These vanilla cupcakes are, by far, one of the most-loved recipes on this website. Using creamed butter, plus cake flour, sour cream, and egg whites (no yolks!), guarantees a soft, fluffy, and cake-like crumb. Pure vanilla extract plus the optional addition of vanilla beans seals in a classic vanilla flavor. Use a piping tip or knife to garnish each with vanilla buttercream.
Originally published in 2016, this vanilla cupcakes recipe has soared to the top of my Essential Baking Recipes list. This list includes recipes that are in regular rotation in my kitchen including banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and sugar cookies. (So many favorites!) In fact, today’s cupcakes have been so popular around here that I’ve used the base recipe to create several other varieties.
Here’s Exactly Why This Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe Works:
Baking is a science and that’s proved over and over again in base recipes like this. Like when making white cake and vanilla cake, it’s not only the measurements you use, but the specific type of ingredient. Using cake flour instead of all-purpose produces a fluffy, soft crumb. Skipping the egg yolks keeps the cupcakes light. Sour cream helps supply a tight, yet moist crumb. My team and I have done the testing and we are confident in the results. These homemade vanilla cupcakes are simply perfect.
Reader Kristin commented: “This recipe was delicious and will definitely be a go to! I frosted with your Homemade Rainbow Chip Frosting and had rave reviews… several asked for the recipes!”
Use These Carefully Selected Ingredients
This cupcake batter calls for 11 ingredients, including the handful mentioned below, as well as basics like baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Let me explain why the following ingredients are “power ingredients” in this recipe:
- Cake flour: Cake flour is much lighter than all-purpose flour and helps to produce the softest, lightest cakes and cupcakes you’ll ever eat. It’s sold next to the regular flour in the baking aisle and I promise that you’ll use up the entire box in no time after you taste these! Note that you do not need cake flour for chocolate cupcakes because cocoa powder is already very light.
- Softened butter: A base of creamed butter and sugar (instead of using melted butter or oil) often helps achieve a soft, cake-like structure. Make sure it’s proper room temperature butter.
- Egg whites: While egg yolks are rich in fat and moisture, they can weigh down your baked goods. Skip the egg yolks and use the whites purely for giving structure to the cupcakes. Since we are losing a little fat from the missing egg yolks, we add it back in with sour cream and whole milk.
- Sour cream: This is a power ingredient because it lightens and moistens the crumb. Though plain yogurt could be used in its place, I find that cupcakes made with sour cream are lighter.
- Vanilla Extract & Vanilla Bean: For the most well-rounded vanilla flavor, use both vanilla bean and vanilla extract in the cupcakes, just like we do in strawberry shortcake cupcakes. You can usually find vanilla beans in the baking aisle, but if you’re looking to purchase them online, I recommend these vanilla beans. See recipe Note if you’re skipping the vanilla bean or if you want to use vanilla bean paste.
- Whole Milk: Milk with fat such as whole milk or 2% milk is your best choice here. Nondairy milk is great in a pinch. I use buttermilk in this vanilla cake recipe, which is typically a fine substitution for both sour cream and regular milk in baked goods. For these cupcakes, however, the crumb stays a little tighter when using sour cream + whole milk.
Tip: Make sure ALL cold ingredients are room temperature before beginning, otherwise your batter could split and the results aren’t pleasant. Read more about why room temperature ingredients are important in baking.
Want to kick the vanilla flavor up a notch? Replace store-bought vanilla extract with homemade vanilla extract and regular granulated sugar with vanilla sugar.
Success Tip: Filling Your Cupcake Pan
The batter comes together with a mixer. Give it a quick whisk by hand to make sure there are no more lumps at the bottom of the bowl.
When filling your lined cupcake pan, fill the liners only 2/3 full, which is about 3 heaping Tablespoons of batter each. Filling them only 2/3 full gives you about 14 cupcakes from this batch. Using more batter per cupcake leads to overflowing or even sinking.
This Is a Multipurpose Batter
Since the results are so crowd-pleasing, this vanilla cupcake batter has become a go-to standard for many other cupcake recipes on this website. Using this recipe as the starting point, I’ve created all of the following cupcake flavors:
- Mimosa Cupcakes
- Chai Latte Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
- Sprinkle Cupcakes
- Pistachio Cupcakes
- Caramel Coconut Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
- Wedding Cupcakes with Champagne Frosting
Can I Turn These Cupcakes Into a Cake?
Yes, instead of cupcakes, you can use this exact batter for making a vanilla 6-inch cake. For a 1-layer vanilla cake, I recommend my similar recipe for 1-layer sprinkle cake. You can skip the sprinkles. See recipe Notes for larger layer cake options.
