Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Oil
While I usually make cakes, everyone needs a go-to vanilla cupcake recipe. Or to be more specific, a moist vanilla cupcake recipe with oil!
Cakes take so much time to make and decorate, but cupcakes come together in a flash.
Because this recipe uses oil instead of butter as the fat, it can be made by hand, and you don’t have to bother with a stand mixer.
Cupcakes are also so much easier to eat. Cakes have to be sliced, you need plates and forks, but cupcakes? You just peel back the liner and dive right in!
How to Make This Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Let’s walk through each step of this recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible!
Step 1: Make the Vanilla Cupcake Batter
First, we tackle the cupcake batter! Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
Follow the recipe card at the bottom of this post to make the cupcake batter by mixing together the dry ingredients, then adding in the wet ingredients, and mixing until just combined.
Step 2: Bake the Cupcakes
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake them for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cupcakes bake evenly.
Remove the pan from the oven. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.
If you’re in a rush, place the entire pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.
Step 3: Make the Vanilla Buttercream
While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the vanilla frosting.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it seems too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Or if you’re unsure what consistency the frosting should be, check out my frosting consistency guide.
Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip. I used a Wilton 1M (open star tip).
If you don’t have any frosting bags and tips, use a freezer Ziplock bag and trim the corner to have a 1-inch opening.
Step 4: Decorate the Cupcakes
The last step is to decorate these cupcakes! Pour your favorite sprinkle blend into a small bowl (I combined 3 different types of rainbow sprinkles to make my own blend).
Next, pipe a buttercream rosette of frosting onto each cupcake. Start in the center, then pipe a swirl out toward the edges of the cupcake.
Gently dunk the edges of the cupcake into the sprinkles, then enjoy!
Substitutions and Swaps – Funfetti Cupcakes
This recipe uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.
- All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
- Buttermilk – Full-fat yogurt, sour cream, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) can also be used. You can also make your own buttermilk with milk & lemon juice (more on that further down this post).
- Vegetable Oil– You can also use any flavorless oil or melted butter if needed.
- 1 Large Egg – If you have an egg allergy, you can try using a flaxseed egg or a vegan egg replacer like this made by Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract helps enhance the flavor in these cupcakes, but you can use any extract you want, like lemon or coconut, or omit it altogether.
Substitutions and Swaps – Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (just be sure to omit the salt!).
- Heavy Cream – Whipping cream, coconut cream, or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) will work fine in this frosting recipe.
Vanilla Cupcakes Don’t Have To Be Boring
Another benefit to having a moist vanilla cupcake recipe up your sleeve? It’s the perfect starting point for so many different flavors of cupcakes!
You can add in different extracts, fillings, or frostings, and transform this base recipe into a million different cupcake flavors.
Want a lemon cupcake? Throw in some lemon zest, and swap the vanilla extract with lemon extract!
Need to make a strawberry cupcake? Fill the center with your favorite strawberry jam, and top with a strawberry buttercream!!
See what I mean? Once you have a foundation recipe you love, it’s so easy to alter it to create whatever flavor of cupcake you want. Or if you’re gluten-free, you can try my recipe for gluten-free vanilla cupcakes!!
While we’re on the topic of flavors, if you’re more of a chocolate person, I highly recommend my moist chocolate cupcake recipe. It also comes together in one bowl and is packed with chocolate flavor.
What Makes This Vanilla Cupcake Recipe Made with Oil So Good
A notable ingredient in this moist vanilla cupcake recipe? It uses BUTTERMILK! I don’t know what it is, but I’m absolutely crazy about buttermilk.
I love baking with it and use it in most of my recipes! It makes such a tender crumb, and adds so much moisture! It also gives my cupcakes a delicious tang.
While buttermilk can be found in most grocery stores, some parts of the country or foreign countries don’t sell it! If you’re having a hard time getting your hands on buttermilk, don’t worry.
You can make your own buttermilk! For each cup of buttermilk that the recipe calls for, use 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to fill 1 cup.
You can also use plain, low-fat yogurt as an equal substitute, cup for cup.
Making These Vanilla Cupcakes In Advance & Storage Tips
These cupcakes can be made in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer
You can also make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.
Tips for Making The Best Vanilla Cupcakes
- Properly measure your all-purpose flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Use a cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners.
- Ingredients at room temperature mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven to bring any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
- Be sure your cupcakes are COMPLETELY cooled before you frost them! If they’re even a little bit warm, the frosting can melt right off.
Let Me Know What You Think of this Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
If you try this moist vanilla cupcake recipe with oil, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Leave a rating and comment below.
Tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!
Moist Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 160g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature 120ml
- 1/2 cup water, room temperature 120ml
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 60ml
- 1 large egg, room temperature 56g
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12ml
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 6ml
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 188g
- 1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 15ml
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcakes
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt together in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add 1/2 cup of buttermilk, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 large egg, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract into the opening. Whisk the wet ingredients together, then whisk them into the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Beat 1/2 cup of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Mix in 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp fine salt on a low speed.
- Slowly mix in 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add 1 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
- Mix on low for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
- Place the buttercream in a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip (I used a Wilton 1M). If you don’t have any frosting bags and tips, use a freezer Ziplock bag and trim the corner to have a 1-inch opening.
- The last step is to decorate these cupcakes! Pour your favorite sprinkle blend into a small bowl (I combined 3 different types of rainbow sprinkles to make my own blend). Then, pipe a buttercream rosette of frosting onto each cupcake. Start in the center, then pipe a swirl out toward the edges of the cupcake.
- Gently dunk the edges of the cupcake into the sprinkles, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
- 1 day at room temperature
- Up to a week in the fridge
- Up to 3 months in the freezer
Nutrition
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Hi
Your recipes all look lovely! I’m baking cupcakes for work tomorrow, using your buttercream recipe can i frost them tonight and leave them out overnight or should i refrigerate? What would keep them fresh until tomorrow? Thanks im advance!
You can leave them out overnight or refrigerate! Just be sure they’re in an airtight container to keep them fresh 🙂
I’m from an Asian country and I’m not quite sure as to our vegetable oil suits this.can you be precise at to what oil is it? Palm oil?
I usually use vegetable or canola oil!
@Sachindri, it’s just regular vegetable oil, duh!
@Lisa, agent you a Karen.
@Lisa, No need to be so rude, goodness.
@Lisa, no need to be rude she’s from an Asian country as she said. Bit racist. U probably won’t like it if somebody said duh when u didnt understand something.
@Lisa, there’s no need for the rude “duh” here…She nicely asked what kind of oil she could be used. You’re typical westerners ..DUH ?
I mean she could use…
An old comment, but also adding that there’s no such thing as a “regular” plant oil in Asia. There are easily over half a dozen types in common cooking use, including palm and coconut, amongst stronger tasting ones. You’d have your typical oils for certain recipe types, but baking cakes isn’t a widespread practise in Asia in general.
@Sachindri, American Vegetable oil is usually Soy Oil.
@Sachindri, coconut oil is a healthy oil to use if you have that.
That is a great suggestion, I agree!
Are these regular sized cupcakes, or are they the bigger sized?
These are standard sized cupcakes!
I used this recipe and made them lemon flavored instead and they came out amazing! I was just wondering if this recipe would work for a cake too?
That’s awesome! I would recommend this recipe for a layer cake instead: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
Love this ??? can u make a purple zebra print cake plz wanna do that for my birthday ?
Hi Chelsea! I used your Baby Panda Vanilla cupcake recipe recently and now am comparing this vanilla cupcake version to the panda one. I see in this new recipe there isn’t any baking soda. Is that accurate? Wanted to check in because I am making 100 cupcakes for a wedding next weekend! Thank you!
There’s no baking soda but there is baking powder! these don’t get a very big dome on the top as they bake, but i think that makes them easier to frost! Best of luck with the wedding cupcakes <3
Great. Thank you. I’ll be posting on Instagram and will tag you. 😉
Can sour cream be substituted for buttermilk?
