Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Soft, sweet Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with a dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting make a no-frills treat that your sweet tooth will love. The Perfect Basic Cupcake Recipe A really great basic cupcake recipe belongs in every baker’s arsenal. And these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes are simple, no-frills, delicious, and so easy to make. Soft, sweet vanilla cupcakes…

The post Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe appeared first on The BakerMama.

Soft, sweet Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with a dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting make a no-frills treat that your sweet tooth will love.

Four vanilla cupcakes with white icing on a white cake stand.

The Perfect Basic Cupcake Recipe

A really great basic cupcake recipe belongs in every baker’s arsenal. And these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes are simple, no-frills, delicious, and so easy to make. Soft, sweet vanilla cupcakes with the dreamiest buttercream frosting. They’re my go-to for almost every occasion. Birthdays, baby showers, or just a day when I really need a cupcake. And that happens a LOT.

A frosted vanilla cupcake with the paper peeled back and a bite taken out o fit.

Simply the Best

When I want to get fancy, I might make my Dark Chocolate Cream Filled Cupcakes, Rocky Road Brownie Cupcakes or Banana Pudding Cupcakes. Or I just throw some rainbow sprinkles in them and make confetti cupcakes. But sometimes, I just want something…basic. A really great vanilla cupcake with a simple, creamy frosting. You can never go wrong with a classic!

Eight vanilla frosted cupcakes on a parchment lined cooling rack.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)

Ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Unsalted butter, softened
  • Granulated sugar
  • Large eggs
  • Pure vanilla extract
  • Milk
  • Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

Supplies:

Ingredients to make classic vanilla cupcakes in small white and glass dishes on a whit marble counter.

How to Make Classic Vanilla Cupcakes

  • To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
Steps to make vanilla cupcake batter.
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each one is well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, ending with the flour mixture, until well combined and batter is smooth.
Steps to make vanilla cupcake batter.
  • Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  • To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
  • Add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
  • Add the milk and vanilla and beat until creamy and spreadable. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk at a time until of desired creaminess. If the frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar at a time until of desired thickness.
Steps to make vanilla cupcakes and vanilla buttercream frosting.
  • Pipe or spread the frosting onto each cupcake.
Vanilla frosting being piped onto a vanilla cupcake in a white paper wrapper.

Storage

Frosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for one day. Leftover cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

The buttercream frosting can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Let the chilled frosting come to room temperature before piping or spreading onto the cupcakes.

To freeze unfrosted cupcakes, arrange them in a single layer in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Store them for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 2 hours before frosting.

Six vanilla frosted cupcakes on a parchment lined cooling rack.

If you make these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! ???? I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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Four vanilla cupcakes with white icing on a white cake stand.

Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

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  • Author: The BakerMama
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cooling Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cupcakes

Description

Soft, sweet Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with a dreamy vanilla buttercream frosting make a no-frills treat that your sweet tooth will love.


Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup milk

Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with paper liners and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each one is well combined. Mix in the vanilla.
  4. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, ending with the flour mixture, until well combined and batter is smooth.
  5. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with batter. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
  7. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
  8. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until creamy and spreadable. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk at a time until of desired creaminess. If the frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar at a time until of desired thickness.
  9. Pipe or spread the frosting onto each cupcake.

The post Classic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe appeared first on The BakerMama.

Candy Cane Cupcakes

Our candy cane cupcakes are festive and fun treats that feature moist white and red-tinted cake topped with sweet minty buttercream frosting.

Our candy cane cupcakes are festive and fun treats that feature moist white and red-tinted cake topped with sweet minty buttercream frosting.

Witch Hat Cupcakes

cupcakes with green frosting and a Oreo and kiss on top.These Witch Hat Cupcakes are the perfect chocolate halloween cupcakes for halloween parties or to just celebrate the spooky holiday! This is an easy semi-homemade recipe – they’re perfect for any party or as a last minute treat! These witch hat cupcakes are so cute and the taste even better. You can use box mix…

cupcakes with green frosting and a Oreo and kiss on top.

These Witch Hat Cupcakes are the perfect chocolate halloween cupcakes for halloween parties or to just celebrate the spooky holiday! This is an easy semi-homemade recipe – they’re perfect for any party or as a last minute treat!

cupcakes with green frosting and a Oreo and kiss on top.

These witch hat cupcakes are so cute and the taste even better. You can use box mix or homemade cupcakes or even store bought cupcakes! I added green frosting on top for the witches face, and then Oreos and chocolate for the witches hat! If you want to pair these with another treat, make my witches brooms!

ingredient shot in witch hat cupcakes laid out on a white counter.

Ingredients Needed

  • Cupcakes: You can use store bought cupcakes or homemade cupcakes!
  • Oreos: For the brim of the hat
  • Kisses: The tip of the hat
  • Red Gel Food Coloring or other frosting to adhere the Kiss to the cookie
  • Frosting: Make homemade vanilla buttercream frosting or buy store-bought frosting. I add green food coloring to the frosting.

How to Make Halloween Cupcakes

  1. Add a bit of frosting or gel icing to the bottom of a Hershey’s kiss and stick it on the center of the Oreo to mimic a witch hat.
  2. Color your vanilla frosting green in a piping bag. Frost cupcakes as desired (to represent the witch face).
  3. Top each cupcake with the witch hat.
cupcakes with green frosting and a Oreo and kiss on top.

Expert Tips

  • You can use regular cupcakes or mini cupcakes.
  • I’ve bought store bought cupcakes and scraped off the frosting then added my homemade buttercream and no one knows the difference!
  • Store these in an airtight container but the Oreo will soften after a day or so. I do not recommend freezing these.
cupcakes with green frosting and a Oreo and kiss on top.
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Witch Hat Cupcakes Recipe

Make simple witch hat cupcake toppers with Oreos and Hershey's Kisses, perfect for topping cupcakes!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 221kcal
Cost 6

Ingredients

  • 12 Oreo Cookies
  • 12 Hersheys Kisses , unwrapped
  • Frosting or gel icing
  • 12 Mini Cupcakes (baked and cooled, or regular cupcakes)
  • 1 can Vanilla frosting
  • Green food coloring

Instructions

  • Add a bit of frosting or gel icing to the bottom of a Hershey's kiss and stick it on the center of the Oreo to mimic a witch hat.
  • Color your vanilla frosting green. Frost cupcakes as desired (to represent the witch face).
  • Top each cupcake with the witch hat.

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator.
  • I don’t recommend freezing these cupcakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 221kcal

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