Frosting for Vanilla Cupcakes
This vanilla buttercream is a top choice for garnishing your vanilla cupcakes. But your frosting options are pretty much endless, including Swiss meringue buttercream, white chocolate buttercream frosting, strawberry buttercream frosting, chocolate buttercream, lemon buttercream, or cream cheese frosting. For a lighter, less sweet option, I love pairing these cupcakes with whipped frosting. You can even fill them with raspberry cake filling before frosting.
You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife (pictured below) or with a piping bag + tip such as Wilton 1M (images in the post above). If you’re just learning how to use piping tips, my piping tips guide is a helpful resource.
And finally, here’s just one photo of our multiple test variations. The left cupcake had way too much liquid and produced a wet, squat cupcake. The right cupcake was from our final batch, simply perfect!
Printable recipe & video tutorial below.
Recommended Tools
- 12-count muffin pan. I use and love this muffin pan and this muffin pan. Both are excellent quality and you can’t go wrong with either.
- Cupcake liners
- Handheld mixer or stand mixer
- Vanilla beans
- Icing knife or Wilton 1M piping tip + piping bag
Simply Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 14 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is my favorite recipe for homemade vanilla cupcakes. Using creamed butter, cake flour, sour cream, and egg whites, these cupcakes are soft, sweet, fluffy, and infinitely buttery.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (207g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- seeds scraped from 1/2 of a vanilla bean (optional)
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk at room temperature
- vanilla buttercream and sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners—this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
- Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and combined, at least 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed and then beat in the sour cream. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk until combined. Do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake for 19–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 30–36 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11–13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost cooled cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. You can swipe the frosting on with an icing knife or use a piping tip such as Wilton 1M. Leftover cupcakes keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): USA Pan 12-cup Muffin Pan or Calphalon 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Icing Knife | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M
- Amount of Batter: This recipe yields between 3-4 cups of batter which is helpful if you’re reviewing the Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions page.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour is the only ideal flour for this recipe. In a pinch, you can make your own homemade cake flour but the cupcakes won’t taste as light. You can find cake flour in the baking aisle near the all-purpose flour.
- Leftover Egg Yolks? I have some recipe ideas for you!
- Vanilla: For best flavor, pure vanilla extract is strongly recommended. If using imitation, increase to 1 Tablespoon (3 teaspoons). If you can’t get your hands on vanilla bean, simply leave it out or replace with an extra 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. If you want to use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract and vanilla bean, use 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste.
- Whole Milk & Sour Cream: Whole milk and sour cream are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full fat plain yogurt would work instead, though the cupcakes may not be as light. Same goes with a lower fat milk. Nondairy milk works in a pinch. You can replace both the whole milk and sour cream with buttermilk (1 cup; 240ml) if needed.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read here for more information.
- Vanilla Cake: I suggest following my white cake recipe as the base, which is almost double this cupcake recipe. I also have a taller 3 layer vanilla cake recipe as well. For a 1 layer cake, I recommend this 1-layer sprinkle cake and you can skip the sprinkles in the batter.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin.
Hi Sally! Could I add sprinkles to these cupcakes like your funfetti ones? I want to make funfetti but with a vanilla cupcake.
Thank you!
Hi Sally. I love your recipes and your cookbooks. I have a question…can you tell me how you can bake up cupcakes with a dome? Although the cupcakes are great as far as texture and taste, I prefer cupcakes with a dome. Why do the most cupcakes bake up fairly flat? I know some like this and it is preferred with their cakes, however, I like the cupcakes to have a dome. In one of your books for bluberry streusel muffins, you start your oven temperature high, then lower it. Those muffins have a beautiful dome on them when baked. Would this be the same for cupcakes? Thank you!
Hi Stefanie! This is a great question. Cupcake batter is much thinner than muffin batter, so cupcakes bake up flat and fluffy as opposed to muffins which are taller with a dome and on the denser side. Thickness of batter has everything to do with it. You can try the higher oven temperature trick that I apply to all of my muffin recipes. Cupcakes are also flatter on top so they can hold frosting without it looking lop-sided or falling off! 🙂
Hey Sally, is there any way to incorporate some coconut flavoring/coconut milk powder into these cupcakes (maybe subbing out some of the flour for the milk powder?) to make a coconut cupcake? I love coconut and wanted to find a good recipe for coconut cupcakes; I was thinking of using the coconut frosting from your pina colada cupcakes for them! And maybe fill them with a kind of coconut cream pie filling…
Yes, absolutely! Here is my coconut version of this cupcake recipe.
these are the most delicious cupcakes I have ever made, perfect consistency and frosting perfection! I did spring for the vanilla beans at whole foods, not sure if that made the difference but I’d be afraid to try them again with out it! they were a huge hit! can’t wait to try your best vanilla cake recipe!