I’m not sure, I’ve never tried it! But you can substitute regular milk in for the buttermilk!
I tried this recipe with the sour cream and they were delicious! Thank you, this will be my go to vanilla cupcake recipe
Greek yogurt works good in black of buttermilk.
that’s a great point! now I want to try that 🙂
How would you recommend doubling the recipe to make 48 cupcakes?
@Marissa Pittman, I have the same question ?
@Janine,
The recipe states it only makes 12, I doubled it to make 24, so x 4.
If you use salted butter, should you omit the salt in the buttercream recipe??
Yup! but it can slightly change the taste of the frosting, based on how much salt is included in the butter you use <3
Could I substitute cake flour for the All purpose flour?
no! this cake recipe is super moist, and cake flour is too fine / will ruin the texture of the cake layers!
Honestly I’ve never tried it that way! if you do, please let me know how it turns out 🙂
@Chelsweets, trying with cake flour now. Crossing fingers and saying a prayer!
@Kelley B, it worked just fine, I had tripled the recipe for 36 cupcakes.
Your recipe doesn’t ask for any butter is that right?
not in the cupcake batter! just buttermilk!
Hi Chels, i love your videos. Do you mix this by hand or by a stand mixer? Is there a risk using a stand mixer? And why do you use oil and not butter? always wanted to know
i mix this by hand! I think you could also use a stand mixer though, just be careful not to overmix! Oil makes a lighter, fluffier cupcake!
Just made these cupcakes… omg. Super easy and very yummy. I’m planning on making these for my daughter’s first bday. Are you able to make the cupcakes ahead of time and freeze (frosting later)?
yes definitely! Just make sure they’re in an airtight container!!
Thank you
Made these tonight, they looked perfected, tasted great but were spongey almost like angel food, did I do something wrong? Like I said it was yummy!!!
Hi Chelsea! I would like to know what brand of gold leaf sheets you used. Thanks a bunch!
i’ve used this brand in the past: https://www.amazon.com/Barnabas-Blattgold-Professional-Quality-Transfer/dp/B01N8OOE8I/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&dd=14KKiQJV_kcv0GWmnOvmnQ%2C%2C&ddc_refnmnt=pfod&ie=UTF8&qid=1517945893&sr=1-4&keywords=edible+gold+leaf&refinements=p_97%3A11292772011
I order them on amazon 🙂
I tried this recipe and loved it but I noticed that the top half of the cupcake was nice and moist and the bottom half was super dense. I am not sure what I did wrong
strange! maybe they were slightly under-baked? or over-mixed?
Any recommendations to add strawberry flavor to these?
I’d add in some chopped up, freeze dried strawberries!
Can I use any other simple n easy topping or frosting than buttercream??
yah you can use whatever topping you like best!
My cakes were too much softened from inside although I follow the exact recepie.. i dont know what happened?? Can you tell me what is the reason?? The cake appeared uncook nd sticky from inside
sounds like you need to cook them longer! Some ovens vary slightly from the temperature they say they are at, i would recommend testing your oven temp!
@Laraib, I had the very same issue. Almost like a pancake cupcake
Hi Mbalenhle,
If your cupcakes turned out like @Laraib and were sticky on the inside, it sounds like they need to bake for longer! Some ovens vary from the temperature they say they are at, I would recommend testing your oven temp! My current oven is off by 25F, and my last one was off by 50F. These temperature differences can mean your bake time will be a lot different than what the recipe calls for.
There are two ways to avoid this. You can either get an oven thermometer (they’re like $6 on Amazon and are totally worth it in my opinion) to make sure your oven is baking at the right temperature, and then you can also test the center of one of the cupcakes with a toothpick like I mention in the recipe card. The cupcakes are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs or is clean. If it comes out sticky with batter, they need to be baked longer. Hope that helps for the future!
Hey Chelsea! I was wondering is there a substitution for the 1/2 cup of water in the cupcakes? What does the water help with can you use more buttermilk instead?
you can use buttermilk too! the texture will be a touch denser, but the cupcakes will have a great tang a be a bit more moist!
Hi! I was wondering what brand and where do you get your food coloring? I want to make a frosting and dye it dark purple but I am always hesitant on my frosting tasting like food coloring. Also, do you use that same food coloring to dye your cakes too? I’ve been wanting to make red velvet but again hesitant on it.
I LOVE americolor, and order it on amazon! I use it for everything 🙂
Hi! I love your recipes. I’m making these for easter dinner.
One question: this recipe of buttercream also serves 12-14 standard size cupcakes?
Thanks!!
It really depends on how you’re frosting them! If you’re making large swirls, you’ll have a bit leftover, but it’ll be close to the right amount! If you’re doing small swirls or buttercream rosettes, you could frost about 2 dozen cupcakes!
Thank you for sharing with us fellow bake-aholics! I really have enjoyed your videos. I’ve not used americolor gels before… are there any bitter tasting colors (i.e.: Red, Black, etc.) that you would recommend staying away from in the americolor line?
of course, I’m always happy to share!! I think almost every red and black gel food coloring (no matter the brand) have a bit of an after taste! But americolor has a no-taste red food coloring which is better than the normal red!
Hi. I’d like to try your vanilla cupcake recipe. I’ve been having a real difficult time lately with dense cupcakes. I follow the recipes exactly and each recipe I try is the same problem. HELP!
The buttermilk in the recipe does make it slightly denser, but it shouldn’t be that different from the texture of a normal cupcake. If that really bothers you, you can replace the buttermilk with normal whole milk, which should lighten them up a bit!
@Robin,
@Robin, same here I’m having the same difficulties even after following the recipe don’t know what the problem is
I have made a vanilla cupcake recipe before but it didn’t seem like the vanilla flavor came through enough. Could I add vanilla bean paste to add more flavor? Or what is your recommendation on adding more vanilla?
definitely! I think paste is the best way to go to get an intense vanilla taste!
Hi – have you ever tried using this recipe for cake pops?
I haven’t, but it should work to make them!
Do you have a regular chocolate cupcake recipe? If not, what all do I add to the vanilla recipe to make it a chocolate cupcake?
I have a delicious dark chocolate cupcake recipe up, which is amazing!! I highly recommend trying it!
Hi – Can I use this recipe to make cake pops?
I haven’t tried it, but it should work!
I tried this recipe several times and every single time it is as thin as water which does not make sense. At first I used a light buttermilk and figured it may be that, but then I substituted with whole milk and got the same result. I also tried using measuring cups first time and second time I weighed everything, but still have the same result. I used a brown organic egg, not sure if that has to do with anything either. Do you know what I could have done wrong?
the batter is just on the thin side! but they bake up very well!!
Sorry I am knew to your forum and didn’t realize I posted the same question twice. Do you recommend weighing vs measuring the cups? For example, when I measure 1 1/4 cup I don’t get 162g which is what your recipe calls for.
I’d recommend weighing, since that’s the most accurate way to ensure the amounts! however, if you’re off by a few grams, it shouldn’t really affect the final result! This recipe isn’t very finicky, it’s just a thin batter 🙂
Making from scratch cupcakes for the first time for my daughter and sons birthday this weekend. I just followed this recipe, line for line but both batches smell and taste like raw flour. Do you have any suggestions on what I’m doing wrong?
That’s so strange!! every oven bakes a little differently, I’d recommend maybe baking them a bit longer? Or maybe trying a different flour brand?
Hi. How many cupcakes does this recipe yield? Thanks
12-14 cupcakes!
If I wanted to make alcohol infused cupcakes using this recipe… would you recommend I sub the liquor w the water? Can’t wait for your reply. Thanks!
Yes, that is exactly what I’d recommend!!
I made the recipe today, it tasted really good however it was VERY Lumpy. I had to sieve the batter.. what did I do wrong?
i’m not quite sure! Were all your ingredients at room temp? I have a full YT tutorial showing exactly how I make my cupcake batter, maybe that will help identify if you did anything differently <3
Hi Chelsea
I am curious as to what exactly makes this recipe different from the vanilla layer cake recipe you have..
