Even Simpler, More Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
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Vanilla cupcake recipe from scratch! Super easy recipe made in just one bowl, with an incredibly moist texture and rich vanilla flavor.
*This vanilla cupcake recipe originally published on May 1, 2014. I thought it was about time it was updated. So, I've added a few answers to some frequently asked questions. Hopefully, you'll enjoy these vanilla cupcakes as much as my family and I do!*
This post has been a long time coming.
My Simply Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes recipe has been one of the most popular (and commented upon!) posts on Baking a Moment since it was published back in July. But there were a few issues, and a lot of questions I wish I had addressed within the post.
And I just keep getting pickier and pickier. After a while, it started to bug me that the batter was a bit drippy. I'm a tough one to please! And for me to want to keep making a recipe, over and over, it has to meet all of the following prerequisites:
- The taste has to be amazing.
- The texture has to be spot on (for a cupcake, this means moist and tender, but sturdy enough to stand up to lots of yummy frosting).
- It has to be relatively easy to make.
- The process of making it should result in as little mess as is humanly possible.
This new and improved vanilla cupcake recipe hits on all cylinders.
WHAT MAKES THIS VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE SPECIAL?
The flavor is bangin', rich and buttery with a big hit of aromatic vanilla.
It bakes up moist and soft, with a fine crumb and a slightly domed top.
The method for making the batter is simple as can be, and because it utilizes the reverse creaming method (more on that here), you're looking at a one-bowl wonder. One that will not leave messy drips all over your counter and cupcake pan 😉
This newer vanilla cupcake recipe is based upon the last one, with a little tweak here, a little tweak there.
The key difference between this one and the last is the addition of sour cream. The final result won't taste sour, but the acid in the yogurt reacts with the baking soda to help the cupcakes puff up and hold a nice dome.
And it makes the batter so nice and thick, with an airy texture almost like whipped cream.
HOW TO MAKE THIS VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE
Start by combining all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together just until combined.
I like to use cake flour, because it's got less gluten than all purpose flour, and so it results in a lighter, more tender cake. You can read more about that here: Why Use Cake Flour.
You can find it at the regular supermarket, on the same shelf with all the other flours, or you can just order it online: Cake Flour.
Add the soft butter, and mix until it resembles damp sand. This should only take about a minute or so.
After the butter has been worked in, you can add the eggs. One at a time, and make sure each one is completely incorporated before adding the next.
I love this kind of paddle attachment- it has a silicone edge that reaches all the way to the bottom of the bowl, so you know all the ingredients are well incorporated. And you don't have to keep stopping the mixer to scrape the bowl.
Finally, add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
When it comes to ingredients that add flavor, I recommend using the highest quality. I often cut costs with generic sugar and baking soda, but when it comes to butter and vanilla, invest and indulge! It makes such a difference!
You'll see the leavening start to activate right away! The batter is really thick and almost airy. I love it!
Please, please, please, do not overfill your cupcake papers. This vanilla cupcake recipe puffs up in the oven, a lot, and you don't want mushroom tops. Maybe that's ok for a muffin, but not a cupcake!
No more than half full. I've made and remade this recipe, and if you fill 24 cups equally, you should be good. I use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop, a little less than 2 scoops per cupcake. So that's about 3 tablespoons of batter to a cupcake.
HOW TO BAKE VANILLA CUPCAKES
Now for a few words about baking. I cannot stress enough that you must check your cupcakes. Set the timer for a minute less that the recipe states (to avoid overbaking).
This is across the board, not just with this recipe, but with ALL recipes.
Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or bamboo skewer into the thickest part of your cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, you are good to go. If it's gooey or there are lots of sticky crumbs clinging to it, add a minute to the timer and then check 'em again.
Ovens are tricky. No two are exactly the same. Some run hot, some cold. Some are hot in one area and cold in another. (Try to position the rack in the middle of your oven, so the heat can circulate evenly, all around.) I keep a little oven thermometer in mine so I can be sure it's calibrated correctly, or if not, I can adjust accordingly.
WHAT KIND OF FROSTING TO USE ON VANILLA CUPCAKES
These cupcakes taste wonderful with all sorts of frostings! I personally love them with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but they are also just heavenly with Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Or Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Can you tell I like Swiss meringue buttercream?
