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Don’t overlook the classics! These vanilla cupcakes are sweet and tender and full of vanilla flavor. Top them with your favorite frosting for the perfect treat.

Vanilla cupcake unwrapped on a white plate.

I know that everyone is all about flavored cakes and cupcakes: chocolate, lemon, strawberry, peanut butter…the list goes on.

But don’t overlook vanilla! 

If you don’t think vanilla cupcakes are anything special, then you don’t know what you’re missing. If you use really good vanilla and know how to make a super tender cake, you are in for a real treat!

So don’t sleep on this vanilla cupcake recipe. I can promise it’ll make you ask for vanilla cupcakes all of the time.

Several vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla frosting on a white platter.

THE BEST VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE

Don’t let anyone tell you that vanilla is “boring.” That probably just means they haven’t had a good vanilla cake or cupcake before! 

The truth is that vanilla cupcakes are a classic, and when they are done right they can be really flavorful on their own or make a great slate for pairing with your favorite frostings and fillings (see “frosting and filling ideas” below).

These vanilla cupcakes are tender, moist, and packed FULL of vanilla flavor thanks to both a vanilla bean (or vanilla bean paste) and vanilla extract. They will totally make you rethink how you see vanilla!

Butter and sugar creamed together in a white mixing bowl.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA CUPCAKES

If you’ve made my funfetti cupcakes, this recipe might look familiar to you. That’s because they’re really similar! 

The funfetti version obviously includes sprinkles, while the vanilla version includes two different types of vanilla! 

Ingredients you’ll need

This vanilla cupcake recipe is simple, but that just means that all of the ingredients are important! 

Cake flour: Cake flour makes for a super tender crumb. I really like Swan’s Down cake flour, but you can also use my cake flour substitute if you don’t have any on hand. Make sure you also know how to measure flour properly before starting.

Baking powder: Baking powder is our leavening for this cupcake recipe.

Kosher salt: I usually use kosher salt in this recipe, although I have also used fine sea salt. Check out my guide on the types of salt for more info.

Base for vanilla cupcake batter in a white mixing bowl.

Whole milk: I prefer to use whole milk in this recipe, but you could probably use a non-dairy milk substitute just fine.

Vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste: Is there anything better than seeing little flecks of vanilla bean in a recipe? If you don’t have vanilla beans, feel free to use your favorite vanilla bean paste in this recipe instead.

Vanilla extract: We want tons of vanilla flavor in these cupcakes, but let’s be real: vanilla beans can be pretty expensive. So I like to use one vanilla bean or a bit of paste for those gorgeous vanilla bean flecks and combine it with vanilla extract to boost that flavor.

Make sure to use a really good quality vanilla extract in these cupcakes, though. Don’t use artificial vanilla here! 

Beaten egg whites in a white mixing bowl.

Unsalted butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you get started. Learn how to bring butter and eggs to room temperature

Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar gives us the sweetness we need in these cupcakes. They’re just sweet enough to balance well with a sweeter frosting.

Egg whites: For this recipe, we are just going to use the whites of the eggs, not the yolk. Beating the egg whites and folding them into the batter helps to lighten the batter and make for a tender cupcake.

Vanilla cupcake batter in a white mixing bowl.

Making this recipe

This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, so line two standard cupcake pans with paper liners.

To prep the dry ingredients, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

To prep the wet ingredients, whisk the milk and vanillas together in a measuring cup.

Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined after each addition.

Beat the egg whites with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

Vanilla cupcake batter in a cupcake pan, ready to go in the oven.

Stir ¼ of the egg whites into the batter. This helps to lighten the batter so we can fold in the rest of the whites. 

Gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites, one half at a time, by cutting the spatula down the middle to the bottom of the bowl, then sweeping it around, up and over. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until no streaks of egg whites remain.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake tins and bake for 18-24 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

Vanilla cupcakes set on a white cake stand.

FROSTING AND FILLING IDEAS

These classic vanilla cupcakes make a great base for adding all of your favorite fillings and frostings. These cupcakes bake up just the perfect height for topping with a beautiful swirl of frosting.

Some of my favorite classic frostings include my homemade buttercream frosting, homemade chocolate frosting, and strawberry frosting.

But don’t be afraid to get creative with your frosting flavors! The lemon-lime frosting from my lemon-lime cupcakes or the nutella frosting from my banana nutella cupcakes are two great examples. Cinnamon frosting would also be delicious!

Unwrapped vanilla cupcake cut in half on a white plate.

And don’t forget about filling your cupcakes! Some of my favorite fillings include:

You can also use any flavor of frosting as a cupcake filling as well.

Two vanilla cupcakes set next to vanilla beans on a white plate. One of the cupcakes is frosted with vanilla frosting, the other is left unfrosted.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Store undecorated vanilla cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a day before frosting. You can also freeze them, tightly wrapped in a zip-top freezer bag, for up to 2 months before decorating.

Store decorated cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you are using a buttercream frosting and your house is not too warm, you can store them at room temperature for up to a day.