Hello, your cupcakes and frosting look amazing. I noticed you have a few different vanilla cupcake recipies, which is your favorite? Also, if I do not have vanilla beans how much extra vanilla extract do I add?
Hi Brynne! This vanilla cupcake recipe is my latest and my favorite. So soft, so fluffy! See my recipe note about the vanilla.
I made these cupcakes this weekend for a birthday party and they were a huge hit! I also filled them with a strawberry sauce and piped them with silky smooth swiss buttercream frosting. They were absolutely perfect. This is now my go-to, ride or die recipe for vanilla cupcakes!
This recipe is simply amazing!. I turns you into a cupcake master just overnight.
I followed the exact recipe for the first batch, and I found that my cupcakes were a bit dense. I think many of us have this problem with overmixing if we use a machine, so for my second batch I discovered that integrating dry ingredients to batter mixing only by hand helps A LOT. It is very difficult to overmix/undermix when you do it with a spatula, because you are constantly following the texture of your batter. The result of my second batch was incredible, fluffy and airy. I had never made cupcakes like those before. Thanks
Do you know if it’s possible to add some frozen berries? Should I then add more flour? Or…? I would like to make raspberry cupcakes but I can’t find a plain recipe with only berries. It’s for my twin sons’ 6th birthday where I would make banana cupcakes and raspberry cupcakes. And have the guests (kids) decorate them I considered muffins but you write that muffins should be made and eaten the same day and I would like to make them the day before. And I prefer to use one of your recipes – they are always great
Hi Tanja! I’m happy to help. You can add 1 cup of frozen berries to this vanilla cupcake batter. I recommend tossing the frozen berries (do not thaw) in 1 Tablespoon of flour before adding to the batter. I haven’t tested this, but it is what I would personally do. Let me know how they turn out!
Hi Sally,
This is the first time I’ve tried your recipes as I’m an avid baker myself and usually strive for my own ideas. I was online however and found you and thought “ I’ve been able to make any flavour of cake and cupcakes really, but vanilla has always disappointed me. Not the family, but I’m picky about how my baking turns out” anyways I decided to try your vanilla cupcake recipe and am I ever happy I did. The sour cream and whole milk makes them so devine. I pared it with a strawberry buttercream that I love and they sold out at my daughters first bake sale of the school year. Thanks again and I may have to big you from time to time when what I’m working on doesn’t work.
Véronique
Alberta, Canada
Thank you for trusting my recipe, Veronique! I’m so happy that you were pleased with how they turned out!
Hi there! We have successfully made a few of your cupcake recipes for my daughter’s birthday parties, and she’s requested vanilla for this year. If I have to make 3-4 dozen cupcakes, is it ok to triple or quadruple the recipe to make a giant bowl of batter, or do you recommend making one batch at a time?
Hi Bridget! To avoid over or under-mixing, which could ruin the whole big batch, I strongly recommend making the batter a few different times.
I made these as a test batch of cupcakes since I’m trying to decide if I’m brave enough to make the cupcakes for my daughter’s birthday or if I need to order something. I’m an accomplished baker, but not so much a decorator!
However, these with the buttercream frosting came out perfectly. And piped well, too! I thought they were great, my husband a bit dry, but I don’t know what he was thinking.
I subbed out the last half teaspoon of vanilla for orange extract — really I should have added more since it was the perfect light note in the batter but so much in the baked cupcake.
Hi Sally! I tried your recipe above. My cupcakes did not come out as light and fluffy as yours. I used yoghurt instead of sour cream. Could this be what affected the consistency of the cupcakes?
I loved the taste but they were too dense for my liking. I’ll try to make them again tonight but I’ll sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda first. I hope it comes out better for me this time.
I wish I would post the pictures of the results of my trying your recipe. But, I can’t do it here. Hehehe
Hi Leni! Sifting will help– did you use cake flour? Just making sure. The type of flour makes all the difference! Let me know how round #2 is.
Yup! I used cake flour. I tried it again now. I sifted the flour before measuring and then I whisked the other dry ingredients in but it’s still the same consistency. I even added 1/2 tsp baking soda since I read somewhere that, in order to replace sour cream with yogurt, I need to add baking soda following the ratio of 1 C yogurt + 1 tsp baking soda for 1 C sour cream. So, since the recipe only needs 1/2 C sour cream, I halved the amount of yogurt and baking soda.
