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.
Those cupcakes are delicious, I used Greek yogurt instead of the eggs. Because my grandson can’t eat eggs, and I also used a real vanilla bean . I had no vanilla extract.
That’s great to know, Regina! Thank you for sharing.
Never making boxed cupcakes again, these aren’t even in the same category!
everyone loved these and I think I’ll be making them again this weekend.
Hi Joe! That’s great to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for the feedback.
Has anyone made it with salted butter?😏😏 I never listen when things call for unsalted and always use salted and it hadn’t failed me yet🤣🤦🏼♀️
Hi Lynette! You can use salted butter if you prefer, but I would omit the salt from the recipe. I prefer to use unsalted because it allows me control over how much salt to add.
Hi natasha…can i make this to a 6inch cake layer?also can we color the batter or it will not rise from mixing the color?i want to make two zebra cake layers to be moist and as a filling pastry cream.thank you.love from Greece
Hi Demi, I haven’t tried making this to a 6 inch cake to advise. You might have to do some adjustments. Others shared that they used 8inches and it worked fine. You should be able to use food color in the batter. Just be careful not to over-mix the batter or they will become gummy and dense.
Thank you for the quick reply.i will let you know how it went.to make the zebra effect,should i add only 1-2tbs cocoa powder to some batter or also milk and sugar?thank you
You’ll have to experiment with it. Cocoa powder is highly absorbent and my concern would be that it can change the texture and dry out the batter without making other adjustments. I’ve never tried adding cocoa to this to advise.
I sent a picture in facebook on your cupcake recipe ..i made it and it was awsome but bit dense in fridge because of butter..can i use half oil?well i wrote that in facebook too!! hahaha noe i will try the sponge cake or chocolate cupcakes!!,thank you
Hi Demi! Feel free to experiment. I haven’t tested oil in this recipe. Butter cakes are more dense than oil cakes, especially right from the refrigerator because butter solidifies at cold temperature. Once these cupcakes come to room temperature they are softer.
It dosent say how Many eggs u need to put ne pokazuje koliko jaja treba staviti.
If you go to the recipe card it says, 2 large eggs, room temperature
This is a cornbread cupcake as mentioned above. It has decent flavor/taste but there is very little fluffiness to the final product. It’s misrepresented by the description in given my novice baking experience.
Hi GB! Cornbread texture has never been my experience when making this recipe. Sorry it didn’t quite meet the mark for you. Over-mixing, over-baking, or using too much flour are all common reasons this would happen.
This is the second time I’ve made this recipe. I find it takes less than 20 mins – about 18 in my oven. But these are amazing, they remind me of sugar cookies but as a cake! So delicious, moist, just perfection!
Thank you for sharing, Sara!
These were PERFECT as can be, the frosting I made, not so much.
Hello,
Can I add some chocolate chips to the batter?
Do I need to alter anything? Or maybe toss them in flour before.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Roni! I think that would be fine.
How do you make this batter for a Giant Cup Cake with no liner?
I have a Giant cup pan.
Thanks!
Hi Dawn! I’m not sure how much batter you’ll need and how long it will take to bake. You’ll have to experiment with it. You can reference my Vanilla cake recipe.
The Giant cupcake pan calls for 3 1/2 cups for the bottom and 2 1/2 cups for the top.
Wonderful, Dawn! That’s for the update.
Hi there,
How much sprinkles should we add to the batter?
Hi Liana! I have not tested that myself to advise.
Scaled up the recipe to a 4x batch! I am very impressed!! After adding the last of the flour/buttermilk I mixed by hand to avoid over-mixing. Used a 2oz portion scoop for them and had only had 1-2cupcakes worth of leftover batter! So the recipe scales up very well! They all baked and came out perfectly, just rotated the pans a couple times while baking since I had to use all 3 oven racks so they would bake evenly. Definitely recommend this recipe! Light and fluffy, not too sweet!
That’s wonderful, Kat! Thank you for sharing.
Tried it 2days ago. It was SO good! Tq Natasha. Can i use this recipe to mk a single layer 8inch round cake?
I’m so glad you love it! I haven’t tested that to advise, I’m sure that will work but with some adjustments.
I did bake as a single layer 8inch round cake at 180c for 27min. Turned out perfect! Tq again Natasha.
I’m glad to hear that it was a success!
Hey Natasha, my daughter has a school project she’s working on and she is going to bake these cupcakes. I would like to know how long these last because she has no time during the week. Please get back to me as soon as you can. Thank you
Hi Anna, once cupcakes are at room temperature, cover and keep at room temperature overnight or refrigerate if storing for longer (I have only tried a few days ahead). After the cupcakes are frosted, refrigerate until ready to serve. Cupcakes are great served chilled or at room temperature because they don’t harden with refrigeration.
Hello, Natasha! Is it possible for me to use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract for the recipe?
Hi JD! That would be fine. Vanilla bean paste tends to be more concentrated with a stronger flavor, so you may start with less and add more as needed.
I just made this recipe and it was nice and easy, thank you! I do feel that they’re not very sweet. Did I do something wrong? Also, can I add sprinkles to this recipe to make it funfetti?
Hi Lexi! Some of my readers have used sprinkles in this with good results. I would avoid the round Pareils sprinkles as they tend to bleed their color, and use the longer Jimmies sprinkles. This cake is sweeter than other sponge style cakes but we don’t feel it’s too sweet.
Hi Natasha! How many days can I make this ahead? Room temp? Inside fridge? I’m planning to serve these for ky little one’s mini party. 🙂
Once cupcakes are at room temperature, cover and keep at room temperature overnight or refrigerate if storing for longer (I have only tried a few days ahead). After the cupcakes are frosted, refrigerate until ready to serve. Cupcakes are great served chilled or at room temperature because they don’t harden with refrigeration.
The cupcake was too dense. It almost tasted like cornbread. It could have been a tad bit sweeter. Unfortunately, I will not make this again but did like how easy and simple it was. The cream cheese/whip frosting was absolutely delicious and will definitely make again.
Hi Min! That shouldn’t happen. A couple of things to help troubleshoot. Be sure to use room temperature ingredients as recommended in the instructions. If they are too cold, they will not emulsify and blend into the batter well. Also, watch my tutorial on How to measure ingredients . Using too much flour can cause a dense cake. Lastly, be careful not to over mix the batter as this will affect the texture as well. I hope that helps.
Why not just make the recipe double? Instead of me making the recipe for a class and realizing as im filling them that it is for 12.
This cupcake is sooo good. I read the comments so I was careful to not overmix. The batter was a bit too thick so I added a couple dashes of heavy cream to thin it a bit. They do not even need frosting but added it anyway! Deliciousness!