Like what ingredients do what that you changed to get one recipe to bake more flat ?
Thanks!
By the way, do you know if there is a difference in the cake when using low-fat vs full fat buttercream ?
either low fat or full fat buttermilk will work! I usually use buttermilk with 2% milk fat. The recipes vary quite a bit in terms of the type of fat use, different wet ingredients, and a lot more leavening agents. By using oil instead of butter and a lot more baking powder (in regards to the ratio of batter), the cupcakes turn out fluffier, rise higher, and have a different texture than my layer cake recipe, which bakes flat <3
Hi! I’ve been watching your videos for months now and thought I would make the vanilla cupcakes and butter cream! I’ve never made buttercream before. The powdered sugar was a little chunky so now my frosting is chunky! Do you have any advice? I used the Whole Foods organic powdered cane sugar so maybe it doesn’t contain anti-caking agents? I’m excited still about them
it could come down to the type of powdered sugar you’re using! If you’ve having issues with clumps, I’d recommend sifted the powdered sugar next time, or trying a different brand (I use domino’s powdered sugar and it works great). Hope that helps, happy baking!! <3
Just wondering can these cupcakes be coloured ?
definitely! I recommend using gel food coloring to get vibrant colors 🙂
Hi. I’m in Australia and out cup sizes are different. Please could you give the measurements in weight and ml for the liquid. Thank you x
I’ve recently updated this recipe to include grams 🙂
Hi Chelsea! Could you please post the recipe using ounces or grams? I like to measure my ingredients that way so I know I’m being accurate. Thank you!
I’ve update the post to share it in grams 🙂 Thanks!!
Hi Chelsea!
Love your creations. Not sure if anyone asked this before bc i quickly skimmed the previous comments, but can i make my own buttermilk by adding a tbsp of vinegar to whole milk? Will that affect the texture? muffin-like cupcakes are def a no go in this house lol
you totally can! It will be a tiny bit less moist, but it will still taste great! As long as you don’t overmix the batter, it should have a tender crumb 🙂
Has anyone tried substituting gluten free flour 1 for 1? Or any suggestions?
Nope, but I would love to know if it works!! I’ve been meaning to test it out for a while!
How did you make that deep red frosting without having the buttercream to seperate from its colors?
I actually share all my tips for deep red buttercream here: https://chelsweets.com/2019/02/09/how-to-make-bright-red-buttercream-frosting/ <3
Wish me luck! I will try to make these cupcakes for Easter breakfast for the community in our church in Jersey City! I pray I can pull this off. If not I’ll just buy in the store:(.
I’m sure you can!! just be sure not to overmix the batter, and they’ll be perfect!! I believe in you <3
I hope some day i will try one of your recipes!! I love how you make them and decorate them!! ?????? One question though: if i put olive oil instead of vegetable oil or canola oil, it will taste different? ? Thank you.
It will definitely taste different, and have a different texture! Not necessarily worse, just different <3
Hi.. I tried this recipe and it came out great !! Super moist n fluffy !! Can you suggest an egg substitute for this recipe ? I made it substituting egg with 1/4 cup yogurt n it turned out kinda gooey/undercooked..I checked at 17 mins , toothpick came out sticky, baked for another 3 mins, still gooey n another 3 mins n still gooey..
Any suggestions??.. I was soooo happy n satisfied with the egg version that I expected it to work fine with an egg substitute too 🙁 pls help
Update – tried it with 1/4 cup buttermilk as substitute n got the same result. I thought maybe I’m over mixing it, so made another batch using buttermilk as substitute n very gently mixing.. still no luck..
What am I missing here? 🙁
Sadly I can’t seem to find the thread that this comment is responding to, but I want to help!! You substituted 1/4 cup of buttermilk in place of what?
Hi, I substituted 1/4 cup buttermilk in place of an egg.. trying to find an egg substitute 🙁
This is the comment I originally posted –>
“I tried this recipe and it came out great !! Super moist n fluffy !! Can you suggest an egg substitute for this recipe ? I made it substituting egg with 1/4 cup yogurt n it turned out kinda gooey/undercooked..I checked at 17 mins , toothpick came out sticky, baked for another 3 mins, still gooey n another 3 mins n still gooey..
Any suggestions??.. I was soooo happy n satisfied with the egg version that I expected it to work fine with an egg substitute too ? pls help”
ahh sorry I responded to your other comment before seeing this one! I think most people recommend using 1/4 cup of applesauce to replace 1 egg! I’ve never tried it myself, but it should work! If you add more dairy I think it will be too much moisture in the batter, whereas the apple sauce will help them rise because of all the water in the applesauce! hope that helps <3
Thank you so much … My parents don’t eat egg and I so wanted to make an eggless version of your cupcake coz it was literally so moist n fluffy.. I really hope it works out <3
I do too! Please let me know how it works <3
Nice recipe ma
can i divide the recipe to make 6 cup cakes?
How would i do so please?
Yup! You can make a half batch, to make 6-7 cupcakes <3
I used this recipe but added some thin raspberry jam and they were actually the most moist cupcakes I have ever had, they also taste so amazing!! ??
Interesting, good to know! They sound delicious!! I want one!! 😛
Hi! I’m a home baker and I use your basic vanilla cake recipe for all of my vanilla cakes, your chocolate recipe, etc etc!! Love your recipes. However, although I love the one bowl/no mixer cupcake recipe, I find they don’t separate from the cup without tearing the cake. Maybe I’ll try a different cups. Any other suggestions?
Mine stick a little, but don’t tear the cake usually! I use pretty standard liners I get on amazon, but another alternative is to use the pretty tulip liners, like these ones: https://amzn.to/2Cgj6M7
Hi there! Love all of your recipes I’ve tried so far….thank you for sharing them! Unlike Jill, I don’t have a “tearing” issue but mine tend to shrink and some actually pull away from the wrapper. I do use my convection oven and drop the temp to 325 degrees but as I’m typing this I’m wondering if I tried baking without the fan at the temp you recommend if that will make a difference. I probably should have tried that before reaching out to you. 🙂 Anyway, any suggestions that you may have is much appreciated.
haha I’m literally laughing out loud reading this Kimberly!! You’re too funny! I would say try it without the fan at 350, and see if that fixes the issue. Hopefully it will 🙂 Let me know it goes, I’d love to know!!
I loved the cake but I want to know the recipe for eggless cupcake just like this…???
you can swap 1/4 cup of apple sauce for each egg in this recipe! <3
Made these this past weekend and replaced the vanilla with lemon extract in the buttercream! They were a huge hit so light and fluffy, my new cupcake go to! Thank you 🙂
I am so happy to hear that Lauren!! Those sound delicious 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!!!
I’m going to be making these next month for an order! Originally I used a different cupcake recipe but it was so DENSE. if I follow this step by step will it be moist and fluffy?
They should have a tender crumb 🙂 because of the buttermilk they will be slightly less fluffy than if you used whole milk, but it adds an incredible tang and moisture! If your main priority is a fluffy texture, I’d recommend using whole milk in place of the buttermilk <3
I too was wondering about doubling this recipe…does it work well Chelsey?
Thank you!!
Devin
you can definitely double this recipe 🙂
Can I replace 1 egg by 1/4 cup of condensed milk in this recipe
I’ve heard of people swapping out the egg for 1/4 cup of apple sauce, but I’m not sure how using condensed milk would work!
I was wondering can I use baking soda instead of baking powder? I only have that in my home.
Sadly I do not recommend that! They have different impacts on recipes, and this recipe works best with baking powder <3
I made these yesterday and they ended up REALLY spongy 🙁
I made these for my girls birthday party and they were absolutely perfect!!! I was so excited to make them again.
However since then I’ve probably made a total of 6 more batches and each one shrank up sooo small and they were very dense. The next day the tops were wet where if I were to tip it long enough the buttercream would slide off. My first thought is that now I’m overmixing? I am determined to figure it out because of how amazing they were the first time! Please help!
