Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes (2024)

Published: Feb 24, 2019 · Modified: Mar 1, 2024 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 1961 words. · About 10 minutes to read this article.

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Homemade vanilla cupcakes are tender, moist, and made entirely from scratch. These yellow cupcakes are topped with a sweet and velvety American buttercream frosting.

This recipe for vanilla homemade cupcakes makes the perfect birthday cupcake. Made with simple, easy to find ingredients, these cupcakes turn out perfect every time.

They're incredibly moist, tender, and soft - the perfect homemade cupcake recipe. After many reader requests, I've even made this recipe into a sheet cake - you can find the recipe here: vanilla sheet cake (with directions for 3 pan sizes!).

I've topped these cupcakes with an American buttercream frosting. Another great option is mychocolate buttercream frosting. Buttercream frosting is very sweet, like a bakery frosting. If you'd like a less sweet option, try making a homemade whipped cream for topping your cupcakes instead.

Ingredients and substitutions

Baking is an exact science, and each ingredient serves a purpose in the recipe. I don't have many substitutions to offer because swapping ingredients can change the texture, moisture, and rise of your cupcakes. If you don't have the listed ingredients on hand, I highly suggest searching Google for an exact recipe that fits your needs without substitutions.

Unsalted butter - Adds moisture and buttery flavor to your cupcake batter. Unsalted butter (and the listed salt) can be substituted with salted butter if desired.
Eggs - Add stability and moisture to your cupcake batter.
Whole milk - Adds moisture to your cupcakes. For best success, I suggest using whole milk, not skim or 1% milk. Your cupcakes will turn out but may potentially be less moist (or may dry out faster) than if using whole milk.
Cake flour - Cake flour has a lower protein content than other flours, like all-purpose or bread flour, giving your cupcakes a smaller, more tender crumb. I highly recommend using cake flour rather than all-purpose flour. When readers have substituted with all-purpose flour, they frequently complain of a 'cornbread' type texture.
Baking powder - Cannot be substituted with baking soda, the two are not interchangeable.
Salt - Enhances the flavor of your cupcakes without making them "salty".
Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavor of your cupcakes.
Granulated sugar - Sweetens your cupcakes and also helps your cupcakes retain moisture. I do not recommend using sugar-free substitutes in this recipe because I haven't tested these alternatives and can't guarantee how they'll turn out. I suggest doing a Google search for a recipe that fits the ingredients you have on hand.

Tips and tricks

Leavening- Make sure you're using baking powder and not baking soda. The type of leavening used in a recipe depends on the other ingredients involved. Baking powder is a must in this recipe. Make sure your leavening is not expired, otherwise your cupcakes may not rise as intended.

Measuring flour properly- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, especially the flour. If you don't have a scale, use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping directly from a bin using the measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding extra flour to the recipe. This can make cupcakes dry.

Cake flour- Do not substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour. Using all-purpose flour will give your cupcakes a 'cornbread' type texture (per readers who have attempted this substitution).

Don't overmix the batter- Only mix your batter until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing your batter can whip extra air in, causing your cupcakes to rise quickly and then fall in the center when they bake.

Allow cupcakes to cool- Do not unwrap your cupcakes while they're still warm. Your cupcakes will stick to the liners until they are fully cooled throughout. Once cooled, your cupcakes will easily unwrap.

Do not frost warm cupcakes- Buttercream is sensitive to heat and will melt between 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Frequently asked questions

How can I bring my ingredients to room temperature quickly?

To bring butter to room temperature quickly, slice it into smaller pieces and set on the counter top for 30 minutes. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for ten minutes. Milk can be microwaved in 10 to 15 second increments, stirring in between, until room temperature. Take care not to melt butter or bring milk to a warm or hot temperature. Hot ingredients can ruin the texture of the batter, causing cupcakes to turn out dense when baked.

Can I use less sugar to make the frosting less sweet? I don't like buttercream frosting.

Buttercream frosting is made with two main ingredients: confectioner's sugar and butter. It's popular because it's easy to prepare with minimal ingredients. However, because it's mainly made of sugar, it's very sweet. Unfortunately, making it with less sugar means it will begin to taste like butter, the other main ingredient. Instead, I highly recommend making a frosting that's already written to include less sugar, like ermine frosting. You could also add a dollop of whipped cream instead.

What types of frosting can I use on white cupcakes?

- Whipped buttercream frosting - Fluffier than a traditional buttercream.
- Whipped chocolate buttercream frosting - A fluffier chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Cream cheese buttercream frosting - Slightly less sweet and tangy.
- Ermine frosting - A less sweet cooked flour frosting. Perfect for those who don't like the sweet taste of buttercream frosting.
- Homemade whipped cream - Light and much less sweet than buttercream.

What tips do you use to decorate your cupcakes?

For years I've used this simple Wilton cupcake decorating kit (Amazon) to decorate my cupcakes. It comes with four piping tips, bags, and easy to read instructions. I also purchased this additional coupler (Amazon) to make it easy to secure the piping tips and to change out tips halfway through decorating.

How do you test cupcakes for doneness?

I test for doneness by gently pressing onto the top of a cupcake with a finger. If the cupcake pops right back, they're done. If an indent is left, they need more time. You can also use the toothpick method. Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes back with batter, your cupcakes need more time. If the toothpick comes back with crumbs or nothing at all, they're done. Additionally, if you nudge the pan and your cupcakes are jiggly, they're not done yet.

Can I fill these cupcakes with fruit?

Yes. Similar to my strawberry filled cupcakes recipe, these cupcakes can be filled with jam or fruit compote.

Can I make a layer cake from this recipe?

Yes, with adjustments. When doubled, this recipe makes a two-layer round 8 or 9 inch cake. Follow my recipe for vanilla sheet cake, which includes directions for three different pan sizes (including a layer cake).

Can I add sprinkles to make funfetti cupcakes?

Yes, ⅓ cup or more of rainbow sprinkles could be added to make funfetti cupcakes.

Troubleshooting

Why did my cupcakes turn out dry? I followed the recipe exactly.

Baked goods can turn out dry for many reasons. No one intends to make dry cupcakes, but a step/ingredient could have been unintentionally missed while preparing your cupcakes. The most popular reasons include:
- Substituting/reducing the moisture adding ingredients (butter, whole milk, granulated sugar, and eggs)
- Adding too much flour (I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to prevent this)
- Overbaking. If you haven't substituted/reduced any ingredients and are 100% sure that everything has been measured with accuracy, the only other reason baked goods turn out dry is from overbaking. I highly recommend watching your cupcakes through the door instead of relying on time alone. Ovens can run hotter or colder than the next oven, and some ovens even have hot spots, so I recommend testing early and often when trying a brand new recipe.

Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?

Sinking can happen for many reasons. Overmixing the batter (which adds extra air that's released during baking), underbaking, using expired leavening, using the wrong leavening, or accidentally doubling the leavening can all cause your cupcakes to sink in the middle.

Why did my cupcakes turn out dense?

Cupcakes can turn out dense from expired leavening, overmixing the wet and dry ingredients (this overworks the gluten), not whipping the butter and sugar long enough, or adding extra wet ingredients (like adding sour cream or applesauce to make cupcakes "extra moist"). If the balance of wet and dry ingredients is off, this can cause a change in texture, preventing your cupcakes from rising properly in the oven.

Why did my cupcakes turn out brown on top?

All cakes, even vanilla cake, will brown on the outside edges due to a chemical reaction that happens when sugar is heated up. This is called a Maillard reaction and is completely normal. The insides will remain white and fluffy and the tops will be covered by frosting.

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