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.
I just tried these and I love them! I was wondering if I could just use egg whites instead of the yolks to make it white? I want to dye the color for my sons birthday party and a white cake would be easier to get a vibrant color.
I’ve never made a white white cake cake before, but that sounds like a good challenge. To be honest, I haven’t tried making these cupcakes without the yolks I don’t know how they would turn out, but if you test them, please let me know!! 🙂
I’m from Australia are these measurements Us?
Yes, they are U.S. measurements.
Hello,
This recipe looks really good. I have been looking for a cake recipe with buttermilk and oil to get a light and moist cake. I plan on making it for my birthday. But I need an actual cake. Can I turn this recipe into a cake recipe by using cake pans instead of cupcake pan? I wonder if that will change the texture of the cake.
I haven’t tried to do it, but I think it would work! Let me know what you think of it.
I tried and love it. Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe !
http://yunkabu.blogspot.com/2013/09/nokta-ats.html
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing it on your blog 🙂
Tried these for the first time tonight. Not a baker, just bored and hubby loves cupcakes. They came out moist and perfect!! But the real winner is the frosting. Never again will I use any other frosting!! Hubby and I are eating it out of the bowl, not great for the waistline! Taking them to a small get together and I know they’ll be a hit. There’ll also be a professional baker there and I in she’s gonna beg me for the recipe as she struggles to get her vanilla cupcakes as decadent as these! Thanks!
Woohooo!! I’m so glad they were a huge success for you. These are my go-to vanilla cupcakes.
Hi Natasha,
I currently have these in the oven for my daughters 1st birthday party tomorrow but I also am making a cake. Do you think this recipe would be enough for a 8 inch cake pan? Thank you so much for posting very excited to try them!!
I honestly haven’t tried to do that, but I don’t see why not. Let me know how you like it 🙂
These were so yummy they were also light and perfectly moist. I made it into a 6 inch cake and it turned out great. This is the 4th cake recipe I’ve tried all the other recipes were dense, dry, or too sweet. This one is a keeper.
Thank you!!
Your web site is my go to web site now, I used to have a notepad with the recipes I always use, but I dont even use it anymore, I do it by your recipes now, cuz they are so similar to our family recipes! I already tried a whole bunch of your recipes and I love them!! well anyways I had a little question, I really like this recipe for cupcakes, and the frosting sounds amazing, but I was wondering if theres a way to make the frosting pink! do you think adding raspberry preserves or jam would work? do you have any suggestions on that?
Oh that sounds delicious just add a little at a time so it doesn’t get runny. Tossing in fresh raspberries would be pretty too and breaking them up so they let out their color.
Oh my gosh Natasha, I’ve been looking “FOR THE” PERFECT Vanilla Cupcake!
I have for sure found it here!!!
I was iffy about not using cake flour so I did this and still they came out PERFECTO!!!!!
I used regular all purpose flour. And used Vanilla Bean Paste but added a tiny bit more…..can’t go wrong with a little hint more of vanilla right? 😀 I didn’t have Canola oil, so I used Vegetable oil. Said a little baking prayer and waited and waited………………..
I Followed exactly the measurements and your step by step instructions. I baked them. And oh boy the house smelled so divine!!!
When they were done, Angels were sighing……..
they came out perfect perfect!! I was doing my happy dance!!!
Aww you’re so sweet. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes 🙂 You’re awesome! Thanks for the great review!
I jus baked these!! I need about 15 mins for my oven at 180C. They smell sooooo heavenly! i am gonna top them with strawberry cream cheese frosting hehe xx Thank you for the great recipes and beautiful pics!
Oooh my goodness, strawberry cream cheese frosting sounds amazing!
These cupcakes were absolutely amazing! Recipe is definitely a keep. Thank you so much for sharing! Xx
You are welcome Maria :).
these cupcakes are just awesome , i used all purpose flour and they still turned out super moist, i also added 1/3 cup of cocoa powder to the rest of the leftover batter …… these cupcakes were phenomenal *speechless*
Woohoo!! That’s awesome! I’ve made them with all-purpose also and it worked 🙂
How many mini cupcakes would this recipe make? Look amazing!
Hmmm. I haven’t tried it, but I imagine it takes about 3 mini cupcakes to make 1 regular cupcake. So, I’d estimate it’s about 40-45 mini’s 🙂
Hi Natasha quick question… Is that basil you are using to garnish this cupcakes? Cuz for some reason mine looks a bit different. I know there are more than 100 different varieties of basil, so I was wondering what kind you grow? I like the bright and cute little leaves. Mine aren’t so round and cute; more pointed leaves, and they grow big really quickly. Are you just pinching off the new shoots, or….? If you still happen to have the original seed packet, that would be a tremendous help! (I know most people arent like me and keep their old empty seed packets, but I like to keep mine for references about the plant. Full sun, size of plant, etc…) Thank you in advance. Cupcakes look darling! Swoon…! (;
I wish I had kept my seed packets!! Yes, I do pinch off the new leaves. I know which types you are talking about and mine are a little different. Mine are the more common ones that are usually sold in stores. The leaves are more delicate and rounded.
Can you sub the oil for butter instead?
I never tried that so can’t really recommend it. I always used oil in my cupcake batters.
I made these for my daughters birthday since she asked for vanilla cupcakes and we all loved them 🙂 Moist and perfect!
Thank you! Happy Birthday to your daughter :).
I once baked a cupcake and it didnt turn out the way it should be. The outside is crunchy and the inside is not cooked yet. When baking a cupcake, should the heat come from the top or below? Cause there’s two options.
It should come from both the top and bottom. Make sure your place the cupcakes in the center of the oven so the heat is distributed evenly.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I needed a quick cupcake recipe and this one was bang on, cannot miss!! quantity was perfect for my cousin farewell party.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cupcakes! 🙂 Hope it was a great party!
Glad to take note of this vanilla cupcake recipe, Natasha. This will be quite easy to do. I would suggest this for children’s parties, with the frosting topped with candy sprinkles or mixed fruits. That would be delightful! Keep it coming!
Are the cupcakes themselves big on the vanilla flavor? I’m having a get together and I was kicking around the idea of a batch of vanilla cupcakes but with half chocolate mousse frosting and half strawberry frosting. I was trying to find something that goes well with both, but I am looking for a great base. Thanks 🙂
I think these would be a great base for any topping! I hope you love them!