Fluffy and Moist Recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes

This recipe for moist and airy vanilla cupcakes embodies everything you desire in a perfect treat. Delicately light with abundant flavor in every bite! The addition of buttermilk lends a delightful tanginess, while a touch of oil ensures these cupcakes remain wonderfully moist. I must admit, I couldn’t resist indulging in a couple even without any frosting! If you’re a fan of my white velvet buttermilk cake or classic vanilla cake, these cupcakes are sure to win your heart!

I adore these vanilla cupcakes for their versatility in pairing with various frosting options. From indulgent strawberry buttercream for strawberry shortcake cupcakes to rich chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream, the possibilities are endless. Lemon enthusiasts can enjoy them filled with zesty lemon curd and topped with fresh stabilized whipped cream. Feeling adventurous? Add spices to the batter for a delightful spice cake variation, or toss in some sprinkles for funfetti cupcakes! Trust me, this vanilla cupcake recipe is truly unbeatable.

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients

Buttermilk is essential to this recipe because it adds flavor and moisture. Buttermilk is acidic and actually breaks down the gluten in the flour, making a more tender cupcake as well. If you have whole milk and white vinegar or lemons, you can make your own buttermilk substitute.

Oil is important for keeping the cupcakes moist, but too much oil in a recipe will cause the wrappers to peel away from the cupcake.

Cake flour is what makes these cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which coats the flour in a layer of butter and then whips in the air. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, so it’s important to use it to get the right texture. If you don’t have cake flour, you can try using my cake flour substitute recipe, or try searching for “Shipton Mills soft cake and pastry flour.”

Making Moist and Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes

I recommend first making the vanilla cupcakes, and then making the frosting while the cupcakes are in the oven. They will need time to cool after baking, so don’t pipe frosting onto a warm cupcake.

If you’re making these for an event, it’s best to frost and fill them on the same day that you’re going to deliver and serve them.

Making Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two cupcake pans (or a muffin pan will do) with paper liners. You can also bake one pan at a time if you only have one cupcake pan. This recipe will make about 24 cupcakes.
2. Combine the vanilla and buttermilk in a separate measuring cup and set it aside. Protip – Use clear vanilla extract for that “classic grocery store cake” flavor. Use good quality vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or even a vanilla bean for true vanilla flavor. One vanilla bean = 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. 
3. Next, add the eggs and oil to a separate bowl then whisk and set them aside. 
4. Add the cake flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You can use a large bowl and an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer, just mix for longer. Use these photos as a guide instead of mixing by time. 
5. Then add the softened butter to the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until the mixture resembles a sandy texture. Depending on how soft your butter is, this might take a minute or two. 
6. Pour the milk mixture into your dry ingredients and increase the speed to medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid, speed 2 on a Bosch). Mix for 1 ½ minutes to develop the fluffy structure of the cupcake. The batter will go from being yellow to a fluffy white.
7. Slowly add your egg mixture in three parts and mix on low until it’s fully combined. 
8. Fill your liners ⅔ of the way full with the cupcake batter. I use my kitchen scale to measure out 1.5 ounces of batter per cupcake.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown and the center of the cupcake springs back when you lightly touch it. I rotate my cupcakes halfway through baking for even browning. If you’re making mini cupcakes, bake for less time.
10. Let your cupcakes cool in the pans for five minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. Place your favorite frosting into a piping bag with a tip, I like a 1M or a 2F, and pipe a swirl on top. I love using my easy vanilla buttercream and topping them with a few sprinkles. Swiss meringue buttercream or strawberry buttercream would also be delicious.

Making Easy Buttercream

1. Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Combine the ingredients on low and then whip them on high for 4-5 minutes (until shiny) to dissolve the powdered sugar.
2. Now add in the salt and vanilla extract. If you want to add in any food coloring, now is the time.
3. Add in your softened butter piece-by-piece, then whip it on high. It will look curdled at first. This is definitely normal. It will also look pretty yellow, just keep whipping.
4. After your buttercream looks like this, remove about 1 cup of buttercream and melt it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
5. Pour it back into the whipping buttercream to bring it all together.
6. Whip it on high for 8-10 minutes until the buttercream is white, light, and shiny. If it tastes like sweet ice cream, then it’s ready!
7. Finally, switch to a paddle attachment and mix the buttercream on low speed for up to 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream ultra smooth and remove any air bubbles. This step is optional, but if you want really creamy frosting, you don’t want to skip this final step.
8. For extra white buttercream, add a drop of purple food coloring. The purple counteracts the yellow in the butter, toning the buttercream to make it white.

Storing Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes are best eaten within 24 hours of baking, and can sometimes dry out in the fridge. If you’re using a buttercream that is shelf stable, store them in an airtight container on the shelf for up to 2 days.

Baked cupcakes without frosting can be frozen in ziplock bags for up to 6 months.

If you’re using a fruit filling or frosting that isn’t shelf stable, it’s best to refrigerate them after about 4 hours. I love filling these cupcakes with fresh homemade raspberry filling.