My Perfect One Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting are sure to become your favorite!
Best Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Last week I asked you guys what recipe you’d most like to see on Baker by Nature and the response for Classic Vanilla Cupcakes was (awesomely) overwhelming!
Lucky for us, I’ve had this incredible one bowl vanilla cupcake recipe on the blog for years. It just needed a little… facelift! So here we are; new photos, tons of tips and tricks, and a foolproof recipe for One-Bowl Vanilla Cupcakes with Easy Vanilla Frosting. I hope you’ll make them, fall in love with them, and share them with everyone you know.
How to make the Best Vanilla Cupcakes
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- This recipe calls for cake flour. Cake flour is extra finely ground, which gives our vanilla cupcakes their silky soft texture. In most grocery stores you can find cake flour in the baking aisle. If you can’t find it – don’t fret! You can buy it here online, or make your own! Making your own cake flour is easy, and only requires two ingredients: cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Here’s what you do: For every 1 cup of flour called for in the recipe, remove 2 Tbsp of flour. Then add in 2 Tbsp of Cornstarch for every 1 cup of flour (you’re replacing the tablespoons of flour taken out with cornstarch). Sift this mixture a few times (you want it well combined) and that’s it – you just made ready-to-use cake flour.
- For the best flavor, I highly suggest using Pure Vanilla Extract.
- Before you begin baking, make sure your butter, eggs, sour cream, and milk have all come to room temperature. Cold ingredients do not bond!
- When you measure your flour, be sure you’re not packing it into the measuring cup. Packed flour will yield dense and dry vanilla cupcakes.
- For the vanilla buttercream frosting, you’ll want to make sure your butter is VERY soft before creaming it.
- To decorate, I frosting the cupcakes using this kit with the open round tip.
- If you’d like your frosting to be stark white, omit the vanilla extract or use clear vanilla extract.
- To keep this a “true” one bowl recipe, simply wash out the bowl you make the batter in and use it again to make the frosting 😉
- You will need a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer for this recipe.
Question! What recipe would you like to see next? Your wish is my command 😉
More One-Bowl Cupcake Recipes:
If you try this fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day ♥
Btw, you can find the adorable “piece of cake” fork you see in my photos HERE 😉
Perfect “One Bowl” Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cupcakes:
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 and 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
- 4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (omit if you desire a stark white frosting)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in the sour cream, then the milk. Turn mixer off. Add in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a fork to lightly toss the dry ingredients together. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter, mixing just until combined. Be sure not to over mix here or you cupcakes will be dense!
- Spoon batter into prepared cupcake tin (filling 1/2 way each - not more or they'll overflow) and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the confectioners sugar, no more than a 1/2 cup at a time. Once all of the sugar has been incorporated, pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fluffy.
- If the frosting appears too thin, add a little confectioners' sugar, one tablespoon at a time; if the frosting appears too thick, add a little more milk, one tablespoon at time.
Susan says
Can I make mini cupcakes with this recipe and how long to bake them for?
Wellie says
I’ve tried dozens of recipes for vanilla cupcakes and this was by far the best. It’s sweet and the vanilla comes out perfectly! I was worried about not having cake flour on hand and followed the directions above and it turned out great and was super easy! I always ran out of sour cream and substituted vanilla yogurt which worked well. CAN NOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS RECIPE, INSTANTS CLASSIC.
Laura says
Do you think I could make a vanilla cake with this recipe?
Ashley Booth says
I gotta say, I love the old recipe because it’s very easy. But this new version is FANTASTIC. Best vanilla cake I have ever made.
bakerbynature says
Hi Ashley! I’m SO happy you enjoyed the revised version of this recipe! The old recipe was great, but as I become a better baker, I love to come back and revise recipes as needed. Thanks so much for your continued support 🙂 Happy Baking!
Ashley Booth says
I was a little sad when I came here looking for my favorite go-to recipe and it had changed. Is there a place to find the original? Thank you!
Jaz says
Fantastic recipe, simple and yummy! So hard to find a good (easy) vanilla recipe! Made these today with my nieces and everybody loved them. Found your recipe on Pinterest. The cupcakes were light and moist and soo good! I wasn’t able to follow the recipe completely but hopefully next time I can when I have the correct ingredients. I had no sour cream so I substituted plain kefir in its place.I only had about a 1/2 cup kefir so I added a lil more milk 3/4cup. I was afraid it would make it too runny but the batter was a great consistency. I made slightly larger cupcakes, 18 in total. My only issue was baking time. 18-20 minutes was way too long and mine where done in about 13-14 mins and very much browned. My oven is older so I’m thinking maybe the temperature isn’t always correct. Thanks for sharing!
bakerbynature says
So happy these were a hit, Jaz!
Peggy Miller says
These cupcakes were absolutely mind blowing. They were so light, airy, flavorful and simply beautiful to look at. I shared these with several neighbors and they thought they were the best cupcakes that they have ever tasted. The cupcakes were so easy to prepare. Thanks for sharing!!!
bakerbynature says
This comment made my day, Peggy! Very happy yo hear you and your neighbors enjoyed them as much as I do 🙂
Andrea B says
I have the Pesto Cake Flour and it states don’t add baking soda or salt. It states its included in the flour.Will the measurement of flour still remain the same? Thanks
Celeste says
I made these cupcakes today……DELICIOUS and MOIST!!!!!
bakerbynature says
SO happy to hear it, Celeste 🙂 Thank you!!!
Chloe says
Great recipe! Is it possible to substitute the sour cream with something dairy free ? Thanks.
bakerbynature says
Hi Chloe. I have very little experience baking dairy-free, so I’m not sure what a good replacement would be. I wouldn’t want to mislead you with untested advice.