbread! Do not recommend 🙁
Hi Alex, I’m sorry to hear that, but these are normally supposed to be very soft and fluffy. Consider if maybe some substitutions were made or maybe there was a change in the order ingredients were added or mixed? I highly recommend watching the video to see where things started to look different.
Hi, how are you I am just about to try a bite but I feel terrible, I really don’t want to ruin the cup cake they look so great! I will continue to use these recipes . . .
I hope you love it! It really is one of our favorites and most popular recipes!
Hello! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe. Can I substitute real vanilla bean for vanilla extract? Thank you!
Hi Mercedes, yes, If you don’t have vanilla beans to make your own vanilla, vanilla bean paste, or extract will do. I hope this helps!
Light, fluffy and buttery! Very easy to make too. Thank you for the great recipe!
Where’s the previous recipe? It was the absolute best and I lost it!! 😫
Hi Andrea, yhe 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!
Hi Natasha,
can I use milk instead of buttermilk, or Kiefer?
Hi Keidi, you still need the acidity. One reader reported the following results: “I used homemade buttermilk (1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 tbsp lime/lemon juice) and it turned out well”
I make my own buttermilk using a tsp of vinegar per 1/2 cup is milk…so I put in the vinegar first then fill up the milk to the half cup line. Wait about 5 min and you have buttermilk! This recipe is delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
I used milk and it turned out well but it turn a little bit into a cornbread muffin.
Hi Elizabeth, I highly recommend making the recipe as written without modifications. Also, make sure your leavening is active and avoid overmixing the batter.
These have been my go-to cupcakes for a couple years now. They turn great every time and I’ve made them adding lemon zest and poppy seeds or orange zest and chocolate. I have a question though, if I wanted to swap the butter for the oil, how much oil would I need? I know the recipe before used to call for oil, but I don’t recall the amount. Can you please let me know?
Thank you!
I’m glad to hear that! You might try extra light olive oil using the recommended amount in ingredients. This is my go-to for baking and most of my cooking.
Hi Natasha,
I made vanilla cupcakes and vanilla cake today and taste was awesome. However, my cupcakes have sunken terribly. There’s indent on top and bottom too. Not sure what went wrong. I used cake flour and confectioners sugar rest I followed your ingredients. I doubted if it was baking powder so I tested in hot water and it started fizzing like the way it should. I did not open the oven midway and it’s at right temperature. Also the butter was at room temperature. So I’m clueless why they deflated. Taste though was 10/10. These were baked for a birthday party and I’m scratching my head what to do with them 😉
Please help with suggestions. You have great recipe collection and your videos are quirky and funny to watch. Please continue to inspire us 😀
Thanks in advance
Hi Swathi, Do you happen to live in a high altitude area? For some reason, this recipe doesn’t bake up as well in high altitudes. I haven’t tried that brand of cake flour, but it should have worked fine. Did you measure the baking soda and powder exactly? I ask because my sisters 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.
The most delicious vanilla cupcakes I have ever made!! Super soft and moist, and not too sweet! Will definitely be making these again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
If I were to put mini chocolate chips in the cupcakes, will it change the cupcakes, fluffy-wise?
Hi Grace, I haven’t tested that, but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Made these yesterday and the are great! Can I double the recipe? Thank you 😊
Hi Elizabeth! I’m so glad you enjoeyd them! Yes, you can double the recipe.
I was really sad to come here looking for the vanilla cupcake I loved to find it replaced by a new recipe. The first time, I went through the archive link that you had posted in response to someone else’s comment and just made the old recipe. This time I decided to stop being skeptical and made a batch of the new recipe and a batch of the old recipe. I gave them to 3 different people to taste to see which one they preferred and everyone preferred the old recipe. I also prefer the older one as well.
That being said, these are still very yummy vanilla cupcakes. Anytime I have something I want to try, I always come to this site for the recipe. Since the new recipe had a thicker batter, I used this and mixed in fresh raspberries. I used your white chocolate frosting recipe to go with it and it was delicious! I made the old recipe and when it was done, I filled them with a raspberry fruit spread and then topped them with the white chocolate frosting. They both were delicious!
While I do prefer the old recipe, the thicker batter on this one is nice for mixing things into it! 5 stars either way 🙂
Thank you Amanda for your comments and feedback. 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!
I’ve tried to bake the new version on your cupcakes (with butter) twice, plus vanilla cake based on this recipe, but unfortunately they do not produce moist and fluffy result as old version (with oil). With butter it’s soft but so much drier! However, thank you for sharing the way to find the old recipe 🙂 it was the best!
What’s the url of the original recipe? I loved the original recipe made with oil 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Tracy, you can search sites like this and plug in the URL to view the old version of the recipe
Hi, I made these cupcakes and they were heavy not fluffy. I followed your instructions, tips to the letter. What did I do wrong? Icing was delicious.
Hi Anne, 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.
These are perfect vanilla cupcakes! So soft and fluffy and yummy! They were a huge hit in my house. My grandma and grandpa even want the cupcakes for their anniversary. We all loved them!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I absolutely love this vanilla cupcake recipe! It is soft and fluffy on the inside and a bit crunchy on the outside. The cupcakes have just the right amount of sweetness too. The frosting was also divine and enhanced the tasty cupcakes even more. Everybody in my family enjoyed these delicious vanilla cupcakes and they disappeared quickly. These are by far the best homemade treats I have ever made.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! I’m so glad you loved the cupcake recipe and frosting.
Hi! Can I use home mande buttermilk for the recipe?
Hi Karla, I haven’t tested that but that may work if its similar to what we used.
I used homemade buttermilk (1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 tbsp lime/lemon juice) and it turned out well
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha, I made this cupcakes many times and they are amazing. Do you think they will work as a mini cupcakes?
Hi Lanka, that should work. It will make 36 mini cupcakes from one batch; just be sure to fill them only halfway and bake mini cupcakes for 10 minutes.
Hi dear Natasha! I’ve made this cupcakes and they turned out wonderful! I’ve a question though,this time I don’t want to frost it and I want to know that should I keep it in the room or fridge?(which one is better?) and can I add some chocolate chip to the batter?
Thank you
Hi Elnaz, once they are frosted, I keep them refrigerated. I haven’t tried adding chocolate chips to the batter, but if you do, I suspect the mini chocolate chips might work better so they are less likely to sink while baking.
Hie can I substitute butter with vegetable oil?
Hi Betty, you might try extra light olive oil which is my go-to for baking and most of my cooking.