Classic Vanilla Cupcakes: A Delicious Treat for All Occasions
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Classic Vanilla Cupcakes are tender, moist, and flavorful. It is perfect for cupcakes, layer cakes, or sheet cakes.
Baking a classic vanilla cupcake with fluffy buttercream frosting is a tantalizing delight – and thanks to the right ingredients and a few easy steps, it’s easier than you’d think! In this article, you’ll learn how to make a deliciously moist vanilla cupcake from scratch, topped with sweet and creamy buttercream frosting. You’ll be whipping up delicious classic vanilla cupcakes in no time!
Grab your baking supplies, and let’s get baking!
Shop baking equipment needed at Walmart below. Click on the item to open the product.
Your Favorite Classic Vanilla Cupcake
Classic vanilla cupcakes are a timeless favorite, loved by both kids and adults alike. These cupcakes are light, fluffy, and bursting with sweet vanilla flavor. They are perfect for birthdays, parties, or simply as a sweet treat to enjoy any day of the week.
The cupcakes have a delicate crumb and a rich vanilla taste that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. The frosting is smooth and creamy, adding the perfect amount of sweetness to complement the cupcake.
You may also want to try my Easter Sand Art Brownies, Margarita Cupcakes, How to Make Lemon Mini Cupcakes, BROWN BUTTER FROSTING RECIPE, OREO FROSTED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES, EASY CINNAMON ROLL CUPCAKES, and Lemon Cupcake with Raspberry Frosting.
Ingredients
The full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post. You can save a tree and the recipe to your personal and private recipe box here on Call Me PMc. This way, you’ll never misplace it.
For the cupcakes
- Unsalted
butter , softened - Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
For the frosting
- Butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Rainbow jimmy sprinkles, to decorate
Classic Vanilla Cupcakes Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the mini muffin tin by placing mini cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened
butter and sugar. Cream until smooth. - Add in the egg, vanilla and milk and mix until combined.
- Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth – scraping the sides often and mixing well.
- Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to divide out the batter and fill each of the mini cupcake liners until they are about ⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or just until the edges are slightly brown and the center is set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- For the frosting – in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened
butter , powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk. - Mix on low speed until combined. Then bump up the speed to medium and mix until smooth and fluffy. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides and mix again to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe a mound of frosting on each cupcake.
- Decorate with sprinkles.
Cooking Tips:
- Make sure your butter is properly softened before starting to ensure a smooth batter.
- When mixing the batter, avoid overmixing as it can lead to dense cupcakes.
- Use high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
Classic Vanilla Cupcakes FAQ:
- Can I use salted
butter instead of unsaltedbutter ? It’s best to use unsaltedbutter to control the amount of salt in the recipe. - How should I store the cupcakes? Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Can I freeze the cupcakes? Yes, you can freeze unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before frosting.
Classic vanilla cupcakes are a delightful treat that is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving something sweet, these cupcakes are sure to bring joy to your taste buds. Enjoy them with a cup of tea or share them with friends and family for a delightful treat that everyone will love.
I updated this post from an earlier version dated July 29, 2013. I made new photos and simplified the recipe instructions.
Your Favorite Classic Vanilla Cupcake
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
For the cupcakes –
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ cup flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the frosting –
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- Rainbow jimmy sprinkles to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Gather all your ingredients. Prepare the mini muffin tin by placing mini cupcake liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream until smooth.
- Add in the egg, vanilla and milk and mix until combined.
- Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until smooth – scraping the sides often and mixing well.
- Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to divide out the batter and fill each of the mini cupcake liners until they are about ⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 14-16 minutes or just until the edges are slightly brown and the center is set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
For the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk.
- Mix on low speed until combined. Then bump up the speed to medium and mix until smooth and fluffy. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides and mix again to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Once the cupcakes are cool, pipe a mound of frosting on each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles.
- Storage: Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
- I made mini cupcakes. For regular size, bake them for 18 to 22 minutes.
Not a lot of icing?! they are crazy. Cah-rayzee. Give me all the extra icing. Beautiful cupcakes Paula!
I’m totaly with you – lotza icing!!
Perfect – I just love cupcakes and some days, a vanilla cupcake w/ yummy frosting is just right! My Mom taught school for 42 years – I don’t know how they do it.
Pinning!
omg, I know, my degree is actually in education and I was so over it after student teaching! I got into banking and loved it.
Yummy. A classic vanilla cupcake is always an excellent choice!
Personally, though I find a lot of frosting to be pretty…for taste, I like less.
This pretty picture HAS to be in my next cupcake parade. Hope you don’t mind if I snatch it up. 🙂
Sinea
Absolutely, please use it. I think of your cupcake parade when I cruising Pinterest now! 🙂 Thanks for visiting and for the party.
Paula,
This one is for my youngest granddaughter. She only eats vanilla cupcakes with vanilla icing. When I ask her if she wants to bake with me, she says, “Banilla?”. Thanks for a good basic recipe.
Linda
hahaha, that sounds like my boys with cookies, they only want to make Chocolate Chip and that’s so they can eat the dough!
Sometimes vanilla truly is the best! It’s a classic. I do agree, teachers put their heart and soul into their jobs!
Thanks Tanya, sometimes I don’t want to go help out, then I feel terrible for feeling that way when they deal with so much every day.
I love a simple GREAT vanilla cupcake recipe! Your looks so delicious and moist! PS: totally a lot of cake!
haha, I have one son that want just the cake and one that wants just the icing so one works for them! I’m an icing girl! Thanks for visiting!
Crazy question?…..can bisquick be used instead of self-rising flour?
It won’t be the same as using the flour because bisquick has some fat already mixed in it. I think it would turn out more like a muffin, but I’ve never tried so I’m not exactly sure. I think I’ll try it sometime and see though.
It’s always necessary to have a classic vanilla cupcake recipe you can go to. This one looks perfect, and with so few ingredients, it sounds so simple!
I agree, I don’t think recipes have to have a ton of ingredients to be good. My Great Grandmother used to tell me “Honey, if you just have one great cake recipe, you’ll always have something you can give to friends.” haha, love that!