Hi Jessica! So happy to hear you love this recipe!! Over mixing may be the culprit, or you may be adding too much flour! some times when people scoop the flour, they end up packing in more than the recipe actually calls for (by grams).
I mix mine with a wooden spoon, and mix until the ingredients are just incorporated. Hope that helps!! <3 Let me know if you figure it out!
Hi! I was looking to make almond flavored cupcakes this week and I wondered if I could substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract? I know that almond extract is super strong so should I just do 1/2 Tbsp instead of a full one like in your recipe? Thanks!!
Yup, I’d say swap the vanilla extract for 1 1/2 tsp of almond extract, and you should be good to go! Happy baking Brynne <3
Making these tonight for my kids lunchbox, I forgot I had no white sugar so I’ve substituted for brown sugar, and I only got 11 cupcakes from the mix from a standard pan but I think I’ve overfilled as they rise out the top haha
Hi Aly,
That sounds wild! I’ve never tried this recipe with brown sugar, how did they taste?! Now I’m intrigued!!
Hey Chelsey 🙂
I love your blog ??
Can I have a link from your standard cupcake molds/liners ?
My cupcake molds curl up in the baking mold, there too big.
I just can not find the right ones and it looks awesome to you
Sorry my english is not that good,?
Warm greetings from Germany
Dominique
Hi Dominique! Thanks ?
For sure! Here’s the link to the cupcake pans I use:https://amzn.to/2CpY2Cy
And here’s the link to the liners I order: https://amzn.to/2NsKzjU
Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi Chelsea! Could I use half whole milk & half buttermilk for the recipe? Would that make the cupcakes fluffier?
Also, how could I adjust the recipe to make a cake? I tried your vanilla cake recipe that bakes flat, but I got a few comments on the density.
I really love these cupcakes! But every time I make them they come out so dense and heavy:( Is there any reason for that or how I could change it?
So sorry to hear that Allison!
If it’s dense it means you might be using too much flour (sometimes when you scoop out of a bag you end up packing a lot more flour into the cup than the recipe calls for (by weight), or you may be over mixing! Those are usually the two main culprits for dense baked goods<3 hope that helps!!?
I made these for my sisters baby shower recently. She doesn’t like cake but they were a part of the decoration too. I also made your small batch vanilla cake and used that as the centerpiece. I fully intended to have leftovers to bring to work work (or, I mean, eat by myself…) but my sister actually likes them so much she wanted to keep them! So I figured ok I’ll get the cake. Her husband who never eats dessert took one bite and ended up eating it in two days! It was such a big hit I’m making it for my nieces first birthday this weekend too! ???
Hi Jessica,
Aw I am so happy to hear that!! Sad that you didn’t get the leftovers, but happy they were a big hit 🙂 Your comment put the biggest smile on my face, thank you for sharing!
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if I should adjust the amount of wet ingredients since I live in a prettyyyy humid country (Singapore)?? If so, which ingredients should I adjust? Thanks in advance!
Hi Devashree!! I’d suggest using sour cream instead of buttermilk, which should work great in a humid environment! It still makes moist cupcakes, but bakes up easier in humidity. You can use the same amount the recipe calls for. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I want to make a white almond cupcake. Could I substitute the 1 large egg for egg whites and the add almond extract?
Hi Allison,
You definitely can! I’d recommend adding in the same weight of egg whites (or about 2 egg whites), and 1 or 2 tsp of almond extract (depending on how strong of an almond taste you like, and if you plan to also use almond frosting). Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsea,
I made your peanut butter lovers cake and it was a huge hit. I would like to make peanut butter cupcakes now. Would you recommend I use the PB cake recipe, or is there a way to add PB to these vanilla cupcakes? Thanks! I love your recipes and have been tagging you on Instagram.
Hi Shynade,
So happy to hear that! I haven’t tested out adding PB into this cupcake recipe, but you could definitely fill the cupcakes with fancy peanut butter (like honey roasted peanut butter) and top them with PB frosting?! Haha that’s my best suggestion 🙂 I hope that helps, happy baking!
Made these on Friday. Amazing!!!
Aw so happy to hear that Donna! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Would this recipe work for cake layers or only cupcakes?
Hi Katie,
I haven’t tested this recipe as a cake, but I highly recommend using my vanilla layer cake recipe instead! It has great structure, and is delicious 🙂 Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
Hi! I’d like to know how many mini cupcakes can I get from this recipe? I need to make 150, 1 recipe will be enough or should I double it?
Hi Genoveva,
You totally can! It can vary a bit based on the size of your liners and mini cupcake tins, but one batch should make about 40 mini cupcakes. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi There!
I love your recipes and tutorials! I have learned so much from you! I would like to double this vanilla cupcake recipe. Do you have an idea of how much baking powder I would use to do so. I am nervous about putting too much or too little of a particular ingredient…is it okay to double the other wet and dry ingredients? Thank you
Thanks Michelle 🙂
You can double this recipe by just using twice the ingredients, and following the same instructions. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
I have recently been introduced to your videos and recipes!! I made these cupcakes they are wonderful!!!! So easy and came out great. Looking forward to trying more if your recipes!!!
So happy to hear that Debora!! Thank you for sharing 🙂 Happy baking!
Can I use this recipe to make a cake, as opposed to cupcakes?
Hi Tiffany,
I’ve never tested it out, but I usually just use my vanilla cake recipe for layer cakes! It bakes super flat and is delicious, and I highly recommend giving it a try. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
Hi, I tried these a few months and ago and they were just perfect and so delicious! since then I’ve been baking them but they’ve not been perfect as the first time. They never give me flat tops, and even though I fill 2/3 way they rise so much and crack. Please help 🙁 I love this recipe as it’s so simple.
I’m so sorry to hear that Payal! It sounds like you might be adding a bit too much baking powder, or your oven might run a little hot? I’d guess it’s one of those two things!!
I’ve made these a lot of times because they are so darn delicious! But they tend to peak up in the middle for me. Any suggestions to get them to bake flat? I’ve tried mixing more… and mixing less. Doesn’t seem to make a difference.p
Hi Jill,
You can try adding a tiny bit less baking powder, or baking them at 325 for slightly longer! That should help them dome less. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Awesome recipe! I generally always follow along step by step, but my pregnancy brain/cravings got the best of me. I added all the liquids together and then added the mixed powders into the liquids. I also added lemon zest and extract. All worked out, thankfully it was a forgiving recipe! Thanks you for the recipe!
Aw thanks Chelsey!
I’m so happy to hear that! This is definitely a forgiving recipe, and I’m glad it tasted great with some lemon! That sounds delicious 🙂
I followed the recipe but it comes out oily on the wrappers…is there any fix for that?
Hi Sandy,
So sorry to hear that! Sadly I don’t think there’s a way to fix that once the cupcakes have already been baked. What type of oil did you use?
I recently started watching your videos on YouTube and absolutely love them! I have been baking for years but have recently started making cakes/cupcakes for others and have been testing some recipes. I like your recipes. They are all moist and perfect but I am not crazy about buttermilk in cakes. Would using whole milk instead of buttermilk make a difference other than taste?
Hi Lindsey,
I’m so happy to hear that! Buttermilk can be a polarizing topic, and I totally get that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. You can definitely use whole milk in place of the buttermilk, but it will change the taste and texture a bit. I find my cakes are a bit less moist when I make them with whole milk, but I’m also so used to baking with buttermilk I think it’s hard for my taste buds to adjust. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I added fresh strawberries to the recipe ummyummmyummm it was sooo good
So happy to hear that Courtney, that sounds amazing!! <3 Thank you for sharing!!
I do this recipe but my batter is to watery. Help! I speak spanish, only a little bit english.
Hi Heydi,
It’s ok if the batter is thin! The consistency can vary based on the type of buttermilk you use. They should still bake up just fine. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Is it suppose to be really runny?
