Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Get those dry, crumbly cupcakes outta here! Ya girl Grandbaby Cakes is here to deliver the ultimate tender, moist, and sweet vanilla cupcake recipe. And The Kitchn gave this recipe a 9 out of 10 which resulted in plenty of folks calling this recipe the best vanilla cupcake recipe they have ever had. I ain’t gotta lie to ya. Try for yourself boos.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many cupcakes I’ve baked in my lifetime. I’m talking about hundreds and hundreds of little tender cakes adorned with creamy, sweet frosting. That’s why I can stand by saying that these vanilla cupcakes are the very best out there. When folks try these, they are amazed at how delish a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe can be. The Kitchn added my vanilla cupcakes to a throwdown and said “The texture of these cupcakes was incredible. They were impossibly moist and dense in the most luxurious way imaginable.” That’s quite the compliment. When it comes to plain vanilla, it can be deemed plain, basic and boring but once you nail the right recipe, you will stop grabbing a box mix for good.

The Lowdown of the Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Cuisine Inspiration: Classic American
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Can be made Gluten-Free or Vegan with some adjustments
Key Flavor: Moist, perfectly sweet and full of pure vanilla flavor boos
Skill Level: Easy (No Sweat, Fam!)

• Super Fluff: No dry, crumbly cupcakes around these parts. These are the moistest, fluffiest little cupcakes you’ll ever bake. It’s like biting into a cloud ya dig?
• Versatile: Think of these as your canvas. These can be hooked up with any fave frostings or fillings you can dream up.
• So Easy: Beyond the flavor, the ease is what makes this the best vanilla cupcake recipe around y’all.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make This Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

• Vegetable Oil and Unsalted Butter– Butter cupcakes tend to be richer in flavor but dryer while oil cupcakes have less flavor but are super moist. In my moist vanilla cupcake recipe, I use both like a boss.
• Granulated Sugar- The fine crystals in granulated sugar give us the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Eggs- Eggs bind all of our ingredients together while adding the rich structure we need.
• Flour- Flour is the base to our cupcake. For the best results, make sure you sift to make that texture fluffy and airy.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda- These are gonna help our homemade vanilla cupcakes rise.
• Salt– Salt enhances flavor and perks up the depth and complexity of the batter.
• Sour Cream- This gives wonderful moisture and tangy flavor. The acid in sour cream produces a very fine crumb because it tenderizes the gluten in the flour.
• Whole Milk- The protein content, fat, sugar, and overall creaminess of whole milk thins the sour cream and creates a smoother than a baby’s bottom batter y’all.
• Vanilla-  Use only pure. None of that artificial stuff boos. And if you can get the paste, DO IT!  It makes a world of difference.

How to Bake Vanilla Cupcakes

Step 1: Set the Stage and Get to Mixing

1. Kick things off by preheating your oven to a cool 325°F. Line your 12-cup muffin pans with those cute paper liners. You’ll need 16 in total, but hey, you can line the extra 4 after the first batch bakes up.
2. Now, let’s get that mixer all revved up! Combine your oil and butter in the bowl, and mix on high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the sugar on high for another 4-5 minutes until you’ve got a beautiful, fluffy, pale yellow mix.

Step 2: Toss in the Eggs and Slow it Down

1. Introduce the eggs one at a time, mixing each in before adding the next. Don’t forget to scrape down those sides.
2. Set your mixer to low speed, and gradually add the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to the party, mixing them in two batches. No overbeating here!

Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients

1. Add some sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract to the mix.
2. Give the sides one final scrape, a gentle mix, and then kill the power. Your perfect batter is ready!

PRO TIP: Don’t overmix y’all. Overmixing can add too much air and make the cupcakes tough and dense. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour.

Step 4: Scoop and Bake

1. Fill up your liners 3/4 full with the glorious batter.
2. Pop them into the oven for a sweet 16-19 minute bake (18’s the magic number for me!) or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean when inserted in the center. Then cool to room temp before you frost.

PRO TIP: Grab an ice cream scoop so you get your liners all evenly filled up. This will make sure the baking is consistent across all of the cupcakes.

What to Serve Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

• Keep it Classic: Go with a simple vanilla American buttercream or a vanilla Swiss Meringue buttercream.
• Add Chocolate: Whether you add a chocolate frosting or chocolate Swiss Meringue buttercream to the top, mixing contrasting flavors is a win.
• Caramel: A caramel frosting is gonna add sweet developed depth.
• Baby Shower: Serve these up with blue velvet cake cupcakes or pink strawberry cupcakes for a gender reveal or baby shower.
• Dessert Buffet: Cupcakes are fantastic for grab and go entertaining. Serve these along with smaller treats like chocolate chip cookies, chewy brownies, and key lime pie cookie cups.

Recipe Substitutions

• Oil: Any other neutral oil like canola will also work really great in this recipe.
• Butter: You can use salted butter just omit the butter or use all oil but that will result in less flavor overall.
• Flour: If you like a softer crumb, try cake flour here. It will be beyond soft too boos.
• Sour Cream: Grab greek yogurt or buttermilk if sour cream ain’t around.
• Milk: You can legit use any milk for this and it will turn out great.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Gluten Free: Replace the all-purpose flour with 1:1 ratio gluten free baking flour. Just make sure it has xanthan gum for structure.
• Vegan: Replace the eggs with flaxseed eggs (each egg is 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water after sitting for 10 minutes) and use oat milk, almond milk or coconut milk as well as a vegan greek yogurt for the sour cream.
• Lemon Meringue vibes: Fill with some homemade lemon curd and add a meringue on the top. Torch it up for good measure.
• Ice Cream Cupcake Sandwiches: Cut a cupcake in half and add a scoop of your fave ice cream like vanilla ice cream, cookie butter ice cream or strawberry ice cream to the center.
• Cookies and Cream: Add crumbled Oreos to the batter and bake up. Then top with my oreo frosting. The texture is so amazing.
• Swirl it Up: Swirling the batter with caramel sauce or peanut butter before baking really punches up the vanilla flavor.
• Ombre: You can even turn this cupcake recipe into an ombre cake for a little fun.

Expert Tips and Tricks for Vanilla Cupcakes from Scratch

• Room Temp: Make sure that the eggs, butter and sour cream have been taken out at least 30 minutes before baking. It’s gonna result in a smoother batter y’all.
• Measure Correctly! Use the spoon and level method for consistent, exact results. Fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. If you overdo it on the flour, you can dry out the vanilla cupcakes.
• Use Good Vanilla. You can use cheap flour, sour cream, milk, and even butter but you gotta have good quality vanilla for this recipe. Bonus points if you use vanilla bean paste! 
• Don’t Forget the Cupcake Liners. I hate when cupcakes stick to the pan boos! To avoid that, I choose to use cupcake liners. If that’s not your jam, be sure to thoroughly grease and flour the pan. 
• Cool Before Frosting. If you try to frost your cupcakes while they’re still warm, the frosting will melt and you’ll have a soupy-sticky hot mess. Wait until they have cooled completely.

How to Store

• Room Temp: Keep them in a cake cover so the elements won’t get to them. They will last for up to 3 days depending on the frosting you add.
• Fridge: You can refrigerate them for up to 5 days but they should come back to room temp before serving.
• Freezer: Freeze these unfrosted for the best results. Wrap with plastic wrap then cover in foil. They will last for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best Cupcake Recipes

• Lemon Cupcakes with Mojito Frosting
• Lemon Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Raspberry Lemon Poke Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Cupcakes