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Classic Vanilla Cupcakes

By: Jamie
4.75 from 12 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Don’t overlook the classics! These vanilla cupcakes are sweet and tender and full of vanilla flavor. Top them with your favorite frosting for the perfect treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ cups whole milk room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Line two standard cupcake pans with paper liners.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. 
  • In a measuring cup, combine the milk, vanilla seeds or paste, and vanilla extract.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes, or until the butter and sugar are very light and fluffy. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating on low speed. Beat in half of the milk mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until well incorporated. Add the rest of the milk, beating until the batter is fully incorporated and smooth, then add the last of the dry ingredients, beating until the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  • Add the egg whites to a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. 
  • Gently stir ¼ of the whipped egg whites into the cupcake batter with a rubber spatula until no streaks of egg whites remain. This will help lighten up the batter. Gently fold in the remaining whipped egg whites, one half at a time, by cutting the spatula down the middle to the bottom of the bowl, then sweeping it around, up and over. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until no streaks of egg whites remain.
  • Use a large scoop or ¼-cup measure to distribute the batter between the 24 muffin wells, filling each well 2/3 full.
  • Bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack completely before topping with desired frosting and decorating.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1unfrosted cupcake, Calories: 154kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 98mg, Potassium: 41mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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333 Comments

  1. Megan says:

    Hi Jamie! These cupcakes looked awesome but I was a bit confused on the recipe. When you say 1 1/2 cups sugarseeds scraped from one vanilla bean, aren’t vanilla beans really small? How would you get 1 1/2 cups from one bean? Also, they are quite expensive, so do you have a recommendation for a substitution for this ingredient? Hope you can help!

    1. Jamie says:

      Megan-
      That error must have occurred when we switched the print function over to the new one. It should read:
      1 1/2 cups sugar
      seeds from one vanilla bean
      So you are only using one bean in this recipe. Sorry for the confusion, I have made the change in the recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
      -Jamie

  2. Monica says:

    These cupcakes are so very delicious! Everyone loved the =D Thanks for the fabulous recipe!

  3. Somer says:

    I have the Nielson Massey pure vanilla bean paste. How much would you recommend Instead of the vanilla bean? Thank you!!

    Somer

    1. Jamie says:

      Somer-
      I’d probably use 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons. There may be a conversion on the bottle or on their website. Hope this helps.
      Jamie

  4. nicole {sweet peony} says:

    hey jamie! i just wanted to thank you for this amazing recipe! i have never kept a recipe exactly as written & this will be the first… it’s too perfect!!! seriously, it is the best vanilla cupcake! my hubby is a chocolate guy too & he literally went weak in the knees after one bite :) anyways, i blogged about this cupcake & linked it back to you. thanks again!!!!

    http://sweetpeonyblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/vanilla-bean-cupcakes.html

  5. Teresita says:

    Silly question…but on frosting aprox how long am I beating until “light and fluffy”? I can never seem to get a stiff frosting that looks good piping with round tip. :(

    1. Jamie says:

      Hi!
      I typically bet the heck out of it for about 5 minutes in my stand mixer. Hope this helps!
      -Jamie

  6. kelly says:

    Hey Jamie!
    The first time I saw these I instantly put these on the top of my list of goodies to make. The icing turned out DELICIOUS but somehow I messed up on the cupcake cake part. When I was finished with the batter it was extremely thin and runny. After baking, the cupcakes have a spongy texture and won’t come out of the wrapper easily. I was just wondering if you could describe the consistency the batter should be? I used the same brand flour recommended and followed the recipe pretty close. I am thinking I should have added more flour.

    Thanks!
    Kelly

    1. Jamie says:

      Kelly-
      Sorry for the late response, this ended up in spam for some reason. This batter is definitely not runny, so I am unsure how to help you problem solve this one. The texture is certainly light, but I would not characterize it as “spongy”. Sorry I am not more of a help on this one.
      Jamie

    2. Kelly says:

      Hi Jamie!
      No problem on timing – thanks for the response! You actually answered my question perfect on this one. Knowing that the batter should not be runny is just what I needed to know – I think I should have added more batter. I will definitely have to try again, esp. how yummy the icing is! =)

    3. Heather says:

      I just made the batter and got the same results. Super runny!! I followed the recipe exactly also. They’re in the oven right now…hopefully they turn out. :(

  7. Jonea says:

    I made these over the weekend and they came out fabulously! the texture was perfect and tasted so yummy, lots of compliments from friends and co-workers. I used a White chocolate buttercream and everyone raved about them! Thanks for the recipe! I am trying the Peanut Butter and jelly ones next, i have been searching for a recipe and yours looks great!

  8. Aussie Cook says:

    You inspired me to try my hand at piping! I’m really pleased with them for a first attempt. One thing that confused me though was what size the cupcakes should be? It seems to use the mixture for 18 cakes they would need to be muffin sized. Is that right?

    1. Jamie says:

      Yes, all cupcakes are standard size unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for stopping by.
      -Jamie

  9. Sherry says:

    These are sooooo good. I have also been on a quest for the perfect vanilla cupcake thats not too dense, dry, or flavorless and I’ve found it!! Once again you have made my life a liitle bit eaiser with another great recipe! I was actually able to get 24 cupcakes from this batter and I baked them for 18 minutes. There’s one word for these cupcakes….AMAZING!! Thanks again.

  10. Stephanie L says:

    I made these to bring to work today. Fabulous morsels! I used vanilla bean crush instead of regular vanilla bean. Much more economical!! Also made the frosting but tinted it yellow, used a star tip and put orange sugar pearl in the center to look like a flower. Just adorable. Thanks for introducing me to Bake it Pretty. I think I may go broke.