Hi Beth,
It’s ok if the batter is thin! The consistency can vary based on the type of buttermilk you use. They should still bake up just fine. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Do you think this recipe is better than vanilla cupcake you did in baby shower archive? I tried those and they were good
Hi Jeanine,
I think this recipe is better explained and tastes great! I’d suggest it over that older recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi Phoebe,
So sorry to hear that! Where do you live? what type of buttermilk did you use? Is there a chance your baking powder is old / has lost its potency? Those would be my first few guesses as to what went wrong. Hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together!
Hi! I live in Toronto. I used 1% Buttermilk (Neilson brand is the most common here). I tested my baking powder, and it bubbles, so it’s still good. I also tried it with making buttermilk with Lemon and Milk, but that didn’t fix it. And I tried it with paper liners and silicon cupcake liners, but neither way altered it. (with the quarantine, I’ve had lots of free time to experiment! haha) The only other thing I can think would be my type of oven? But my other recipes work no matter where I bake them, so I’m confused! I just really want to find a “fail-proof go-to” cupcake recipe
Hi Phoebe,
Definitely sounds like you’re doing your research! What type of oven do you have? What type of oil are you using? This usually is my foolproof vanilla cupcake recipe :/ I use it all the time and it works great for me!!
The only thing I can suggest is maybe trying it with sour cream instead of buttermilk? It makes the cupcakes a bit lighter / fluffy. I’m hoping maybe that will help them turn out better for you!
Can I use melted butter instead of oil in this recipe? I would still like that buttery taste..
Hi Kris,
You can, but it will change the texture of these cupcakes! They won’t be as fluffy. Hope that helps, happy baking!
What if I don’t have buttermilk what would happened. Also I don’t have unsalted butter can affect the frosting
Hi Heidi,
You can use full fat yogurt or sour cream in place of the buttermilk this recipe calls for. Or if you want to make your own buttermilk, you can use whole milk plus a bit of vinegar or lemon juice! Add 1 1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice into a 1/2 cup measure then fill the rest up with whole milk. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi there!
Can this recipe be used to make a single layer cake? Asking about this recipe in particular because I don’t have a stand mixer right now and this recipe doesn’t seem to require one.
Hi Alexandra,
You can use this recipe to make a single layer cake! I’d recommend using an 8 inch cake pan, and baking it at 350 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. You can also use a hand mixer in place of a stand mixer to make almost any of my recipes if you have one of those. Hope that helps, happy baking!
What would be the best way to add a little pineapple flavor to the batter (pineapple upside down cupcakes)?
Hi Lisa,
I’d either remove the center and add a pineapple compote, or make a pineapple simple syrup and poke them with a fork then brush them with the simple syrup! Love that idea, sounds delicious!
Can I use this recipe and double it to make a layer cake?
Hi Rachel,
I’d recommend just using my vanilla layer cake instead! It bakes up better in cake pans and has better structure for a layer cake. Hope that helps, here’s the recipe:
https://chelsweets.com/2016/09/05/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
I am new to baking and so excited to try this cupcake and icing recipe! This may be a silly question, but almost all ingredients note to not over mix the batter. When do you realize that you should stop mixing, as soon as all ingredients are combined? How would I know if I over-mixed the batter?
Hi Kim,
So sorry for the delayed response! Exactly, you want to mix just until the ingredients you added are combined! So if you add flour, it’d be mixing just until you can’t see streaks of flour anymore. You’ll know you overmixed your batter after you bake it, because the texture will be dense and chewier than it should be. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! I tried this recipe today and the top came out crunch while the inside was soft and airy. Did i do something wrong while mixing?
Hi Oluwatosin,
That does sound strange, the tops of my cupcakes are usually quite soft! Did you use granulated sugar? I’d say maybe try a different brand of granulated sugar!
Or maybe next time you can try placing them on a lower rack in your oven to prevent the tops from caramelizing? Those are my best guesses as to what may have gone wrong!
Thank you! I’ll try both tips?
Hi Chelsea! I am a baker-in-training, and I have seen your videos on Tik Tok! I thought it might be fun to try out a recipe, so I did! The cupcakes were delicious, and so was the butter cream! My butter cream was a bit chunky, maybe something I did, and my buttercream was watery so maybe I added too much cream, or I didnt mix it enough, but overall, great recipe! Definetely doing another one!! Thanks, D
Hi Dacey,
So happy to hear that! Next time I’d be sure your butter is at room temperature, and that you mix it on a low speed for a few minutes once it’s made. Both of those things should make your buttercream silky smooth next time 🙂 Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsea,
I’m making your cupcakes today but am unable to get my hands on any vegetable oil can I use a different oil or butter instead and how much butter if so? Thanks!
Hi Shannon,
I’m so sorry for the delayed response! For the future, you can use melted butter in place of the oil in the same quantity!! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello! If I wanted to use lemon juice to flavor the cupcakes, how could I do that? Would I do it in place of the vanilla or in place of the water?
Hi Briana,
I’d suggest adding the zest of a large lemon, and 2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice in place of some of the water. I like to still use the vanilla extract, but you omit it if you want. Hope that helps, happy baking!
HI Chelsea! Can I use this recipe for a 6in cake? How long should I bake it for and how many 6in cake pans should I use?
Hi Kelsey,
I’d recommend using my small batch vanilla cake recipe instead, which makes the perfect amount of batter for a 6 inch layer cake 🙂 here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2019/05/02/6-inch-cake-recipe/
Can I use self raising flour instead of plain and omit the baking powder?
Hi Rhianna,
If that’s all you have on hand, you can use it in place of the AP flour and moit the baking powder and salt. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello!! I’m new to baking. I made this recipe, but I think I put a lot of mix and the mix came out and they did not turn out well. Could you tell me the size of the spoon with which you put the mix
, is it 6, 5 or 4 cm? Thanks for sharing your recipes !! God bless you!!
Hi Cynthia,
The size of the cup measure can be different with different styles! It’s all about the volume of the cup. Here are the cup measures I use: https://amzn.to/3e9kl06
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! I was wondering what you would recommend flavouring these cupcakes with. I am making them for my mother for her birthday this weekend.
Hi Amanda,
They taste great just as vanilla cupcakes, but you can definitely flavor them further if you’d like! They’d taste great with a bit of almond or lemon extract, or a jam filling! Sometimes I also fill them with nutella, which is yummy too. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Can you use egg white instead of a whole egg?
Hi Megan,
You can, but you’d probably want to use two egg whites in place of the whole egg in this recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking! 🙂
I love this recipe and use it often. Could I add lemon juice and zest to this recipe? I don’t love lemon extract.
Hi Paige,
You totally can! Swap out a Tbsp of water for lemon juice, and add in the zest of a large lemon 🙂 For the frosting, use some lemon juice in place of the heavy cream and add in lots of lemon zest too! Hope that helps, happy baking!
how can i make buttermilk?
Hi Arielle,
To make one cup of buttermilk, place one cup of milk in a dish (use a liquid measuring cup to allow for easy pouring afterwards). Add one tablespoon of vinegar, and stir. Allow the milk to sit for about five minutes. Then, use immediately, or place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsey! I’m a huge fan of your work and all of tour recipes! I have made this recipe multiple times, but every time I make it the tops of the cupcakes collapse. They always have beautifully rounded tops while they’re in the oven and a tooth pick comes out of them, but then they drop when the cupcakes cool off. I don’t think I’m over mixing the batter and I’m using room temperature ingredients which I know can be two of the main culprits, so I’m not sure what I could be doing wrong. I would love to hear your input about what I might be doing wrong!
So far I’ve tried this recipe 3 times – and each time it comes out gummy! When I add the buttermilk to the dry ingredients, it never fully incorporates and I’m left with some dry crumbs, and big lumps. Then when I add the rest of the wet ingredients, my only option is to overmix or be left with huge clumps! Help 🙁
Good Evening,
How are you?
