Cupcakes

Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

4.61 from 63 votes
My soft, perfect, Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe is topped with my best-ever buttercream frosting and sprinkles, and works for any occasion!
A vanilla cupcake with a bite taken out of it.

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Hi Bold Bakers!

Everyone should have an excellent vanilla cupcake recipe in their collection, and this one is the best! I call my Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes the little black dress of desserts — it works for any occasion. They’re perfect for every event, from first birthday parties to weddings, depending on how you decorate them! 

My recipe calls for buttermilk (you can use my Homemade Buttermilk Recipe, of course), which ensures a perfectly moist vanilla cupcake with a delicious and satisfying, subtle tang. I also use cake flour to give them a really fantastic texture. If you want, use my Cake Flour recipe!

Along with this cupcake recipe, I’m including my Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream recipe. From there, it’s up to you to decorate the way you like! Get creative with some cheerful sprinkles, food coloring, flavor extracts.

Vanilla cupcakes topped with buttercream and colorful sprinkles.

What Is Cake Flour? Can I Use Plain Flour Instead Of Cake Flour?

Cake flour is a finely milled, low protein flour, and because it produces less gluten than other flours, your cakes will be perfectly tender, soft, and fluffy. 

If you don’t want to use cake flour, you can use regular all-purpose flour in a cake, subbing it for the other 1:1.

What You Need To Make Vanilla Cupcakes With Buttercream

  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Mixing bowl
  • 12-cup muffin tin
  • Paper liners
  • Stand mixer or handheld mixer.

A close up of my vanilla cupcakes recipe finished and topped with buttercream.

How To Make Vanilla Cupcakes

Never buy boxed mix again! These cupcakes are so easy and so delicious!! (And don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below.)

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or if you are using a handheld mixer, a large bowl, combine the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low for a few seconds to combine.
  2. Add butter, oil, and vanilla extract. Blend until the ingredients are combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as you go.
  3. Add in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, and mix on low until combined. 
  4. Pour in the buttermilk and mix on low until well combined. Try not to overmix; otherwise, your cake will not be as fluffy. 
  5. Scoop the batter into the 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  6. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 20-25 minutes. You can check if the cupcakes are fully baked by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, they are ready to be taken out of the oven.
  7. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift them onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 
  8. Decorate the cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting after allowing to cool fully, and add your sprinkles.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Vanilla Cupcakes

  • For the best rise, allow all of your ingredients to come to room temperature before beginning. 
  • Don’t have an ingredient? I have recipes for Cake FlourVanilla Buttercream FrostingButtermilk, and Confetti Sprinkles
  • Cupcakes tend to dry out if kept in a refrigerator. It’s better to keep them stored at room temperature or in the freezer if you plan to store them for longer.
  • The buttercream frosting can be made in advance and kept refrigerated for up to 4 weeks or frozen for up to 2 months. Allow it to come to room temperature before frosting. 

The interior of my vanilla cupcakes to show texture and consistency.

How Do I Store Vanilla Cupcakes?

The best way to store cupcakes is in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be kept for up to 2 days. If you’d like to store them for longer, they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Before serving, allow them to defrost at room temperature for about 2 hours. 

Make More Cupcakes!

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

Full (and printable) recipe below!

Classic Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe with Vanilla Buttercream

4.61 from 63 votes
My soft, perfect, Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe is topped with my best-ever buttercream frosting and sprinkles, and works for any occasion!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
My soft, perfect, Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe is topped with my best-ever buttercream frosting and sprinkles, and works for any occasion!
Author: Gemma Stafford
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (7oz/198g) cake flour
  • 1 cup (8oz/225g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons (1oz/28g) butter softened
  • cup (2 ½ floz/71g) neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, sunflower, canola)
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¾ cup (6 floz/170 ml) buttermilk
  • 1 recipe vanilla buttercream frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) combine cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low for a few seconds to combine.
  • Add butter, oil, and vanilla extract and blend until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
  • Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, and mix on low until fully combined.
  • Pour in the buttermilk and mix on low until thoroughly combined, but take care not to overmix.
  • Scoop batter evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Decorate the cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and sprinkles
  • Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature for about 2 hours.
4.61 from 63 votes (46 ratings without comment)
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Iris Winterbottom
Iris Winterbottom
1 year ago

Hi Gemma
I will be baking for the pre school cupcake day so need to double up on this mixture will this be okay? Did try to read the reply to a similar question asked by someone in the comments …can’t seem to access the reply????

Jenna
Jenna
1 year ago

Hi Gemma, love your recipes and going to use this one for my cupcakes this afternoon. I wanted to make a double batch but I have a bit of a silly question: I really only trust the middle shelf of my oven(!), so would prefer to bake the two batches separately. Will the second batch (of mix) be ok on standby whilst the first batch bakes, or does it really need to go into the oven immediately? If that makes sense… Thank you!

Sheila Johnson
Sheila Johnson
2 months ago

Hi Gemma
My children love this vanilla cupcakes thanks a lot

Paula
Paula
2 months ago

Hi Gemma.
I’ve made this recipe many times and love it so much. Now I want to make it for a friend, but she wants it dairy free. I’ve already found dairy free butter, but what can I use to substitute the buttermilk that is dairy free?
Thank you.

Megan
Megan
6 months ago

Hi Gemma! Thank you so much for the recipe. I have been having some technical issues here. I would like to know if this is supposed to be the reverse creaming method? The room temperature butter doesn’t seem to mix in properly with the resf of fhe batter. I am not able to scoop this batter at all. Would it be possible to make a video to show us what the consistency should look like? Would it be better to cream the sugar and butter and oil and eggs and the add the flour and just mix if in alternating… Read more »

Mandy
Mandy
8 months ago

Hi Gemma, love your site and recipes, thanks so much! This is my favourite cupcake recipe but I was wondering if the batter could be used for a cake?
Mandy

Paula
9 months ago

Hi Gemma. I love this recipe so much, I’ve made it so many times. Here’s a picture of when I made it for a Christmas party. The frosting was also your vanilla buttercream recipe. Now I want to try and add some lemon zest and maybe swap some of the vanilla extract with some lemon juice to make lemon cupcakes. Would that work? I already tried your one bowl lemon cupcakes recipe and I actually prefer the texture of these vanilla ones more.

Jacque
Jacque
1 year ago

Hi Gemma,
I received the email saying my comment got approved, but it is still showing it isn’t and no reply from you. I know your busy. just when you have time. Thank you!

Jacque
Jacque
1 year ago

Also, the cupcakes domed beautifully!

Jacque
Jacque
1 year ago

Hi Gemma! I made your vanilla cupcakes yesterday as well as your savory Zucchini (yellow squash on hand) muffins. For the cupcakes I used my hand mixer, which normally I use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. I found when I combined the butter, oil and vanilla with the dry ingredients it wasn’t smooth. I also used homemade buttermilk using whole milk. The cupcakes were super moist, but very, very heavy? Do you think using regular buttermilk would have made the difference? Next time can I cream the butter, oil, vanilla first, then add dry ingredients? Thank you, Gemma.

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Meet Gemma

About Us

Meet Gemma

Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

Weeknight Family Favorites Chapter from the Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook