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.
These were the best cupcakes I’ve ever made, light fluffy and so incredibly delicious. Could you add your icing recipe underneath for future bakes by any chance?
Hi Loren! I’m so glad you love this recipe. Thank you for the suggestion. The frosting is a separate recipe so that is why it’s not included in the recipe card but linked instead. Some of my viewers prefer to use other frosting flavors with these cupcakes and also use the frosting recipe on other cupcake recipes.
You’ll find this is the format used with many of my recipes, such as my easy pie crust recipe which is the base we use in our fruit pies, pumpkin pie, and even our savory pies like chicken pot pie and quiche Lorraine.
If I want to ensure the cupcakes stay bright and white can I use egg whites only? What would be the ratio for 2 large eggs to egg whites only being used? Also, if we want to reduce the sugar, any suggestions? We can’t wait to try these for our daughters 1st birthday!
Hi Christie! This is a traditional vanilla yellow cupcake recipe. I have not made this with just egg whites to know what adjustments may be needed. The yolks are important because they provide fat content for cake moisture and texture. Sugar also plays a big part in the moisture and texture of the cake, using less could result in a dry cake.
Hello. I absolutely love you. I made the chocolate cupcakes the one where you added vinegar (which by the way I thought was weird) it came out amazing and delicious. Can I add vinegar to the vanilla cupcakes too?
Hi Jae, since this cake doesn’t use eggs, the vinegar works to help the cake rise properly. Its not required in this recipe since it has eggs.
Last question promise. If cupcakes are made with eggs do I have to keep them refrigerated? If so can I just use vinegar in the vanilla cupcakes if I want to keep them out? Thank you I’m advance.
Hi Jae, 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. You will likely need to adjust must more in the recipe to remove the eggs. Baking is such a science you usually will need to make a few alterations. I have not tested this recipe eggless to advise.
I made a dozen of these cupcakes and after tasting them, I made another dozen and took them to an afternoon tea. They looked fantastic, but it was the taste that was so good. Very creamy and light. Many people commented on them and said they couldn’t get over how light they were. I highly recommend this recipe. Thank you Natasha.
Thank you so much for your recommendation, Jayne. I’m happy to know that these cupcakes are always a huge hit!
First yellow cake/cupcake recipe that is perfect!!!!:bI just used it to make a peach upside down cake….mouthwatering…Yum…thnx
I’ve used this recipe about a half a dozen times since I found it, doubled it on a few occasions and they really come out perfect every time. Delicious and simple. I hang around the oven like a hawk ready to pull them out at the perfect time, and as long as I do that they’re moist and fluffy. I normally get at least one extra cupcake despite them always being a decent sized.
I just started baking and I made this recipe several times but my cupcakes came out dry. Recently I bought a scale to weigh my flour and my latest bake is perfection. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
That’s wonderful, Marci! Yes, using too much flour will definitely dry out the cupcakes. I’m glad you had a good results with the food scale.
Hi, Natasha! I made those cupcakes according to your recipe and I made a little holes inside to fill in some lemon curd. Decorated them with blueberries and mint leaves. They turned out so good! Thank you!
That sounds wonderful, Liliya!
Hi! For lactose intolerant issues -could you substitute the buttermilk? If so with what?
Hi Tara! I have not tested an alternative but one of my viewers reported using soy milk. Others reported using Oat milk mixed with lemon juice and Almond milk mixed with lemon juice. The ratio to make homemade buttermilk is 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice. I hope that helps.
I baked almost 60 cupcakes using this recipe. I have some things to say about it. No matter what muffin pan you use, there is no way you will get 12 good-size cupcakes filling 2/3 each cup (10 or with luck 11) other way, they will be very little. Also, I baked them for 20 min and they looked pale but if I left them for 23 mins then they got dry. I should have followed my gut and use other recipes more reliable specially for the amount of batter per batch.
Hi, take a look at the photo above where I filled the cupcake pan with batter – maybe you were overfilling? I haven’t had that issue. Also, I have never tried making 60 cupcakes at once – maybe this recipe is best making 1 or 2 batches at a time.
I got 12 good size cupcakes. Is your muffin tin bigger than a standard cupcake? These came out great for me!
This is my second time making this recipe (many more to come!) I first tried these when experimenting on which cupcakes to make for my grand-daughter’s 3rd birthday. I am NOT a baker and barely know my way around a kitchen – but I’ve been interested in baking as a hobby. The first time, I put a dollop of banana pudding in the center and my family loved them (husband actually asked for me to bake some twice)for the party, I put strawberry mousse in the center to fit with her princess theme. They were a hit with everyone. Thank you so much for this recipe. It was clear and easy to follow, and even a beginner like me was able to knock it out of the park. Highly recommend trying it !
That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing.
The ads makes you lose consitration and make you not want to use these recipes. No ads and no demos of other recipes!
Hi Hiedi! We’re working on improvements constantly but ads are necessary to keep our content free for our viewers. This recipe has a video, at the top of the page you’ll see a YouTube icon, click on that and it will take you to the video, or scroll down in the blog where the video link is attached.
There is a “jump to recipe” button at the top as well, this is a shortcut to the recipe card if you don’t want to read through the whole blog posts. I post tips and other helpful information through the blog posts so I don’t recommend skipping but it’s convenient.
You can also click on the print button in the recipe card to either print the recipe or view it in another screen without any ads.
I hope that helps.
I am 15 years old and started baking when I was 14. I was looking up recipes and found this one. It seemed really easy and the pictures convinced me to use this recipe. I also loved how you did a video of yourself making the cupcakes! I used this recipe and the results were amazing! I barely like cake and I ate some! Thank you Natasha for the awesome and delicious recipe!
Hi, what is recommendation if any in making this recipe into a gluten free version?
Hi Ariana! I have not personally tested GF flour but several of my viewers have left comments below stating they had good results subbing in 1:1 GF flour. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha! I am going to make them soon. Are they going to be good if I make them with some berry filling? Because I would like them to be with some tasty surprise inside.
I haven’t tested that to advise. We’d love to know how you liked that version if you try that out!
Made these today. I added sprinkles in the mixture for the kids and omg they turned out amazing!!! This recipe is a def keeper! Will be adding this to my recipe collection! Super easy yielding great results!
Hi Natasha. I need 24 cupcakes. Do you recommend doubling the recipe or making two batches? Thanks!
Hi Tiffany! You can double the batch, just make sure your equipment is large enough to be able to incorporate your ingredients well enough without over mixing.
I do not have baking powder but I have baking soda. Would I be able to substitute?
Hi Erica! This recipe used to use baking soda, but after testing countless batches, we improved the recipe and now use baking powder instead. They will be more dense and flat if you’re not using baking powder so I don’t recommend substituting it.
This was the best cupcake I’ve ever had! I didn’t have buttermilk so I used 2% milk with some lemon juice to make my own. I also didn’t have cupcake liners so I just greased and floured the cups, and the cupcakes ended up with deliciously crisp edges. I think I’ll “forget” to have them next time too!
I’m so glad that worked! Thank you for sharing the substitutions that you made for this recipe. I’m happy that it was a huge success!
Really good, soft, not too sweet, vanilla cupcakes. My family gobbled them up!
So glad to hear that, Dorothy!