But for today's post I wanted to keep it on the simpler side, so I've used this Whipped Cream Frosting, which contains a little bit of cream cheese to keep it stable.
It's really fluffy and light, and has just a hint of sweetness to it.
I use this kind of pastry bag for piping, and this kind of tip.
Check out the video on my Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes post, to learn how to pipe a tall swirl like what you in these pics.
CAN THIS VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE BE MADE AHEAD?
If you want to make these cupcakes ahead, you totally can! Just keep them unfrosted. They'll keep well in an airtight container, for up to 3 days at room temperature, in the fridge for a week and a half or so, and for months in the freezer!
Thaw at room temperature and then frost and decorate however you like!
Hopefully I didn't leave anything out, but if you have a question I didn't answer, please feel free to leave me a comment below.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and have lots of success with it! There's just nothing better than a homemade cupcake, from scratch, especially if it's this easy to make!
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Even Simpler, More Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) cake flour*
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) kosher salt, (scant)
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter, (1 ½ sticks), softened
- 2 (100 g) large eggs
- ⅔ cup (153.33 g) sour cream, (Greek yogurt or buttermilk** can be substituted)
- ½ cup (122 g) milk
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla bean paste, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with papers.
- Place the cake flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, and stir on low speed to combine.
- Add the butter, mixing on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand (about a minute).
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to be sure all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste. Stir until fully combined.
- Fill the papers half full and bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Notes
** If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute by stirring 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice into ⅔ cup of regular milk. Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes, or until thickened and slightly curdled.
*** This cupcake recipe can also be baked in three 6-inch diameter, two 8-inch or 9-inch diameter cake pans, or in a 9x13-inch pan. Bake times may need to be extended. You'll know your cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out clean. Click here for the layer cake version of this recipe: Perfect Vanilla Cake Recipe. Some other cupcake recipes you might enjoy:
Thanks for the updated recipe, I shall try it next weekend!!
Good luck~ I hope you enjoy, Danielle!
My new favorite cupcake recipe! Love it..they are perfect and delicious. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe 🙂
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear it! And it's my pleasure 😉 Thanks for reading and for the great feedback, Jessica!
Hi Allie,
These cupcakes definitely look amazing n tempting. I'm planning to make them soon however I dont have vanilla bean paste is it ok if I skip that ingredient n use more of vanilla extract or what do u suggest?
btw I used ur choco cupcake recipe n they turned out to be amazing everybody simply loved the cupcakes thanks a ton hoping to try the vanilla soon:)
Hey, thanks Saleha! You can absolutely leave out the vanilla bean paste, and up the extract. Or not! Either way they will come out just fine. I just like the paste for a flavor boost. So happy you like my chocolate cupcake recipe too! That is one of my absolute favorite things on this blog. Thanks for the great comment! Hope you enjoy!
Hey Allie,
Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely try em soon. Will let you know how they turn out hopefully as perfect as yours;) thanks once again
Hi Allie!
I'm so eager to try this recipe but Greek yogurt is very expensive here in Malaysia. Can i use buttermilk as a substitute for the yogurt and milk? What will the measurement be if i were to use buttermilk? Thanks!
Hi Michelle! Sour cream or buttermilk would make a great substitute for the Greek yogurt. You could also use regular plain yogurt, as long as there is no sugar added. You can substitute in equal measure. Good luck and thanks for reading! 😀
But if I were to use buttermilk which is already very liduidy, do I omit the milk altogether? So, is that substitution measurement for buttermilk still 1/4 cup as per the Greek yogurt or 1/2 cup to replace the milk as well (1/4 greek yogurt +1/4 milk)? Hope you understand my question..lol!
I do, and I'm sorry I didn't address it properly the first time! I would probably use all buttermilk, just to keep it simpler, so therefore, 1/2 cup to replace both. Hope that helps!
ah so heres the answer i was looking for. so i omit the milk and replace it with 1/2 cup buttermilk for both the greek yogurt substitute and the milk. did i got that right? thanks allie!
That'll work! Good luck and enjoy, Nin!
Looks amazingly perfect! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
These cupcakes really do look absolutely perfect!! Can't wait to try your recipe, Allie!
