Skip to Content

Super Moist Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe

These Vanilla Cupcakes are fluffy, moist and full of scrumptious flavor. Topped with a homemade vanilla buttercream, they are easy to make and create the perfect shareable, snack sized cakes for any occasion.

Decorate to fit any event theme, or enjoy them as a simple, classic cupcake treat. We also enjoy them topped with fresh berries during the summer. They create a gorgeous centerpiece, make perfect classroom treats to share with schoolmates, or serve at a birthday party.

We are sharing our tips and tricks for achieving the absolute best vanilla cupcakes you can imagine.

Vanilla Cupcake With Buttercream Frosting In A White Wrapper

Cupcakes make a party table complete, they are cute, easy to clean up after, and provide the perfect portions for everyone to enjoy with very little mess.

What is the secret to moist cupcakes?

Baking the fluffiest cakes whether full size or in cupcake form is all about the amount of air incorporated into the batter. If you over mix the batter you will collapse the beautiful air bubbles that are created, which will result in a flat, dense cake. To avoid over mixing your batter make sure you keep mixing to an absolute minimum.

Room temperature ingredients like eggs and butter will also help create fluffy and moist cakes. Cold ingredients will not mix and blend as well as warm ingredients. To achieve the creamiest batter texture possible, always work with room temperature ingredients.

Another important tip is baking at the proper temperature, erring on the side of caution and baking at a lower temperature if unsure. Baking at high heat will dry out the cakes and create hard, even burnt edges. Cupcakes need a gentle hand from start to finish, even in regards to the baking temperature.

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

Why do my Cupcakes sink when I take them out of the oven?

Measuring your cupcake batter is an important detail to remember. We suggest using an ice cream or cookie scoop to portion out your batter into the cupcake liners. If the cupcake tins are over filled they will rise too much and consequently collapse under the weight once they are removed from the heat.

Fill the cupcake liners to 2/3 full for the best rise and most even bake. Under fill and the cupcakes will likely over bake and become flat and dense. Over fill and there is risk of uneven baking as well as the dreaded collapse when they are taken out of the oven.

How to decorate Vanilla Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes were the dessert centerpiece at a dear friend’s baby shower. The decor was an adventure theme with iconic whites and blues for a darling baby boy. The cupcakes provided the perfect treat to accentuate the theme, and everyone loved how fluffy and delicious they were.

Baby Shower Cupcakes On Platters With White Hydrangeas And A Can Of Cake Pops
Baby Shower Cupcakes boy with the Explorer theme.

The baby shower decor team spent a craft night together with my silhouette machine. It’s such a handy crafting tool. We made OODLES of decorations for the party. Including the toppers you see here for the cupcakes. 

These Explorer Map Cupcake Wrappers came from Amazon and finished the dessert them perfectly. We filled the balloons with helium and cotton to make clouds. 

Vanilla Cupcakes Themed For An Explorer Baby Shower
Vanilla cupcakes themed for an explorer baby shower

How do I store Cupcakes?

Cupcakes are a delicate baked good that doesn’t hold well for more than a day or two. Store any unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight bag or container in a cool, dry place until you are ready to frost and serve them. Store any decorated cupcakes individually wrapped in an airtight bag or container.

We do not recommend storing your cupcakes in the fridge. Storing cupcakes in the fridge will dry them out and can even increase the crystallization process of the sugars and flour, making them go stale quicker.

Looking for more Cupcake recipes? Check out Homemade Food Junkie Cupcake Corner. You’re sure to find the perfect Cupcake recipe for you or your event.

Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

  1. Use real vanilla extract rather than imitation flavoring for best results.
  2. Room temperature ingredients blend together best. Set out your eggs, unsalted butter and other dairy ingredients an hour or so before you make any cakes or cupcakes.
  3. Do not over-mix the cupcake batter. Cake batter is very delicate and needs to be mixed on low speed just until the ingredients are combined.
  4. Fill your cupcake liners evenly and only half to 2/3 Full.
  5. Do not open the oven door early to check on the cupcakes. This can cause your cupcakes to fall and not rise properly.
  6. The key to a great cupcake is air and lightness in the batter.
  7. Cover them as soon as they are cooled to the touch. This keeps them soft and moist.
  8. Frost the day you plan to eat them for best results. This will leave you with soft and fresh buttercream

This Recipe makes 12 cupcakes full sized cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes. It easily doubles for a large crowd event.

