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white plate of vanilla cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles
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5 from 3 votes

Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

These vanilla cupcakes are the perfect blend of fluffy, soft, and moist!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time19 minutes
Total Time39 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade cupcake recipe
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 189kcal
Author: The Chunky Chef

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract the real stuff, not imitation
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

Prepare

  • Preheat oven to 350°F, then line two 12 count muffin pans with cupcake liners.  Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk to combine, then set aside.

Cream butter and sugar

  • To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer), add butter and sugar.  Beat on MED speed until light in color and fluffy.

Make batter

  • Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, scraping down the sides as needed.  Add vanilla, beating until combined.
  • Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating on LOW until combined.  Add half the buttermilk and beat to combine.  Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating until combined.  
  • Add remaining buttermilk and beat to combine.  Add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture, beating until JUST combined and no flour streaks remain.

Bake cupcakes

  • Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners (using a cookie scoop is super helpful), filling them about 2/3 of the way full.
  • Bake in separate batches for best results, with the muffin pan in the center of the middle rack. 
  • Bake for 19-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Cool and frost

  • Remove from the oven and let sit for about 3-5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Frost with desired frosting, decorate, and serve.

Notes

  1. Recipe makes approximately 24 cupcakes.
  2. We love to top these cupcakes with vanilla bean buttercream frosting (buttercream will need to be doubled), lemon buttercream frosting, Irish cream frosting, or cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 298IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg