Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

This is a super easy vanilla cupcake recipe. With melted butter and no fancy ingredients it comes together super fast with just a whisk!

Listen I’m all for creaming butter and sugar together. I’m all for my stand mixer. Big fan. It’s the first thing I grab if there’s a fire. (don’t worry I don’t have kids, I’m not heartless).

But listen, sometimes my dessert just needs to come together fast. With no fuss.

Like these crazy easy vanilla cupcakes. This is your basic cupcake recipe that I think every baker should have in their backpocket!

Why This Is The Best Cupcake Recipe Ever

• No mixer required! – You only need two mixing bowls and a whisk. Typically, cupcakes use softened butter that needs to be creamed but I used melted butter so these come together easily! So these are quick cupcakes you mix up easily!
• Perfect Vehicle For Any Kind Of Frosting – I topped these with my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, but you could really top these with any kind of frosting! Try my EASY Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting, or Strawberry Buttercream Frosting!
• Can Make These Ahead Of Time – I love making my cupcakes ahead of time, especially when making them for a special occasion. You can make these up to 2 days in advance and store them covered at room temperature. Or try  freezing your cupcakes!

Ingredients Needed

• Dry Ingredients – All purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
• Wet Ingredients – Unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs (2 whole eggs + 1 egg white), milk, and vanilla. 

How To Make These Cupcakes

First start whisking together your dry ingredients- your flour (be sure to measure your flour correctly!), baking powder and salt.

Then in a second mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and granulated white sugar.

Then add in your room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and whole milk.

Once that is whisked together, then add in your dry ingredients.

That’s it! Then scoop the batter into your prepared cupcake pans and bake.

Once baked and cooled, it’s time to make your buttercream and frost!

Frosting Options: 

Pick your favorite frosting! Whatever your heart desires:

• I topped this cupcake with my favorite vanilla buttercream. It’s super easy to make with just 4 ingredients.
• Swiss meringue
• Italian
• French
• German
• Ermine (boiled milk) icing for a change.
• The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting

Or try making a flavored frosting: 

• EASY Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
• Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
• Coconut Buttercream Frosting
• The BEST Peanut Butter Frosting
• EASY Caramel Buttercream Frosting

And then of course it’s time to decorate them. For decorating help, check out 6 Cupcake decorating supplies you need to decorate like a pro.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure your large eggs are room temperature. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them in your recipe. Room temperature eggs will be more easily incorporated and not seize up the melted butter.
• Do not overfill your cupcake liners when scooping the batter. You want your liners about 2/3 full. Overfilled cupcakes can result in the cupcakes sinking after you baking them. Read this post for 6 reasons why your cupcakes sink in the middle.
• Double check that your baking powder is still fresh. Because this recipe uses melted butter there is no creaming step to incorporate air, so you need to make sure the baking powder is fresh so your cupcakes rise properly. To check the freshness, add a teaspoon of baking powder to some hot water. If it bubbles, it’s still fresh. If it doesn’t throw it out. And don’t mix it up with baking soda, they don’t react the same. You can read more here about Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda
• Use an oven thermometer. Make sure that your oven is heated correctly so these bake properly. For more oven 101, read this post.
• Measure your flour correctly. If measuring by volume, then make sure to spoon and level the flour in. You can read my post here on how to measure your flour correctly. Or for best accuracy I recommend weighing your ingredients. You can read my post on how to measure ingredients here <– there’s a video too! 

Recipe FAQ’s

More Cupcake Recipes 

• Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
• Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes
• Cake Batter Buttercream Frosting
• Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Easy Vanilla Cupcakes

Easy vanilla cupcake recipe made with melted butter so they come together quickly!

4.81 from 26 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

Servings: 12 -14 cupcakes

Calories: 619kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• ▢ 1 1/2 cup (180 g) all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• ▢ 8 tablespoons (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter melted, slightly cooled
• ▢ 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs at room temperature
• ▢ 1 egg white
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120 mL) whole milk room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the buttercream

• ▢ 1 1/4 cups (283 g, 2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups (283 g) confectioners sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ pinch table salt

Instructions

For the cupcakes

• Prep oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
• Combine dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
• Combine wet ingredients. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the egg and egg white until incorporated. Whisk in the vanilla.
• Alternate dry ingredients and milk. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredient mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. I do this in 3 additions (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour). Stir just until the last of the flour has been mixed in. Do not overmix.
• Bake. Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream

• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer but the time will take longer to cream) cream the butter until light and fluffy about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add powdered sugar. Add the powdered (confectioners sugar) a half cup at a time with the mixer off. Mix on low speed until incorporated. 
• Add remaining ingredients. Add in your heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract, and mix on medium to high speed for 7-8 minutes until light and creamy. Once cupcakes are cooled, fill the piping bag and pipe the frosting on top. If not using immediately, store in a container in the refrigerator until ready to use, mix again until light and fluffy.

Video

Notes

• Make Ahead: These cupcakes can be made ahead 2 days in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature.  The frosting can also be made 7 days in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. If you have leftover cupcakes they also keep well covered tightly in the refrigerator for 3 days. 
• Freezing: You can also freeze these cupcakes, without filling, for up to 2-3 months. Then just thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then fill and frost as normal!
• Baking Tips:
  • Be sure to measure your flour correctly by scooping the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon and then level off with a knife.
  • Make sure your large eggs are room temperature. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them in your recipe
  • Double check that your baking powder is still fresh. Because this recipe uses melted butter there is no creaming step to incorporate air, so you need to make sure the baking powder is fresh so your cupcakes rise properly. To check the freshness, add a teaspoon of baking powder to some hot water. If it bubbles, it’s still fresh. If it doesn’t throw it out. 
  • Use an oven thermometer to make sure that your oven is heated correctly.

Nutrition

Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 141mg | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 1115IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 0.9mg

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