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    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Cupcakes

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    Vanilla Cupcakes | Classic Recipe

    Published: Mar 18, 2016 · Updated: Oct 6, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    the best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe pin

    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!

    Vanilla Cupcakes cooling on racks

    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 great with Chocolate Frosting, coconut, cream cheese frosting or 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:

    Easter Bunny Cupcakes

    Spring Cupcakes

    Sweet Little Flower Cupcakes

    Vanilla cupcakes decorated with little flowers and eggs made with delicious candy, on top of fluffy vanilla frosting.

    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.

    How many cupcakes does this recipe make?

    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.

    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!

    Shop Tara Teaspoon for this cupcake bag

    📖 Recipe

    Vanilla cupcakes with Mum flower made from frosting

    Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

    Tara Teaspoon
    These vanilla cupcakes will be your go-to for every shower, school event, church function, weekend treat, baseball game, birthday party, you name it!
    4.50 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 24 standard cupcakes

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 12 tablespoon unsalted butter (, softened (1 ½ sticks))
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    • 4 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

    Serving: 1gCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 76mgSugar: 13gVitamin A: 240IUCalcium: 36mgIron: 0.9mg
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    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!

    More about Tara

    by Tara Teaspoon

    Comments

      4.50 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    1. Mary Bench says

      July 17, 2018 at 3:41 pm

      Yes! These are a great go-to!

      Reply
    2. Brittany Smart says

      July 19, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      Great simple recipe of a classic!

      Reply
    3. Anonomous says

      August 30, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      I need to make 6 standard sized ones. how should I change the recipe? please can you reply in email?

      Reply
    the best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe pin

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

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