I made these and the cupcakes came out like the picture which is good. I haven’t tasted them yet. Actually just took them out the oven 🙂
I am trying to find a recipe/ batter for cupcakes that will make 24 cupcakes. I did yours and doubled the recipe. I was able to get 15. I see that your directions say I’m supposed to get 12-14 but l only has 15 and l doubles the recipes. Any suggestions or do you have another recipe that can make 24 cupcakes?
Hi ! On How many cupcakes will buttercream can cover . ?
Hi ! I just wanted to know if I can replace the baking powder with baking soda. Btw love your videos!
Hello! I was looking at your WASC recipe to make for a friends bridal shower, but I saw you suggested this recipe with substitutes. Would I use the same amount of sour cream for buttermilk, and how much almond extract would you add?? Thanks 🙂
Hi Chelsea thanks for sharing your recipe. I’ve just given it a go and followed the instruction 175 degrees Celsius for 18 mins but mine were still definitely not cooked. I did an extra few minutes then one shelf seemed ready I took them out and the others needed longer, after 6 minutes and rest time I checked the first ones and they were like clag glue and needed longer. Any idea where I have gone wrong? ?
This is my new fav vanilla cupcake go-to!! Thank you for sharing your recipe as well as your tips in your comments in reply!! Excellent- easy- most of all deLicious?
Hi i would love to make them now but can i use lees sugar? Like maybe 1/2 cup instead of 1 cup
Can I add sprinkles to the cupcake batter?
Hi, can this recipe also be used for a cake instead of cupcakes? Will they hold it together to be stacked and frosted?? Thanks
Hi Chelsea! Can this recipe be doubled without any issues? I want to try this recipe and have 100 Vanilla cupcakes to make for an upcoming shower. Thanks in advance! Love your Videos! Keep it up! 🙂
I just made these. I hardly ever write a comment anywhere on the web, but I had to tell you that, not only are they extremely easy and quick to make, but the are delicious! i was looking for such a recipe because i need to whip up some 50 cupcakes for a wedding, and the whole butter thing in the batter was making me crazy! (soft? too soft? not soft enough? beaten? well beaten? un-derbeateen? you get my djist 🙂
hi mam yr work is awesome. I learn this without egg receip. I love cake recipe but I don’t know how is perfect bake recipes
I love it???
I love these vanilla cupcakes !! But I’m wondering if I can make them into strawberry cupcakes by replacing the vanilla extract with strawberry extract and adding in a little strawberry purée ?? (And a drop of pink gel color top of course) Any recommendations for making these strawberry ?
*pink gel color *too*
Has anyone tried making these funfetti/with sprinkles?
i would like to make these in advance but never seem to have luck with that. what do you use as your airtight container? thanks!
Hey Chelsea! Love all of your recipes but was wondering why in some recipes a half cup of buttermilk is 120 grams and in other it’s 114 grams! Thanks!!
Hey Marissa, she has a funfetti cupcake if you use the search bar, I’ve made them before they are great!
I made these awhile back… But the thing is the top of the cupcakes had gotten hard and made the cupcakes to have a crunch sound when eating it. I have no clue on what I did. I put it on 16 mins instead of 18 mins and they still turned out that way. ??
Just read above , your eggless cupcakes.. please can I ask where this recipe is?.
Can you add coconut flakes to the cake base?
Hi, I need to make 60 cupcakes. I see that this recipe only calls for baking powder, if I double the recipe and make a batch for 24 cupcakes will the batter be ok to bake in turns? So if I make a batter for 24 cupcakes, bake one pan of 12 at a time, and then put in the next pan after 18-20 minutes, will the second pan cupcakes be ok?
I’d love to make a large batch of cupcakes for a family event- is it as simple as doubling, tripling, etc the recipe?
If I needed to do a large batch can I double it up or would I need different measurements.
Just baked these and I must say, I am surprised by how simple yet delicious these were. Wasn’t expecting much but thought I’d give it a try. I really think the buttermilk helps to make these cupcakes super delicious. I used 1/2 cup of milk and added 1/2 tbsp vinegar since I didn’t have buttermilk.
Thanks Chelsweets 🙂
Try using a red wine & oil (+) salad dressing as a cupcake topper. (It also makes a Mexican Spaghetti dish supburb!
Hi, Can this recipe be made gluten free?
Want to use your recipe to make 50 cupcakes. Should I triple your recipe?
Would you be able to add Nutella to this and would it still be tasty?
came out gummy 🙁
These are the best cupcakes I have ever made! The recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes and exactly enough frosting to frost them. I couldn’t believe how efficient the recipe was. I’m making 4 dozen cupcakes for a party this weekend…can I quadruple the recipe, or should I make individual batches? I know that sometimes baking recipes don’t scale very well. Do you have any tips for that?
These look delicious! Do you think coconut oil would work in place of vegetable or canola oil?
Hello! I made these cupcakes earlier today. The flavor is amazing. Among the best I’ve tasted. However my cupcakes came out dense not light and fluffy. Is there something I did wrong or can do better next time? I did not substitute any ingredients.
I would love to make these cupcakes but have them maple. Would u suggest maple extract in place of the vanilla in the cupcakes and frosting?
Can I turn these into funfetti with just adding sprinkles??
How would I need to adjust for mini sized?
Hi!
I have tried your Funfetti cupcakes, and they came out super moist and delicious. I was wondering why in both this recipe and the Funfetti one you use 1/2C water instead of substituting it for more buttermilk or other dairy product. Have you tried it before and thought it was too much? I was just curious.
Thank you!
This recipe is amazing and so good! I’m so glad I chose this one rather than a more complicated recipe. It was super simple. I ended up using 1% milk though because I didn’t have buttermilk but I followed everything else exactly and used a scale to measure. It’s very moist and fluffy, I love it!
Hi there! I was excited to try your vanilla cupcake recipe, simply because it did not require creaming, yet promised a moist, fluffy cupcake. I followed the instructions to the letter. Twice. The first time, my cupcakes did not rise (despite a brand new container of baking powder), and shrank in the tin to the point that they deflated. I banged the tin as suggested before putting it in the oven. My eggs were room temp, as was the buttermilk. I honestly have no idea why they failed. So I tried it again. Twice. I got exactly the same results. Do you have any ideas why?
Could I double or triple this recipe in the same bowl?
Hello! We tried using this recipe twice today and our batter is still watery. And when we baked it, it’s domey. What do you think is the reason why?
Hi..should I add the buttermilk to my dry ingredients?
I absolutely love this recipe! It tastes amazing and I have made it many times, however, I always tend to get short in batter and never have enough for the last cupcake. I do follow the recipe using grams just to ensure too, but I seem to still fall short. Any suggestions?
Just made two batches. Hands down my new go to cupcake recipe! So easy! I recently tried your vanilla cake recipe for my daughter’s birthday and was big hit! I can’t wait to take these to our new years party! There do good you don’t even need the icing! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Just attempted these cupcakes. Followed the recipe exactly. The batter was super thin so I scrolled through the comments to ans saw that the batter was supposedly supposed to be that way. I thought it was strange, but I still filled my liners. Baked 18 minutes…all they did was boil over and it was still liquid -never baked. Worst recipe ever.
Hi! I am just wondering if I could use almond milk instead of buttermilk by chance?
Thanks!
Hi! Thank you for sharing your recipes, can I use this recipe to make mini cupcakes? Thank you!
Any tips for why my cupcakes tasted a bit oily?? I needed to make a cupcake from scratch using my grandmother’s icing… they taste delicious, but I feel like I can taste oil. I followed recipe to a T!
Can I skip water and use just 1cup of buttermilk instead?
Do you still have the vanilla cake with oil recipe, I can’t find it any more?
Thanks!
Hi Chelsea, I love this cupcake recipe however since making them in a bigger cup they often dome like crazy instead of being nice and flat which makes decorating them harder and they don’t look as good. Any ideas how to Stop the dome ? Thank you so much ?
Love your recipes! Thinking of making these in a jumbo muffin pan… good idea or not?
