Simply Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
These Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes will be your absolute favorite! They are fluffy, intensely vanilla-flavored, and buttery and rich. They have a fine, even crumb and a perfect dome on top, sturdy enough to stand up to all sorts of fillings and frostings. You'll reach for this recipe again and again.
Update: I've made an even simpler, more perfect vanilla cupcake recipe here. This recipe is still very solid, very delicious, and deserves a spot on the site, but you might want to check out the new version and decide for yourself which one you'd like to make today.
I tried four different vanilla cupcake recipes before coming up with this one. I wanted a cupcake with a fine, even crumb, a fluffy but sturdy texture, a domed top, and strong vanilla and buttery flavors. Adding a bit of vanilla bean paste along with vanilla extract made the flavor even better! This recipe is easy to mix in one bowl and has become one of my go-to basics.
These little beauties bake up so fluffy and soft, and they can be filled or topped with all sorts of deliciousness. But today, I kept it simple with another "Simply Perfect" recipe, my Vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. It's a little more effort than the straight-up powdered sugar + butter variety, but the satiny-smooth, light-as-air, yet richly indulgent flavor and texture make it more than worth your while!
You are going to love these simple, sweet cupcakes! Sometimes the simplest pleasures can really be the best. Not everything needs to be fussed around with, right? And that goes just as much for sugar as it does for cupcakes.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The crumb is fine and even, not too dense and not too airy.
- They dome beautifully, so they look bakery-perfect straight out of the oven.
- The vanilla flavor is intense, thanks to both vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.
- These cupcakes are sturdy enough for any topping. You can pipe on a big swirl of frosting or fill them with your favorite filling.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Cake flour and all-purpose flour: The combination gives these cupcakes a fine, tender crumb while still holding their structure.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the batter.
- Baking powder: Gives the cupcakes their rise and that signature domed top.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps create that buttery flavor.
- Eggs: Add structure and a rich flavor, thanks to the yolks.
- Milk: Keeps the batter moist. You can use buttermilk instead for even more moisture and a longer shelf life.
- Vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste: These work together to give the cupcakes a strong vanilla flavor. If you love vanilla, you can add more of either one without changing how the cupcakes bake.
How To Make Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Step 1: Preheat & Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add cupcake liners to your cupcake tin.
Step 2: Make Batter
Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl to make sure everything is well combined.
Add the milk mixture in two parts. First, mix the milk and vanilla together in a measuring cup. Pour in half of this mixture and beat it into the batter.
Beat the batter on medium speed for 1 ½ minutes, then scrape down the bowl. Add the rest of the milk mixture and beat for another 30 seconds.
Step 3: Fill Liners
Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter.
Step 4: Bake, Cool, & Frost
Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before adding your favorite frosting. Vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream is a great choice.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- For a higher dome, start baking at 400°F for about 6 minutes. Then, lower the oven to 325°F for the rest of the baking time.
- You can use buttermilk instead of milk. It adds more moisture and helps the cupcakes stay fresh longer.
- Don't prepare the batter ahead of time. Once you mix the wet and dry ingredients, the baking powder starts working, so bake the cupcakes right away instead of letting the batter sit overnight.
- You can freeze baked cupcakes before frosting them. This is a helpful way to prepare for a party. Just bake and cool the cupcakes, freeze them, and add frosting after they thaw.
- To store, keep frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Buttermilk works well as a 1:1 substitute and adds extra moisture and shelf life.
No, this isn't recommended. Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, the baking powder begins to activate, so you need to bake the batter right away rather than refrigerating it overnight.
This recipe makes just over 4 cups of batter, which is usually enough for one 9-inch cake layer. If you want a two-layer 9-inch cake, double the recipe. Watch the baking time, as it may need to be adjusted for larger pans.
More Simply Perfect Recipes
- Simply Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
- Simply Perfect Pizza Dough
- Simply Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Simply Perfect Homemade Jam (No Pectin)
- Simply Perfect Brownies from Scratch
- Simply Perfect Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (187.5 g) cake flour
- 1 ½ cup (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened, cut into small cubes
- 4 eggs, (large)
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the butter and mix on low speed, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (2-3 minutes).
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well-combined.
- Combine the milk and vanilla in a measuring cup, and beat half this mixture into the flour/butter/eggs.
- Beat on medium speed for 1½ minutes, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the remaining milk mixture, and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Fill paper liners ⅔ full with batter and bake for 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool completely before topping with Swiss meringue buttercream.
Notes
Author
More Fun for Kids
Have a question about this recipe? Ask AI:
Hi Allie
Scratch that, I found it.
😉
What kind of milk did you use? Whole? Buttermilk? 2%?
Hi Lieschen! I just used 1%, which is what we usually keep on hand, but I'm sure any kind would work just fine. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I've made these cupcakes three times now. Every time I've made that icing it comes out too runny, and I have to add powdered sugar to thicken it up. Am I not waiting long enough before I add the butter, and as a result it's 'melting'? I have a kitchen aid stand mixer with a glass bowl. Could the glass be keeping the heat from the sugar and egg white mixture longer than a metal bowl would? I the icing tastes great, but isn't thick enough for frosting the cupcakes. What am I doing wrong?
Gee, Lieschen, I'm so sorry you're having trouble! I wonder if the glass bowl does hold the heat longer...? That certainly does seem logical. I wonder if it would make a difference if you left it to cool a little longer. You wouldn't necessarily have to be whipping it the whole time. Also, is your butter very soft? I know the recipes always call for softened butter, but I've actually had similar issues if my butter isn't still slightly cool. You know, it shouldn't be cold and hard, but slightly softened. Over the summer I did have a few struggles, where I would whip all the butter in, and if it was still too runny, I'd pop it in the fridge for around 20 minutes, and then whip it some more. It always worked like a charm, and no need to add more sugar and make it overly sweet. I hope it works for you! It's such a delicious treat, I would hate for you to give up on it completely! Thanks for reaching out, Lieschen 🙂
Lieschen, I just whipped up another two batches just to see if I could figure out what the issue is for you. I am now convinced that it has everything to do with temperature. Your buttercream is just too warm. Either the meringue, or the butter, or maybe both. You want to be absolutely certain that there is ZERO warmth left in that meringue before you start whipping the butter in. If you have to, put it in the fridge for a bit (after whipping to stiff peaks). Also, the butter wants to be soft enough to incorporate into the meringue, but not so soft that it's slumping and losing its shape. IOW, it should be slightly softened but still cool. If all else fails, and it's still runny, try my other tip about refrigerating it for 20 minutes and then re-whipping. I wish you lots of success! Please do let me know if you have better luck next time around, and thank you again for asking such a very good question! 😉
Hi Allie
I cannot find the recipe for the vanilla frosting.
Hello. This recipe sounds amazing. Ive been searching a around for a good vanilla cupcake recipe...made a few and some have not come out so well. Well i was wondering if i cannot find vanilla bean paste, will i be able to just use vanilla extract? Thanks for posting pictures too. It def caught my eye 🙂
Hi Melody! Thanks so much for stopping by here ;). I'm glad you liked the photos and the cupcake recipe. It would definitely work with vanilla extract. The flavor would not be quite as intense, and you wouldn't have those black specks, but it wouldn't affect the texture or anything. I buy my vanilla paste online, and there's actually a link to my source within the recipe. I love having it on hand, it just bumps everything up to another level! Good luck, and hope to see you here again!
Thank u!! 😀
Hi Allie!
I just made a batch of these cupcakes and they tasted delicious! I could really taste the strong and rich vanilla flavor. However, the top of my cupcakes were slightly burnt while the inside of them were exactly like the picture. They taste moist and fluffy. Was it due to my oven temperature that got the top burnt?
Hey Jasmine! Thanks so much for reading my blog and trying one of my favorite recipes! I'm so glad you liked the flavor, but sorry you didn't get exactly the result you were hoping for. I have a few ideas as to why the tops may have overbrowned.
1) The best place to bake anything is in the center of the oven. Move the racks around if need be. Place a rack in the center of the oven and place your cupcake pan right in the middle. This way the hot air can circulate evenly, 360 degrees around whatever it is you're baking.
2) Your oven temperature could be off. Sometimes ovens will show a certain temp, but really, it could be as much as 50 degrees off in either direction! I keep a thermometer in my oven, so I can be sure that I'm baking at the right temperature. This kind of thermometer can be purchased for $15 or less at most supermarkets.
3) One of the best baking tips I've ever heard is to watch your cake, not the clock. <--This is Averie Sunshine's mantra (http://averiecooks.com), and girlfriend knows what's up. I often set the timer 5 minutes less than a recipe calls for, and I bake with the oven light on. If the timer goes off and I can see through the glass that they're still wet looking, I give them another few minutes. If they're starting to look more set up after that, I'll crack the door and check them with a long skewer. (Just be careful not to let all the heat out of the oven or your cake could collapse!) Still gooey? Another minute or two. Take them out when the skewer comes out dry, or, preferably, with a few moist crumbs. They'll continue to cook a little more as they cool, so it's ok to take them out just (very) slightly underdone.
I hope you find these tips to be helpful! Again, thank you so much for reaching out. Hopefully your experience with this recipe doesn't discourage you from trying again, with my favorite vanilla cupcakes or any other of my recipes. Good luck and happy baking, dear!
Thanks so much again Allie! I will definitely try them again with the tips you have given! Awesome blog by the way and keep updating us with new recipes! Can't wait to bake another one of your wonderful recipes!
My pleasure, Jasmine! So happy you're enjoying my recipes. Thank you for reading! xoxo
Hi, you mention that you add in half of the wet ingredients before beating, but you never mention the other half of the wet ingredients. Do you add them after the first minute and a half in the mixer, after you scrap the bowl?
Thanks!
Yes! Thank you so much for catching my error, and my apologies. I've updated the post. Thanks again, and hope you enjoy your cupcakes! 😉
How should these be stored? Room temp or in the fridge? How long can they be stored? Thanks!
