Description
Fluffy, moist, and bursting with sweet vanilla flavor—there’s something incredibly comforting about a perfectly baked vanilla cupcake. Whether it’s topped with a swirl of rich buttercream or simply dusted with powdered sugar, this vanilla cupcake recipe delivers bakery-style results right from your kitchen. And the best part? You don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull it off!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk or buttermilk
- Optional: 1/4 cup sour cream (for extra moistness)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk (and sour cream if using), mixing gently until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners (about 3/4 full).
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American