Thank you so much, Cathy! I'm just loving this recipe, and how easy it is to throw together. Thanks for the sweet comment and I hope you enjoy!
hi allie how do you think should i do it? since i dont have any yogurt..im thinking of substituting it with buttermilk. but is it okay to add milk again since the recipe calls for it?
Hey Nin! You can replace the milk with buttermilk or replace both the milk and yogurt with buttermilk. As long as you have 1/2 cup of liquid and there's a little acid in there to activate the baking powder, you should be good to go. Good luck!
Your cupcakes look absolutely perfect and so delicious! Beautiful!
Thanks so much, Maria! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post 😀
Hi, can i make one big cake (no layers) out of your vanilla cupcake recipe?
I'm sure that would probably work but you would have to adjust the bake time. You'll know the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean. Good luck!
I haven't made cupcakes in AGES! These look so good!!
Oh you need to make yourself some cupcakes, girl! It's been too long 😉 Whip out that mixer! You won't be sorry, lol. Thanks so much for reading, and for the comment!
Cake flour is the best thing to happen to cakes and cupcakes!! I can't survive without it. These cupcakes are just too PERFECT!! Thank you for the step-by-step photos. They are beautiful. That reverse creaming method is one of my favorites. I can't wait to try these 🙂
I love reverse creaming too! I think it's just so much easier when everything can be done in one bowl. And cake flour- love that light texture and finer crumb. Thanks so much for the sweet comment, dear. Hope everything is well with you <3
What a great post, Allie! Such great tips, and such an amazing looking cupcake! Definitely trying your recipe the next time I make cupcakes! Pinned!
Thanks so much for pinning Cate, and for all the sweet compliments! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do 😀
These look amazing Allie! I love the clear, step by step photos! Definitely cannot beat a good vanilla cupcake!
I couldn't agree more, Jessica, a good vanilla cupcake recipe is a necessity. And as a busy mom I need it to be easy too! I'm so happy you liked; thanks for the great feedback! xoxo
Allie, these DO look simple and perfect. Not to mention gorgeous. I've never seen a whipped cream cheese frosting that pipes so beautifully. It's incredible that just two tablespoons of batter creates such a light and airy cupcake! And I love one-bowl cupcake recipes. I will definitely have to try this recipe. BTW, I love all the in-process photos. I am always too scared to bring my camera into my kitchen (aka, disaster zone) for fear of getting flour or sugar on it. But these pictures are super helpful!
Thanks so much Jamie! I actually bring my mixer and everything else into another room to take the pics. I have terrible light in my kitchen! So you can see why I grumble about taking in-process photos. It's a pain but I knew from the last post that there'd be lots of questions if I didn't do it! I hope you enjoy the recipe, and that whipped cream cheese frosting is really good. It looks super gloopy in the bowl, but somehow it pipes really well!
AMAZING!!! I cannot believe you improved upon that already perfect recipe-but you did!
Thanks Kayle! I'm a picky son of a gun. I hated all those drips all over my counter and cupcake pan! Thanks for reading and for the great feedback. 😉
Love love love these cupcakes Allie - they really do look perfect! That's awesome that you made them even simpler in one bowl and added the greek yogurt. Vanilla cupcakes are my absolute very favorite and I can't wait to try these. Love how you broke everything down with the amazing photo tutorial too - everything about this post is simply perfect! Pinning 🙂
Thank you so much, Kelly! I'm so thrilled that you liked it so much. Thanks for sharing on Pinterest too! I hope you enjoy <3 <3 <3
Allie, this recipe is definitely getting pinned, shared, made, etc. etc. It's obviously thoroughly tried, tested and loved and so I trust it intrinsically! Also, I really love your 'process' photos (especially that lovely blue mixer). Maybe you should do that more often!
I totally should Helen! It's just laziness, pure and simple! I know they are helpful but they slow down my flow so bad, lol! I'm so happy you liked the post, dear, and I hope you enjoy the cupcakes! xoxo
These look so beautiful! Goodness, I wish I had one in front of me now. I'm sharing and saving these cupcakes for my next weekend baking adventure. Thank you for doing such a beautiful job with them. I think cake flour makes all the difference.
I do too, Monet, and that vanilla bean paste too! Thank you so much for sharing, and for the wonderful feedback. I hope you enjoy making and eating them 😀