This time the cupcakes rose but then after a while they deflated. So the tops were a bit flat. Just like your #2 batch.
I’m gonna try and figure out. Although I’d appreciate whatever tips you can give me.
Hi Sally! This is my absolute favorite cupcake recipe, and I’ve baked it dozens of times to the delight of my friends and family.
I just have one question: do you have any idea if I could adapt this recipe to make them matcha green tea flavored?
I need to use up some matcha powder I have left over, so if I were to add it, how much would you recommend? Would I have to take out some flour, and/or add more moisture to compensate?
Thank you so much!
Hi Brenda! I wish I could help, but I don’t want to give any wrong suggestions. I haven’t tried matcha powder in any baking recipes so I really can’t say anything with confidence. Sorry!
Oh my sweet goodness, Sally!!!!! I have been looking for a coconut cupcake recipe and thought hmm I wonder what would happen if I replaced the sour cream with coconut yogurt. So I did. With half vanilla extract and half coconut extract! I Topped these with a mango buttercream! Like Hawaii in my mouth. soooooo amazing!! And also all your fault. Ever since you shared that mango cake. I don’t know where mango buttercream has been all my life but I am sooo glad I found it! A thanks for always keeping my kitchen fresh with new ideas! Seriously this recipe is the best!
Sally these are amazing! Best cupcakes to come out of my kitchen. I’m on to master your chocolate cupcakes. Thanks for the perfect recipe!
Very tasty but somewhat dense. aftet they cooled the top sank and they were a little undercooked. I ended popping them back on the oven for another 10 minutes. I know it wasn’t the recipe but this is the only thing I could think of.
Could the density be affected by the fact they were undercooked and I had to put them back in once cooled?
The same thing happened to me today. I took them out when they looked just a tad golden brown. But I think I should have waited a few more min. I’m going to try them again and see how that works. Tasted wonderful though!
Sally, Im a huge fan of yours and everything you bake! You rock! Thanks for sharing such great recipes and knowledge! Not sure if you have shared it before, but this will be my first time using vanilla beans and I dont know how much should I use for this recipe. Should I use 1 complete bean? Half? And also, how should I add the beans into the batter? Just whisking them? Im a little confused. Huge thanks, and again, you rock!
Hi Diana! I’m excited for you to try these cupcakes. You’ll need 1/2 of a vanilla bean. Cut a vanilla bean in half. Then cut it in half again lengthwise to open it up and reveal the seeds. Scrape the seeds out with a knife and add to the batter in step 3. Then beat on medium-high speed as it instructs. 🙂
Hi Sally, I just had to post to say how awesome these are! I rarely bake from scratch as I am never happy with the end result. These, well you are so right, they are awesome. I followed the recipe to the letter and the result was so yummy. I can’t wait to try your favourite chocolate cupcake recipe next. Thanks so much for your hard work in creating the perfect vanilla cupcake. You did that, for sure
Made these this morning as a trial run for my daughter’s birthday party this weekend. I love your very vanilla cupcakes but think that these will now take the spot of BEST VANILLA CUPCAKES EVER!!! They are so good we have devoured 1/2 the batch before even getting a chance to frost them 🙂 Thank for the wonderful recipe!
I made these for a work birthday with the strawberry icing and they were a huge hit. Especially topped with a few chocolate chips. They are the best vanilla cupcakes, hands down.
These cupcakes are absolutely perfect! I’ve made them many many times now….
My daughter wants the exact flavour and texture for her wedding cake? Should I modify the recipe in any way if I want to use the batter as cake instead?
These cupcakes are hands down the best!!! I have struggled with trying to find a cupcake recipe that is not only easy, but tastes great and has good consistency! This is it!! I can see making these many times in the future! Thanks!
Ahhh, these cupcakes are so good:) I’ve never used vanilla beans but I ordered on line and what a difference in taste…my only complaint is my own fault… I used my moms “homemade” vanilla…ya, didn’t taste as good as using my vanilla from MX! It was delish but I could tell vanilla was a bit different…I’ll make them again in a few wks for my sons bday….minus mamas vanilla….Thanks Mademoiselle Sally for this great recipes along with all your great recipes. BTW love reading your blog. You’re funny! 🙂 Have a great weekend from Montreal.
Thanks Sally, these turned out beautifully!
I paired them with strawberry buttercream frosting; so cakey, fluffy and all around delicious 🙂