Very Vanilla Cupcakes

Total Time

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Makes

2 dozen

Updated: Apr. 21, 2023
Everyone loves a vanilla cupcake. My recipe is a vanilla lovers dream—it's a vanilla cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream. To get ultimate flavor I suggest using pure vanilla extract. —Michelle Dorsey, Wilmington, Delaware
Very Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-1/3 cups cake flour
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • FROSTING:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • Paste food coloring, optional
  • Colored sprinkles and nonpareils

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
  2. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. If desired, tint with food coloring. Frost cupcakes. Decorate as desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 cupcake: 278 calories, 14g fat (9g saturated fat), 62mg cholesterol, 105mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.