I adore this cupcake recipe. If I wanted to make it more of a yellow cake, would I just sub out the egg whites for whole eggs?
I tried this recipe after making your vanilla cake recipe. Thank you for the note that it doesn’t translate well to cupcakes! I would have whipped up a huge batch of cupcakes (that might have fallen) when I only needed a dozen. The cupcake recipe was perfect! They had great taste, texture and flavor. As promised, they rose beautifully too.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
I’d like to make mini cupcakes with this recipe. Could you tell me what the bake time would be?
Hi Jacqueline,
Mini cupcakes with this recipe turn out great! You can bake them for 9-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.Bake time can vary based on the size of your mini muffin pan. Happy baking!
do these dry out if refrigerated? I know buttermilk and oil will help with the moistness but in my experience with vanilla cake, it loses its moisture when refrigerated (even in an air-tight container). I’m just looking for a good cupcake recipe that I can use for making a large batch of event cupcakes that won’t be eaten until the 2nd day…
Hi Fran,
If you store them in an airtight container they should retain their moisture! In fact, the tops get almost sticky when I do that because the cupcakes are so moist!! I think this recipe would work great for a make ahead recipe. They can also be stored at room temperature unfrosted for a few days, or if they’re frosted with my American buttercream they can sit at room temperature for a day in an airtight container!
Can this recipe be doubled or should I make two batches?
Hi Helene,
You can definitely make a double batch in one bowl! Just make sure it’s a big bowl so that everything gets properly mixed together 🙂 Happy baking!
I made a gluten-free, dairy-free version with gluten-free flour and soy milk for church and everyone loved it! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Hi Nancy,
I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Hello, I was wondering if I could fill these cupcakes?
Thank you!
Hi Ana,
These cupcakes can totally be filled! I’ve filled them with jam, caramel, ganache, lime curd and mousse and they’ve all tasted great. The sky is the limit! Happy baking 🙂
I made these cupcakes and frosting for my daughter’s baby shower. Everyone raved about them and some said “this is the best cupcake I’ve ever had!”. They were truly amazing. Thank you for being the hit of the dessert table.
Hi Deb,
Your comment put the biggest smile on my face this morning! I am so happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Hi chels, what is the size of the cupcake liners in cm?
Hi Tika,
They are about 6.5cm across, and these are the ones I use! I order them on amazon: https://amzn.to/3Qsr3SE
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hello
I am loving your recipes thank you. To make this yellow do I just add the yolks to the eggs?? What flavor extract would you use for a yellow cake? Butter extract?
Hi Althea,
I’m so happy to hear that!! You are totally right, yellow cake is usually made with extra egg yolks and uses butter as the fat. This recipe is actually a little challenging to convert into a yellow cake cupcake, but here is an amazing yellow cake cupcake recipe: https://iambaker.net/perfect-yellow-cupcakes-with-amazing-chocolate-buttercream/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! I see the layer cake recipe you recommend instead, but it has a ton of eggs. Is there a version of these cupcakes without them or do you think I could just double this recipe? I’m really sensitive to smells, and I swear I can taste/smell the egg in vanilla cakes and it creeps me out. That’s why I love these cupcakes, because the one egg isn’t noticeable.
Hi Kaylee,
No worries! I have a vegan vanilla cake recipe that doesn’t use any eggs you might like? Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/vegan-funfetti-cake/
Hope that helps!
Love this recipe! Thank you!:)
Yay!! So happy to hear that Lamiah, thank you for sharing 🙂
Could I make these into spice cupcakes by just adding cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg? Thanks!
Hi Samantha,
You totally could to that, or you can use my spice cupcake recipe! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/spice-cupcakes/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
These are fabulous! A very fine crumb, super tender, and super moist. I made ten batches for a wedding shower – quintupled the first batch – and i almost had a moment of panic with the first batch because the batter is SO thin, like watery thin. I thought i’d done the math wrong. So a heads up for anyone panicking over the batter’s consistency – carry on!
Hi Chelle,
I am so happy to hear that!! And you are totally right – if all the ingredients are properly at room temperature, the batter is super thin!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Can I sub butter for the oil?
Hi Amanda,
You totally can! Melted (and slightly cooled) unsalted butter can be used in place of the oil in this cupcake recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Would using Avocado oil instead of vegetable work?
Hi Michelle,
Great question! You can totally use avocado oil in place of the vegetable oil in this recipe 🙂 Happy baking!
I tried another bakers vanilla cupcakes twice in two weeks because the first time they were so dense, and the second time was only marginally better. So I set out to find whatever vanilla recipe Chels had.. and OH MY GOD. I am in love… they are so fricken good! Holy. 100/10 recommend!!
Aw I’m so happy to hear you loved this recipe Brianna!! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing!!
These were delicious, thank you SO much! Wondering if I can use honey instead of sugar to make them for my children please?
These are amazing!!! I pretty much always use your recipes and get RAVE reviews!!!!
Hi Kristen,
Yay!!! I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Could I substitute coconut milk for the buttermilk to make these dairy free?
Hi Meg,
I haven’t tested that, but you should be able to substitute coconut milk in place of the buttermilk. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsea, my cupcakes the paper is falling off, I don’t understand why.
Hi Claudia,
So sorry to hear that! This can be caused by a few different things, but it’s usually because there’s too much moisture in the batter, the cupcakes are underbaked, or if the quality of the liners isn’t great. Do you think it might be one of those things? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together!
Hey Chelsea! I’ve made these cupcakes so many times and they are absolutely amazing! If I wanted to make these into chocolate cupcakes could I just add 1/3 cup cocoa powder or would that totally mess it up?
Hi Grace,
Yay! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe. If you want to use this recipe to make chocolate cupcakes I’d recommend swapping out 1/4 cup of flour for cocoa powder. If you just add cocoa powder into the batter it’ll make the cupcakes bake up a bit dry / dense. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Can you triple the recipe?
Hi Pam,
You can triple this recipe! Just be sure to use a large bowl so that everything gets properly mixed together. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Tried this recipe today. But I whipped the egg whites and used the reverse creaming method or the biscuit method for the cupcakes.
The reason I whipped the egg white was for some volume.
However they were delicious, soft , they didn’t rise much. Since the recipe says to chug all the wet ingredients in the dry, I thought might as well try the reverse creaming method.
The cupcakes were so good but I still missed the volume so It’s not my favourite method.
Oh and I used butter.
The reason I dug up this recipe is cos I ended up mixing sugar and flour by mistake for my original muffin recipe, so that means I won’t be able to cream the butter and sugar.
Either way, thank god I didn’t have to waste that mix and still got delicious cupcakes.
Thank you ??
Hi Lily,
This recipe will turn out quite a bit different with those adjustments. I think the texture is lighter and softer with oil, which is why I like to use it instead of butter. Glad your cupcakes still taste great though, happy baking!
Could I use this same recipe but put lemon extract and some lemon zest in place of vanilla to make a lemon cupcake?
Also could I add a 1/3 of a cup of sprinkles to the original batter to make confetti cupcakes?
Thanks!
Hi Samantha,
You can definitely add in some lemon zest to make these lemon cupcakes! I’d leave in the vanilla extract though, it will help enhance the flavor or the lemon.
You can also add 1/3 cup of sprinkles to this recipe, or you can use my funfetti cupcake recipe: https://chelsweets.com/funfetti-cupcakes/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
Can you change the water for something else?
Hi Ashleigh,
Great question! You can use any type of milk or buttermilk in place of the water in this recipe. Happy baking!
Can I add sprinkles to this recipe to make it like funfetti? I don’t want to use the funfetti recipe bc my daughter has an allergy to almonds and I was worried about it being in there with the extract!
Hi Emily,
Great question! You can totally add sprinkles to this recipe! I’d recommend adding 1/3 of a cup of rainbow Jimmy sprinkles. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Chelsea- I usually use your vanilla cake recipe for my cake. Could I use that for cupcakes or do you suggest this one?
