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–+ servings
Colorful sprinkles on vanilla cupcakes with swirled frosting, in rainbow cupcake liners.

The Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Bree Hester
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 36 Cupcakes
Calories 377 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the cupcakes

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 2 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs

For the Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 cups 6 sticks butter, room temperature
  • 6 cups confectioners sugar sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

For the cupcakes:

  • In a large bowl sift together flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
    Finely sifted flour in a glass sieve over a measuring cup, ready for baking.
  • In a pitcher, whisk together milk, half-and-half, and vanilla. Set aside.
    Cream pitcher with milk on kitchen counter, baking ingredients for recipe.
  • Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
    Cream butter and sugar until fluffy for baking.
  • Add eggs one at time, mixing well and scraping the bowl after you add each egg.
    Creamy butter and sugar mixture with an egg in a mixing bowl for baking recipes.
  • Add 1/3 of the flour mixture
    Creamy butter and flour mixture in a stand mixer for baking recipes.
  • Add 1/2 of the milk. You add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, and the liquid in 2.
    Fluffy butter cream in stand mixer bowl.
  • When everything has been added scrape the bowl one more time. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin tins with paper liners.
    Creamy vanilla frosting being mixed in a stand mixer for cake decorating or baking recipes.
  • Fill the paper liners three quarters of the way full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Mini cupcake liners filled with batter in a muffin tin ready for baking.
  • The cupcakes will be pale in color. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
    Fluffy vanilla cupcakes in colorful liners on a cooling rack.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

  • Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until the butter is pale, very smooth, and makes a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. This takes about 30 seconds if you butter is really soft, a bit longer if the butter is cooler.
    Creamy butter mixing in metal bowl for baking recipes.
  • Add the sugar one cup at a time. Mix until it is incorporated before you add the next cup.
    Flour being mixed in a stand mixer for baking.
  • When all of the sugar has been added, scrape the paddle and the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and salt, beat on low speed for 15 seconds.
    Creamy butter mixture in a KitchenAid stand mixer.
  • Increase the speed to high (or just high enough so that it doesn't make a mess). Beat until whipped, light, and perfectly smooth, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl once or twice. The frosting will look like it is getting really soft, but it will stiffen and increase in volume
    Cream cheese frosting being whipped in a metal mixing bowl for baking.
  • Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
    Cream cheese frosting cupcakes on cooling rack with colorful paper liners, baked by Baked Bree.
  • Add sprinkles. It’s a birthday after all.
    Colorful birthday cupcakes with sprinkles and whipped frosting for celebration.

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 2gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 293mgFiber: 0.3g
Keyword broma bakery vanilla cupcakes
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