Hi Nicole! Thanks for the excellent question. I'd say they can be stored at room temperature for a few days (3?) or in the fridge for a week and a half or so. Any longer than that, and they might start to get a bit dry. If you'd like to make them ahead, I've done that and froze them in a zip-top bag, unfrosted. They'll keep in your freezer for months, and they thaw really quickly (10-15 minutes?). Thanks for reading! 😉
Hey! I love love love your site!!! Just found it today. I am making these tonight and I was just wondering how many cupcakes this makes? 12 or 24?
Hey Lexi! Thanks for the sweet compliment! This recipe makes 2 dozen cupcakes, so 24. Good luck, I really hope you enjoy!
When I make cake or cupcakes, they're usually chocolate, but it's nice to know this vanilla recipe is perfect! What tip did you use to frost these? I love these shots!
Hi Loretta! I usually do chocolate too, or something a little crazier/more inventive/interesting, but I thought this was a great basic recipe and I just had to share it! It's good as is, but I figured it could probably be easily modified too. Glad you enjoyed; thanks for commenting!
These look absolutely amazing Allie! That icing looks pretty incredible too 🙂 Pinned!
Hi Trish! For plain ol' vanilla, they are pretty special. Thanks for pinning and commenting! 😉
I'm not a big cake/cupcake fan but I was drawn here because of your pictures and now I am curious to try out these cupcakes! I read your post and you've got me wondering how delicious these are! Pinning and looking forward to returning 🙂
Thanks, Liz! I hope you give them a try! As vanilla cupcakes go, these are pretty awesome! I just love the texture of the cake and the icing is just divine! Plain and simple, but so good! Thanks for reading & commenting! <3
Hello!
Maybe a dtupid question, but what kind of cup do you use? (With a contents of 237 or 250 ml)
It's because I live in the Netherlands and I really don't know which one of them you use.
You have a beautiful blog, though!
xox Sarah
Hi, Sarah! Well I am in the U.S. and we I used a liquid measuring cup for the milk, and a dry measure for the flour, sugar, etc. A liquid cup is 8 ounces, which is 237 ml (just googled it, lol!). I hope that answers your question.
Thank you so much for reading my blog and for your kind words! I hope you enjoy making the cupcakes! 😉
These cupcakes look like absolute perfection! I'll take a dozen, please!
Thanks, Chung-Ah! Lol...!
hi, just looking at your cup cake receipe can you confirm the amounts of cake flour and all purpose flour, is it one and a half cups or is it half a cup.
Thank you
One and a half cups each, as stated. Thanks for reading!
These are so beautiful! Sometimes, you just need to stay simple, and these look perfectly executed. Who doesn't love a good, fluffy vanilla cupcake? Yum!
My sentiments exactly, Rachel! Thanks for stopping by! 😉
I LOVE Zulka!!
These cupcakes are simply beautiful. I love how classic and pure the flavors are and also umm...I wanna dive headfirst into the frosting!
Zulka is great, right? I'm pretty sure I've actually purchased it before... I was on an all-natural kick a while back (probably shouldn't have gotten away from it), and I'm pretty sure that was my go-to sugar. So happy to have received their gift! Thanks for the sweet comment, Kayle! <3
Oh! So you love it too! I use that same Cookie and Cup's recipe for my Blackberry Swirl Cupcakes - with some slight modifications 🙂 It's so easy and convenient! I use vanilla paste all the time - I think I'll never buy vanilla extract again and the beans I only use in custards 😉
Oh! So you love it too! I use that same Cookie and Cup's recipe for my Blackberry Swirl Cupcakes - with some slight modifications 🙂 It's so easy and convinient! I use vanilla paste all the time - I think I'll never buy vanilla extract again and the beans I only use in custards 😉
I really did love it! Everything I could want in a cupcake recipe. So happy to hear that you like it too! What other modifications do you make? Ps- Blackberry Swirl sounds fabulous! 😉
I use plain flour only and, because I use jam in these cupcakes, I don't use any vanilla 🙂 - blimey, I spelled "convenient" wrong!
Oh, ok! I love the jam idea... 😉
I love posts like these that share tried and true recipes. I am always on the quest to find that perfect vanilla cupcake and these look absolutely beautiful Allie!
I have tried a lot of vanilla cupcake recipes too and my favorite so far has been Jamie's. I haven't tried Shelly's version but will definitely be pinning this recipe the next time I make a batch. They sound incredible! Thanks so much for sharing Allie and have a great weekend!
So glad you like the post and the idea for the series! I really did like Jamie's recipe too. I don't know if that was just a fluke, the way they cracked, so I may have to try it again. Do they crack like that for you? Thank you, for the nice comment. Take care and Happy Friday! <3
No they don't seem to crack and I've made them a number of times as close as last Thursday for my niece's birthday party. I usually use buttermilk in place of milk and watch closely at 14 minutes to check for doneness as I notice they tend to bake up pretty quickly in my oven (even though I use an oven thermometer).
Oh, ok! Thanks for getting back to me on that. I will have to try making them again, maybe it was just a one-time thing. I did really love the flavor and texture of that recipe... Hope you're having a great week!