Very Vanilla Cupcakes
Introducing the perfect recipe for classic vanilla cupcakes! This simple and reliable recipe produces fluffy, moist cupcakes with big vanilla flavor, thanks to a double dose of vanilla from both vanilla beans and vanilla extract.
Here’s a cupcake for all of you vanilla lovers out there. I love a decadent chocolate dessert as much as the next gal, but vanilla has my heart and soul. In my opinion there’s nothing better than a really fantastic dessert where vanilla shines front and center.
With that in mind, I went ahead and created my dream vanilla cupcakes. And these beauties are about as vanilla-y as you can get! They’re so light and tender, intensely flavorful, and incredibly delicious.
Double the vanilla!
What makes these vanilla cupcakes a little extra special is that they have a heavy dose of both vanilla extract AND vanilla beans in the cupcakes. Top these cupcakes with whipped vanilla frosting for that classic cupcake and buttercream frosting combo, or use my vanilla chantilly cream frosting instead for a lighter and less-sweet variation. Both will be amazing.
Table of Contents
- Double the vanilla!
- Ingredients you'll need
- Choosing the best vanilla
- How to make these vanilla cupcakes
- Decoration ideas and suggestions
- More cupcake recipes
- Get the recipe
Ingredients you’ll need
To make this vanilla cupcakes recipe, you’ll need these basic baking staples:
- Butter— unsalted butter is recommended for this recipe
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract and vanilla beans/vanilla bean paste— keep reading for how to choose the best vanilla for this recipe
- Buttermilk
- Cake flour— For the most tender cupcakes, though all-purpose flour can be substituted
- Baking powder, baking soda and salt
- Powdered sugar (aka confectioners sugar)
- Heavy cream (or milk)
Choosing the best vanilla
Most recipes use either vanilla extract or whole vanilla beans, but these cupcakes use BOTH! It’s what gives the cupcakes their intense vanilla flavor. Vanilla bean paste is also a great option if whole vanilla beans are hard to find or too expensive.
- Vanilla extract— Only use true pure vanilla extract for the best flavor, not “imitation”. The ingredient list should include only vanilla beans, alcohol and water. Brands I trust for good vanilla are Nielsen-Massey, Rodelle and Simply Organic.
- Whole vanilla beans— Look for pump and pliable whole beans, they shouldn’t be dried out or brittle. They’ll stay freshest in a vacuum sealed packaged and should be used within 1 year for best flavor.
- Vanilla bean paste— My Nielsen-Massey jar has lasted for several years and it’s such an easier option than using whole beans.
If you don’t have one type of vanilla on hand, here’s how you can substitute: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract = Seeds from 1 vanilla bean = 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. If you only have one type of vanilla, then just double it!
How to make these vanilla cupcakes
- Prepare cake batter. This is a typical cake batter made using the creaming method. It starts by beating butter and sugar, then you add eggs and vanilla, then finish by alternately adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk.
- Divide into cupcake liners. Line a standard muffin pan with paper cupcake liners and fill each 2/3 full (don’t over fill!). You’ll have enough batter for 18 cupcakes, so bake in batches as needed.
- Bake. Bake in a 350°F oven until the cupcakes are slightly domed and the centers spring back when gently pressed. Once out of the oven, let them cool slightly in the pan, then carefully lift them out so they can cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make frosting. While cupcakes are baking and cooling, make the vanilla buttercream by beating together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Add food coloring if you want!
- Frost cupcakes and decorate. Use an offset spatula or a piping bag with tip to top cooled cupcakes with frosting. Add sprinkles if you want! Store cupcakes in an airtight container and enjoy within a few days.
baking tip:Cupcake baking tips
- Use a measuring scoop to portion equal amounts of batter into each cup so they bake evenly. (This is the one I use.)
- Don’t fill more than 2/3 full. Cupcakes use the walls of the cupcake liners or muffin pan to help them rise. If you overfill the liners, there’s too much batter and not enough space to climb. The batter can spill over the sides and you’ll be left with flat cupcakes.
