A truly perfect Vanilla Cupcake recipe! These Vanilla Cupcakes are easy to make, moist, and bake up beautifully every time! Light, fluffy and flavorful! Got the baking bug? Try my Lemon Cupcakes and Chocolate Cupcakes too!
Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe
This week I’ve made 6 batches of vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla cake. I feel like my oven has been on for 42 hours straight! =) What are all these cupcakes for, you might ask. Well, for me… and for science, and for you too. Confused yet? I’ll explain…
I have been on a search for a perfect vanilla cupcake recipe for several years. I have tried Martha’s, Magnolia’s, Billy’s and Amy Sedaris’. I’ve read the Cake Bible from cover to cover (really!). I’ve googled until I can’t google anymore! Some of the recipes were good, just not perfect. I’ve considered just giving up… maybe my expectations were to high. I wanted a vanilla cupcake recipe that was as light and fluffy as a box mix, but without all the funny chemicals. I wanted a cupcake that was flavorful and moist. And I wanted it to be almost as easy to make from scratch as from a box.
The BEST Vanilla Cupcakes
This week, I wasn’t going to stop until I found what I was looking for. So I baked and baked… then went to the store for more butter and sugar, and baked some more! I tried recipes with butter, oil, or some of both… recipes with milk, buttermilk, or sour cream… 1 egg, 2 eggs, 5 eggs… baking powder, baking soda… bake at 350*, bake at 325*…
I made cupcakes that were lopsided, over-flowing, over-baked, and just plain ugly…
And then I made these…
They looked beautiful and tasted perfect, so I double checked all my notes to make sure I could remember what I put in them… then I made another batch to make sure it was THE ONE.
They were just as perfect!! I think I heard angels singing….
I am SO happy to share the results of my many experiments! These cupcakes were absolutely delicious and I look forward to making them again and again. Now certainly, peoples tastes and preferences vary greatly. I love these, my husband (my #1 taste tester) loves them, and I hope many of you will too. As with any recipe, it is very important to use the best quality ingredients you can.
Ingredients Needed
You will notice the recipe calls for cake flour, which is a bit more expensive than all-purpose flour, but I have found it is essential to produce the light and fluffy texture I was looking for. Also, the recipe uses oil instead of butter. I realized most cupcake recipes (from scratch) call for butter, and yet box mixes (which have the texture I was looking for) are baked using oil.
I was concerned that using only oil would leave the cupcakes without adequate flavor, but I found that with good quality vanilla, these cupcakes are delicious and flavorful.
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil)
- 1/3 cup milk (whole or low fat, but avoid fat free)
- 1/3 cup sour cream (full fat or light, but avoid fat free)
How To Make Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350*F.
- In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add the milk, then the rest of the flour and the sour cream. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl.
- The batter will be thin. Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Frost as desired when fully cool. I love to use my favorite Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.
- Feel free to use this recipe for a cake as well. The recipe above will work for a 6″ cake. Double the recipe for an 8″ or 9″ cake.
* A note about Cake Flour- Cake Flour has a lower protein content than traditional all-purpose flour, which results in a more tender, delicate crumb in the finished product. If you can not find or access cake flour, feel free to substitute as necessary, but your results will vary from the original recipe.
RECIPE UPDATES
I have made this recipe many times with success, but in an effort to always be improving (even great recipes) I’ve made a couple small updates to this recipe (which are now listed in the recipe card).
My original recipe included 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder (now reduced to 3/4), 3/4 cup sugar (now increased to 1 cup) and 1/2 cup buttermilk (now updated to 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup sour cream).
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More Cupcake Recipes
How To Make Vanilla Cupcakes
Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup oil vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil
- 1/3 cup milk whole or low fat, but avoid fat free
- 1/3 cup sour cream full fat or light, but avoid fat free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F.
- In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and oil, beat.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add the milk, then the rest of the flour and the sour cream. Beat until just combined. Scrap down the side of the bowl.
- The batter will be thin. Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full.
- Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Frost as desired when fully cool. I love to use my favorite cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting with these cupcakes.
I’m done with box mixes!! I found this recipe after unsuccessful attempts with box mixes where the cakes lacked height and density. This recipe was great and easy to follow for a first-timer. So delicious. I was very impressed by the flavor and texture. I used vanilla that I purchased in Mexico. The Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting was also a hit.
I can’t wait to send in the holiday cupcakes for my son this Friday. I think these will be a big hit.
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment! So glad you enjoyed them!
I love this recipe! I have used it many times. I was wondering if you would have any ideas as to why today they’re all turning into little volcanoes?
I think it usually has to do with the temperature of your oven. I might try reducing the heat by 25 degrees and see if that helps.
Can I use coconut oil instead and also if I wanted to make a chocolate cakes as well can I add cocoa and how much can I add and will I need to add more butter milk if I do ! Thanks need to know adapt as I need to make 48 cupcakes on Friday ! Much appreciate
The recipe gave out a very good cupcake…but got egg smell in it.. how to eliminate it ???
Such a delightful recipe… Every time i make this, turns just perfect… Have been using this recipe for more than a year now… God bless you and love you…
Just one small issue, my cakes tend to sweat a lot even after Immediate cling wrapping and refrigeration… Yes i live in high humidity area… Any suggestion how i can avoid this?
Thanks a ton
Madhu from India…
Glory, I just wanted to let you know that I have used your cupcake recipe several times recently for making 6″ and 8″ cakes. (They have been for birthdays and gender reveal parties.) The recipients of the cakes have been overwhelmed with the deliciousness and moistness of the cakes. This recipe is just THE BEST!
I have several events coming up that I need to make cakes for. Do you have any suggestions / ideas about freezing this recipe? If I could get the cakes made ahead of time, it would reduce my stress somewhat!
Thanks for your help!
Good Morning Glory,
Thank You. Thank You. Thank You for doing the work and sharing your find. Thank You. I too have been searching for that perfect cupcake recipe. I would love to make different variations with the same foundation. Is that possible? For instance, I may want to make chocolate-mint or pina colado. Will I get the same moist finish if I add other ingredients? How much of the other ingredients can I add to get the same finish? Will I have to alter your recipe? Just curious.
Please advise,
Aileen
Hey Glory,
I just wanted to tell you that you are a fantastic, beautiful person. I, too, have suffered many failures during my quest to find the perfect cupcake recipe. I endured defeat after defeat…not to mention an endless stream of abuse from my family members. “Why don’t you just use a mix?” they asked.
Because I’m one of those girls with something to prove in the kitchen, that’s why.
I tried your recipe with a weary heart. But when I opened the oven door to find a dozen perfectly domed cupcakes, I felt culinary hope again. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
Tried these for my daughter’s 10th birthday school party – they were fabulous! Thank you for sharing. BTW, butter works great for the oil in these, too.
Hi,
I have made your WONDERFUL recipe for a pink ombre swirl cake. One year later, for my daugther’s 4th birthday I want to create a blue one.
I am using 8″ cake tins, rather than the cupcakes and I would like to know if I need to adjust the cooking time?
I would really appreciate feedback.
Thanks again for these great recipes!