The best homemade vanilla cupcakes recipe you will ever make. A basic, buttery flavor with a tender crumb. They're easy, and delicious with any frosting.
Classic recipes are the bomb! You know what you're getting and you like what it is! These vanilla cupcakes will be your go-to for every shower, school event, church function, weekend treat, baseball game, birthday party you name it!
With these simple vanilla cupcakes you know just what you're getting. No sifting through cookbooks or pins. They taste great and go with any frosting!
Classic vanilla flavored cupcakes
These vanilla cupcakes have a lovely buttery flavor that's not overpowering. I use my Fluffy Vanilla Frosting on these cupcakes all the time for that perfect combo.
They're also great with Milk Chocolate Frosting and other flavored frostings too!
When you need a go-to, basic vanilla cupcake these are my favorite. They are sturdy and hold frosting and decorations like a charm, but the crumb is tender and light.
Bake these vanilla cupcakes for all your events
Do you need cupcakes for a school event, birthday or baby shower? Maybe you're just sharing love with your friends one mini cake at a time! Whatever the reason, this is a basic, go-to recipe you'll want to keep bookmarked.
I love using these cupcakes for other creations, and have lots of reason on the blog to bake them. Check some of those delicious reasons out here:
This cupcake doesn't brown
Unlike many vanilla cupcake recipes, this one doesn't brown. Don't look for a golden color as the cake bakes, if you see it they are overdone! They are beautiful blonde cupcakes, with a fine crumb and rich taste.
It's simply the ratios and combinations of ingredients that create a perfectly baked cupcake before the butters and sugars start to caramelize.
I love that these cupcakes are done before they create the browned bits around the edges or get a deep color at the base of the cupcake papers. To me, they're perfect and very much like a bakery-style cupcake.
FAQ
You can make mini cupcakes or standard size. This vanilla cupcake recipe makes about 3 dozen mini cupcakes, and 2 dozen standard sized. I love to bake them in cupcakes papers so they are easy to transport and serve.
Yes! To add deep, rich flavor to the cupcakes, swap the butter with an equal amount of browned butter. See my post about How to Make Browned Butter for more in depth information about how to brown the butter and make the swap.
Equipment
Bake them in a sturdy pan like this muffin tin. Enjoy all the creations you can come up with using this recipe!
Shop!
You can also shop my store for this adorable cupcake book bag!
Frosting recipes
Top your cupcakes with something sweet! These homemade frosting recipes are simply the best:
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📖 Full Recipe
Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 12 tbsp (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Line cupcake pans with liners; set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and combine, scraping sides of bowl.
- Stir in flour mixture and milk alternately in 3 parts, starting and ending with flour.
- Divide batter among liners; fill standard cups ¾ full and mini cups just below the top.
- Bake until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes for standard, 15 minutes for mini. Cupcakes will stay a light color, so don’t wait until they are golden. Cool completely on racks before frosting.
- Ice with Fluffy Vanilla Frosting or Milk Chocolate Frosting and decorate with candies.
Notes
- This recipe makes 3 dozen mini cupcakes.
- Top the cupcakes with your favorite frosting.
- Unlike many vanilla cupcake recipes, this one doesn't brown. Don't look for a golden color as the cake bakes, if you see it they are overdone! They are beautiful blonde cupcakes, with a fine crumb and rich taste.
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
by Tara Teaspoon
Anonomous says
I need to make 6 standard sized ones. how should I change the recipe? please can you reply in email?
Brittany Smart says
Great simple recipe of a classic!
Mary Bench says
Yes! These are a great go-to!