- Resist the urge to open the oven and peek during baking. The small cupcakes are more susceptible to sinking due to a drop in temperature.
- Using your oven light, look to see when the cupcakes are domed and appear to be set. Then open and touch lightly. If they spring back, they’re done.
- Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, or until they’re cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a cooling rack. The heat from the pan will overcook and dry out the cupcakes if left in too long.
Decoration ideas and suggestions
You don’t need any special equipment or skills to make these delicious cupcakes! But here are a few resources to step up your cupcakes (some are affiliate links to product I use and love):
- Reusable piping bags are a must for avid bakers, but disposable piping bags are really convenient too.
- I love my sets of plain frosting tips and star frosting tips (lots of sizes!).
- If you want to tint your frosting, use gel food coloring for best results. Here’s a basic color set.
- Here is my favorite brand of fun sprinkles for cake decorating.
- Top the cupcakes with fudge buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting instead. Find even more frosting options here.
More cupcake recipes
Get the recipe
Very Vanilla Cupcakes
These perfect vanilla cupcakes are soft and tender with a double dose of vanilla!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped OR 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups (240 grams) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 grams) buttermilk , well-shaken
Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (455 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (56 grams) heavy whipping cream , or whole milk
Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick spray.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high for about 3 minutes until pale and creamy, scraping down the bowl once or twice
- Add eggs one at time, mixing after each. Add vanilla extract and scraped vanilla bean seeds OR vanilla bean paste and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until flour mixture is incorporated, do not over mix.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake until tops spring back when gently pressed and edges are barely turning golden, about 13-15 minutes.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan a few minutes until they are cool enough to touch, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, mix all of the ingredients on low speed until it starts to come together.
- Increase speed to high and beat for 4-5 minutes until frosting is fluffy, pausing once or twice to scrape the bowl down.
- This frosting will be very airy with lots of bubbles. If desired, use a wooden spoon to beat the frosting by hand for 2-3 minutes. This pushes all of the air out of the frosting, leaving it smooth.
- Frost and decorate cupcakes as desired.
Notes
- How to store cupcakes: Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Unfrosted cupcakes can be made in advance and frozen (well-wrapped) in the freezer for 1 month or more. Let thaw completely before frosting.
- How to store frosting: Frosting may been stored at room temperature, but if I’m not going to use it right away I prefer to store in the fridge. Frosting will keep in the fridge for 1 week and in the freezer for 1 month or more. Let frosting come back to room temperature and re-whip for a few minutes before using.
- If you don’t have one type of vanilla on hand, here’s how you can substitute: 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract = Seeds from 1 vanilla bean = 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. If you only have one type of vanilla, then just double it!
Calories: 362kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 250mg, Potassium: 67mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 570IU, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
Can this recipe be made into a cake
Sure! It won’t yield a lot of batter though so 6-inch pans will work best, or you could use 8-inch and plan for a very short cake. It could also work for a 9×13-inch sheet cake. Baking times will vary and I haven’t tested them so I couldn’t say for sure.
Delicious! I’ve tried many vanilla cupcake recipes over the years, and most were disappointing. This one did not disappoint! The cupcakes are moist and tender, and the vanilla flavor is strong. I used this recipe to make green velvet cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day so had to tweak the recipe slightly, but not enough that it would alter the texture or taste. I added 1 tbsp of cocoa and 1 oz. of green food coloring, and increased the vanilla extract to 1 tbsp. I didn’t have a vanilla bean, so used vanilla bean paste. The only other change I made was to add 3 tbsp canola oil because I was filling the cupcakes and wanted to make sure they weren’t too fragile. They tested done at 13 minutes, so it’s important to keep an eye on the baking time so that they’re not overbaked. The frosting is similar to many American buttercreams as far as the ingredients are concerned, but the texture of this one is much better than most, and for some reason I didn’t find it as cloyingly sweet. It’s so quick and easy to prepare, with all the ingredients being added to the bowl at the same time. The frosting pipes beautifully. I appreciate that there are weight measures given since they’re more accurate than volume. Great go-to recipe for both the cupcakes and frosting.