Your Printable Recipe Card:

Vanilla Cupcakes Are Universally Popular At Parties. Cupcakes Bring A Party Table To Life When Appropriately Decorated And Coordinated To Your Party Theme. This Cupcake Recipe Holds Well And Remains Moist. Perfect Party Choice!
Yield: 12 frosted cupcakes

Super Moist Vanilla Cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Vanilla cupcakes are universally popular at parties. Cupcakes bring a party table to life when appropriately decorated and coordinated to your party theme. This cupcake recipe holds well and remains moist. Perfect party choice!

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 1-1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 Cup unsalted butter,-softened
  • 1 Cup  granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup full fat sour cream

Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1 Cup unsalted butter- softened
  • 4 Cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4-5 tbsp milk

Instructions

To make the vanilla cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar until thoroughly creamed together, add in eggs one at a time. Add in the vanilla and sour cream. (do not over-mix the batter)
  4. Start adding in the dry ingredients slowly, beating between additions (I like to add them in thirds)
  5. Use an ice cream scoop or a small spoon to fill a cupcake lined tin. These liners will need to be filled a little over halfway. If you fill them all the way to the top, your cupcakes will rise way over.
  6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, watch for them to start turning a light golden brown, use a toothpick to check for doneness.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.

Frosting:

  1. Beat butter (softened to room temperature) until it is pale in color (at least 3-5 minutes)
  2. Add in powdered sugar in additions, until mixed completely with butter
  3. Next, add the vanilla extract and the milk (the milk you will need to add accordingly, start with 4 tbsp and if its still too thick, add another tbsp)

Notes

Store prepared cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 481Total Fat 27gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 102mgSodium 168mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 0gSugar 46gProtein 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Follow Us:

We enjoy meeting you on our social networks. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram . Tag us with your pictures of our recipes and comment on how it went for you. We would love to see what you do with them.

We often like, comment and share your posts of our recipes on our daily Instagram stories.

Ask questions and rate the recipe in the comments section below. Please share what you did with this recipe. We are always looking for more and better ways to make homemade food. Other cooks love your ideas!

Recent Posts:

Classic Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes-Pin Image
Vanilla cupcakes are universally popular at parties. Cupcakes bring a party table to life when appropriately decorated and coordinated to your party theme.

Original vanilla cupcake Recipe Found at: live well bake often

Joy

Wednesday 30th of August 2023

This recipe came out like muffins when I tried it, like the commenter below. Another recipe for vanilla cupcakes that I tried to replace this batch had a 1/2 cup of milk and so the liquid to dry ration was higher. Wondering if this was the issue or over mixing or...?

Kayti Lavergne

Thursday 31st of August 2023

It could be over mixing. If the flour gets over mixed it will cause the glutens to form a really strong bond with the proteins and cause a dense cupcake.

Janet

Thursday 21st of July 2022

These are delicious! My son made them as well for a good friend’s wedding and they were gorgeous! I am wondering if you can bake and freeze them, and then when needed defrost and ice them?

Diane

Thursday 21st of July 2022

Hi Janet, We are so happy you and your son enjoy this cupcake recipe. They do freeze well. We suggest you let them cool completely and then wrap each cup cupcake in plastic wrap. Set them in a freezer bag or freezer container with an airtight lid and freeze. Be sure to avoid crushing them in the freezer. Cupcake will crush some even frozen so keep them safe. Freeze up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature and ice them. Have a wonderful day!

Dave

Wednesday 10th of March 2021

This recipe was awesome I just finished baking them the taste great

Diane

Wednesday 10th of March 2021

That wonderful to hear Dave. I'm so happy the recipe worked well for you. Thanks so much for the great review.

Tanya

Sunday 10th of January 2021

They are delicious we all love them in our house we skipped the milk in the frosting so that we don't have to refrigerate and still tastes great. Is there a way to make into a cake? In case want to use to decorate for my 3 year olds next Birthday. Thank you for the yummy recipe.

Kayti Lavergne

Sunday 10th of January 2021

Hi Tanya! I'm so happy you enjoyed the cupcakes! I always use this method for converting cupcakes into cakes https://hummingbirdbakery.com/blogs/hummingbird-bakery-blog/how-to-convert-cupcake-and-cake-recipes It's worked for me a number of times! :)

Beth

Friday 2nd of October 2020

I made these and they are more of a muffin than a cupcake. Too much butter and not enough vanilla flavor in the recipe.

Skip to Recipe