Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes – Scrumptiously moist and fluffy cupcakes infused with vanilla, and topped with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting!
Today, I bring you my most favourite Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes recipe. I love sharing my favourite recipes with you, because I love knowing that you’re all enjoying them, too!
These vanilla cupcakes rise perfectly, and have beautiful flat tops when cooled completely – a perfect blank canvas for frosting. I love eating these cupcakes without frosting, they’re not at all plain or boring! They’re absolutely delicious, and full of flavour.
But frost these cupcakes with scrumptiously creamy vanilla buttercream, and you’ll take them to the next level. Moist, fluffy, creamy vanilla heaven.
How to make Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Caster/granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter
- Greek-style yogurt
For the frosting:
- Icing/powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
To make these cupcakes, simply whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Whisk together the eggs. Add the sugar, and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract, butter, and yogurt, and whisk until combined. Mix in the dry ingredients.
Divide the batter evenly between a muffin pan lined with muffin cases, filling only 2/3 full.
Bake for 14 – 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow them to cool for 5 – 10 minutes in the pan, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, beat together the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth, and spreadable. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and frost the cooled cupcakes.
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients, their measurements, and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
NOTE: For best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup measurements. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough, and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
These Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes are:
- quick and easy to make
- deliciously moist and fluffy
- perfectly infused with vanilla flavour
- topped with a creamy buttercream frosting
How long will these vanilla cupcakes last? These cupcakes can be stored, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze these cupcakes? Yup, these cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐️ review! I’d love to see your take on it — snap a photo and tag me on Instagram or Facebook with #simplybakeblog!
Try these delicious cupcakes next!
- Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes
- Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
- Funfetti Cupcakes
- Salted Caramel Cupcakes
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Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (190g) cake flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) caster/granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (120g) Greek style yogurt
For the Frosting
- 4 cups (500g) icing/powdered sugar
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 – 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin cases, and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs. Add the sugar, and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract, butter, and yogurt, and whisk until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, filling only 2/3 full.
- Bake for 14 – 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat together the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth, and spreadable.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and frost the cooled cupcakes.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are, hands down, the best cupcakes I’ve ever made! Thank you for sharing the recipe <3
Hey Marsha. I love your recipes. I’m planning on using this recipe this weekend, can I stuff the cupcakes?
Hi Lerato! Yes you can. I use a cupcake corer or a knife to scoop out the centres, and then fill with my desired fillings. Top with frosting afterwards – as seen in this recipe: https://simplybakeblog.com/jam-doughnut-cupcakes/
Enjoy!
This recipe made nice cakes but there was more than twice the amount of icing necessary. A single cake was too much for anyone in the family. I recommend halving the amount of icing.
Depending on how much icing you put on the cupcakes, you may have some left over. If frosted just like the pictures, you shouldn’t have that much left, if any at all. If you like a lot less on your cupcakes, you definitely can halve the recipe to make less. 🙂
Hello on these vanilla cupcakes do you use plain Greek yogurt or vanilla flavored ?
Hi Jasmine! I use plain Greek yogurt 🙂
When i made the frosting it came out really thin and runny. Is there anything i can do to fix this?
Hi Ariel! Did you use a handheld or stand mixer to make the frosting? Usually when made by hand, it won’t be as thick as it should be. The frosting should be very thick but spreadable for piping.
Thanks. i used a handheld mixer because i don’t have a standing one. Maybe i’ll try something different next time.
Can these be frozen? I made a batch of mini cupcakes using this recipe and it was amazing the same day but a little dry the next day. Freezing adds moisture so I was considering trying that because I have a very large quantity to make this week and will need to bake in advance.
Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. I’m glad you enjoyed my recipe! 🙂
These look so amazing! I love the butterfly sprinkles!
Thanks, Miranda!
I made these the other day for my friends baby shower and they were amazing! I loved that they used melted butter as it was so much quicker than other recipes with the same result. I did blue icing on mine so maybe not quite as elegant 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Jayne! 🙂
They definitely look perfect, I love that crumb. I can imagine them being a good base for any kind of cupcakes or muffins.
Thanks, Adina! 🙂
So cute and delicious! Nothing like a good vanilla cupcake!
Thanks, Olivia!
Your baked are wonderful, Marsha. These cupcakes are bursting with deliciousness.
Thanks, Anu!
These are so pretty! I always love vanilla cupcakes!
Thanks, Kari!
I love that you achieved the beautiful, flat tops with these, Marsha. It can definitely be annoying when you have that domed top on the cupcake and you’re trying to win at frosting. Lol. These look absolutely gorgeous! Also, the sprinkles are just perfect. 🙂 Hope you have an awesome weekend, friend! Pinning, of course. 🙂
Thanks, Demeter! You too! 🙂
Classic vanilla cupcakes are my favorite… partly because I’m allergic to cocoa, but mostly because they are just so dang delicious! LOVE these, Marsha! Those little butterfly sprinkles (<– are they called sprinkles?) are so cute! Cheers, girlfriend!
Thanks, Cheyanne! Yes, the butterfly sprinkles are so cute!
These definitely do look perfect! Making me want to raid my cupboard for a sweet treat.
Thanks, Jo!
These look amazing! Wish I had a few of them right now!
Thanks, Puja!
I usually always go for a chocolate cupcake, but I think I need to eat more vanilla cupcakes because these are beautiful!
Thanks, Dannii!
They look so sweet and delicious.
Thanks, Sara!
Marsha Everything you make looks sooo out of this world!! and thank you for sharing how to make cake flour in the recipe 🙂
Thanks, Khadija! 🙂
I love making cupcakes from scratch! They look perfectly delicious and very vanilla.
Thanks, Ellen!
I struggle with decorating cupcakes — they never seem to look as pretty as everyone else’s. Any tips?
sometimes u have to play with the various frosting tips… I’ve had that problem too..