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vanilla cupcakes
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Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Recipe

4.78 from 85 votes
prep 45 minutes
cook 18 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
total 1 hour 33 minutes
Serves 13 cupcakes
Super moist and tender vanilla cupcakes that I use as a base for all my cupcake recipes. Frosted with my favorite vanilla buttercream (not too sweet and no egg yolks or egg whites wasted)!
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 13 cupcakes

Equipment

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • 180 grams cake flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 60 mL canola oil, or any neutral oil
  • 56 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg, 60g, room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 113 grams sour cream
  • 80 mL whole milk, room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 60 mL water
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

Method

Vanilla Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (preferably a light colored pan).
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar until they're evenly distributed (whisk well).
    180 grams cake flour spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, 200 grams granulated sugar
  3. Add the oil and butter to the dry ingredients and beat together until they're combined.
    60 mL canola oil or any neutral oil, 56 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract and paste and mix until they're fully combined.
    1 large egg 60g, room temperature (or 2 large egg whites if you want whiter cupcakes), 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  5. Add the sour cream and turn the mixer to low speed, while streaming the milk in. Scrape the edge of the bowl and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.
    113 grams sour cream, 80 mL whole milk room temperature
  6. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full, about 50-55 grams of batter per cupcake.* You will have enough batter for about half a cupcake leftover. DO NOT BE TEMPTED to distribute that among the cupcakes, they will sink if they’re overfilled.
  7. Bake for 16-18 minutes. They are done when you press on the center of the cupcake and it springs back or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Remove them from the oven and let them cool in the cupcake pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream

  1. Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and swirl the pan until the sugar is fully immersed in water.
    200 grams granulated sugar, 60 mL water
  2. Place the saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and comes to a gentle simmer.
  3. Reduce the heat to low and place the lid on the pan and allow the mixture to simmer for a couple minutes. 
  4. Meanwhile, place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, and turn the mixer up to high speed. Let it whip while the sugar is cooking.
    2 large eggs room temperature
  5. Use a candy thermometer to see when the sugar reaches 240F (116C), then lower the mixer to medium speed and slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the thick and foamy eggs, while they are whipping.
  6. Turn the mixer back up to high speed and let it whip for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture is very pale and fluffy and is cool to the touch or no longer warm.
  7. Turn the mixer back down to medium speed and add in the butter, 2 Tbsp of butter at a time, mixing until each chunk is fully combined and the buttercream looks smooth and creamy.
    227 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  8. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, add in the vanilla and salt and turn the mixer up to high speed for 1-2 minutes.
    2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
  9. To get rid of the excess air bubbles (for smoother piping), switch to a paddle attachment and turn the mixer to low speed for 5-10 minutes.
  10. Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, gold luster dust, and/or edible gold foil.

Notes

  • *I weigh 55g of batter for each cupcake. If it's less, they'll be short and if it's too much, they may sink.
  • The vanilla cupcake recipe was designed to stay pale so don't look for a golden brown color when it's finished baking. Just gently press on the cake and it should spring back.
  • I recommend a light colored metal cupcake pan if you want them more uniform in color.
  • Store in an airtight container, at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated for 7-10 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 136mgSugar: 32g
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: vanilla buttercream, vanilla cupcake, white cupcake