Hi Tara,
You can use my vanilla cake recipe to make cupcakes, and they taste amazing but sometimes they stick to the liners! I almost always use this vanilla cupcake recipe when I want to make vanilla cupcakes. I’d recommend giving it a try! It’s super easy to make and isn’t too sweet. It does taste different than my vanilla cake recipe though so if you’re really in love with that you can stick with that recipe 🙂 Hope that helps, happy baking!
I just made these! Delicious! Perfect!
Saved. Thank you!
Hi Dianne,
So happy to hear that, thank you for sharing 🙂
I need to make about 48 cupcakes. How would you double this recipe for 12?
Hi Cindy,
I’d probably make two double batches of this recipe to yield 48 cupcakes! You could in theory make one 4x batch, but that can make it a lot harder to properly mix the ingredients together. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Can I reduce the amount of sugar for the cup cake?
Hi Anna,
I wouldn’t recommend it! It will make the cupcakes denser and they will have a less tender texture if you reduce the amount of sugar. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi Chelsey,
I have loved and had great success with many of your recipes, however these vanilla cupcakes did not turn out well for me. What did I do wrong? While they tasted good, the texture was very dense, chewy, and spongy. I followed the recipe exactly as written except I made my own buttermilk (from whole milk & vinegar). I was excited for a one-bowl cupcake recipe. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Hi Della,
I’m so sorry to hear that! The crumb of this recipe is a bit more compact because it is oil based and doesn’t use traditional creaming of butter and sugar. However, they shouldn’t be super dense! My first guess would be that maybe not all your ingredients were at room temperature? I find that whenever I don’t let all my ingredients warm up, my baked goods end up denser than normal. Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened together!
Do you know why my cupcakes are sticking to the cupcakes liners?
Hi Viktoria,
You can either try using a different type of liner (I use these ones and they don’t stick for me: https://amzn.to/48hBIYk), or you can place your current cupcake liners in the pan and give them a light coating with non-stick spray. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi, I doubled all the ingredients and made these using plain vanilla yoghurt instead of buttermilk. Did not have plain greek. Worked out great ending up with 18 cupcakes in total.
Hi Kayleigh,
That’s so interesting! The yield shouldn’t be impacted by that substitution, but it can vary based on the cupcake pan you use, the liners, and also how full you fill each liner. Glad to hear they turned out great!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Can you use sour cream instead of buttermilk, also can this recipe be doubled
Hi Theresa,
Great questions! You can use sour cream in place of the buttermilk in this recipe, and it can be doubled to make 24 cupcakes. Hope that helps, happy baking!
How can I use this recipe and make it into a cake?
Hi Susy,
In theory you could, but it’s really designed to make cupcakes! I’d recommend using my vanilla layer cake recipe instead if you want to make a cake 🙂 Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, happy baking!
I tried this cupcake recipe and it’s my new favorite! Question: my mom fell in love with these cupcakes too and is asking me to turn it into a cake for her birthday. Would it work out to put this recipe into a cake or is it better to use your vanilla cake recipe?
So happy to hear that Sierra!! It depends on the size of cake you want to make, but it would definitely be easier to just make my vanilla layer cake recipe!! Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/best-vanilla-layer-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps, and that your mom’s cake turns out great 🙂
Hi! Have you ever doubled this recipe? Just wondering if I’d need to double all the ingredients or cut back on the baking powder.
Hi! When doubling this recipe, should the baking powder be doubled too? Thanks!
The cupcakes are really nice and moist. I did end up making some changes, though.
I decreased the sugar by 1/4 cup, and it was still a bit too sweet. Next time, I’ll only put half a cup of sugar. I also substituted the water with milk, and only added a tsp of vanilla instead of a tbsp.
All in all, I would definitely make these again!
If I want more of a dome on these should I add more baking powder or add some baking soda as well?
I’ve made a lot of cupcakes and needed to adjust for gluten and dairy free. I doubled the recipe using gf flour and used the exact measurements listed. For gf flour you should leave the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes before baking to absorb the moisture which I did. These were absolutely the best cupcakes I’ve ever made and you couldn’t even tell they were gf and dairy free (used plant milk mixed with lemon juice to make buttermilk. Thank you!!
So I made these cupcakes the other day, and they came out really dense and heavy. I followed this recipe as it is :((
I’m so sorry to hear that AR! How did you measure the flour? Did you fluff it, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it, or use a scale? If you used a measuring cup, sometimes the flour can get kind of packed in there if you just scoop it straight from the bag, and this can lead to dense cupcakes! That’s my first guess, but if it’s not that we can keep troubleshooting together!
I love this cupcake recipe! It’s so so moist and fluffy! Is there a way to add honey lemon flavor to this recipe instead of vanilla?
Totally! I would actually recommend adding the honey and lemon to the buttercream! You can add the zest of 1 lemon and add a couple tablespoons of honey and reduce the amount of powdered sugar by 1/4 cup. You can wait to add the heavy cream and see what the consistency is like and if you need to thin out the frosting a bit you can add some, or otherwise in a omit it.
You can also add some lemon zest to the cupcake batter if you want but I wouldn’t recommend adding honey to it as it will change the texture of the cupcakes. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I have made this recipe and the chocolate cupcake recipe and both are delicious but they are really cracked on top. My oven was at the exact temperature as I use a thermometer and I followed the exact measurements. Any advice as to why?
Hi Katie,
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying both recipes—even with the cracked tops! That can definitely be frustrating though, especially when everything else goes right.
Cracked cupcake tops are usually caused by the oven being just a bit too hot from the batter’s perspective—even if your thermometer says it’s spot-on. Every oven has hot spots, and cupcakes are more sensitive since they bake quickly. A few things to try:
Use a light-colored metal pan if you aren’t already—dark pans absorb more heat and can cause the tops to dome and crack.
Try baking at 325°F instead of 350°F. A lower temp gives the cupcakes more time to rise evenly.
Avoid overmixing the batter—extra air can make them puff up too fast and crack as they settle.
They still sound delicious, and I’m so glad the flavor and texture are on point! Let me know if you try any of those tweaks—I’m happy to troubleshoot further!
Hi! I made your vanilla cake recipe and absolutely loved it, it has the perf texture and flavour!! I noticed this recipe differs a bit from the cake as it uses all oil and a different creaming method. Just wondering the reason behind this as I’m debating whether to make your cake in cupcake form or try out this recipe instead 🙂 Thanks in advance!
Hi Rita,
I’m so glad you loved the vanilla cake!! You’re totally right, this recipe uses oil and a different mixing method, and that’s very intentional. Oil-based batters tend to make cupcakes a little lighter and moister, and they also stay that way longer (which is great for make-ahead bakes or events).
The reverse creaming method (which I use in almost all my cake recipes) gives my cakes gives it that tight, velvety crumb that’s perfect for slicing and stacking, while this cupcake recipe is optimized for a soft and fluffy texture in smaller portions.
That said, you can totally use the vanilla cake recipe for cupcakes. It works beautifully too, just with a slightly denser crumb compared to the cupcake version. Either way, you really can’t go wrong! Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi! I love this recipe! I was wondering if there is a tweak I can make to the ingredients to make them a little more domed shape on top.
Hi Gabi,
So glad you love the recipe! These cupcakes do bake up with a relatively flat top just based on how it’s formulated. If you’d like the cupcakes to bake up with more of a dome, you can try a couple of tweaks: bake them at a slightly higher temperature (around 375°F/190°C for the first 5 minutes, then lower to the original temp for the rest of the bake), and make sure not to overfill the liners. About 3/4 full is just right. That initial burst of higher heat helps the tops rise up nicely before the centers set. Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Your conversions calculator is not correct. The gram measurements remain the same as the single recipe. When doubled, the vegetable oil is not doubled but is 4 times.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for flagging this! I usually have this feature turned off for this very reason, but there was a glitch in the backend and for some reason it started showing again! I’ve turned it off, and really appreciate you letting me know. Thanks!!