Treat yourself to these basic vanilla cupcakes, a recipe every baker should know. You need a few simple ingredients to make light fluffy goodies that work for birthday parties casual hangouts, or just to satisfy your sweet tooth. These no-fuss vanilla cupcakes will be the hit of any event. This guide shows you how to bake the tastiest vanilla cupcakes every time. Get set to whip up another batch of these yummy moist cupcakes that will wow everyone!
Tips to Make Great Vanilla Cupcakes
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: To create a smooth well-mixed batter, bring your butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature before you begin mixing. Cold ingredients can cause a lumpy batter and uneven baking.
- Measure Flour: Excessive flour can make cupcakes dense. To ensure accuracy, use the spoon-and-level method—put the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon then level it off using a knife.
- Don’t Overmix: After adding the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mix until they combine. Too much mixing can develop the flour’s gluten resulting in tough dense cupcakes instead of light and fluffy ones.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Put batter in each cupcake liner until it’s about 2/3 full. This allows your cupcakes to rise just right without spilling over. It also helps them bake .
- Preheat the Oven: Get your oven to the right temperature before you put the cupcakes in. If the oven isn’t hot enough, your cupcakes might not bake .
- Test for Doneness: To make sure your cupcakes aren’t under or over-baked, stick a toothpick in the middle of one. If it comes out clean or with just a few damp crumbs, they’re good to go.
- Cool Before Frosting: Give the cupcakes time to cool on a wire rack before you frost them. If you frost warm cupcakes, the frosting might melt and slide off.
- Add a Simple Syrup (Optional): To make the cupcakes more moist and flavorful, you can brush some vanilla simple syrup on top after they’ve baked and cooled. This works well if you plan to make the cupcakes a day or two ahead.
- Customize Your Flavors: This recipe tastes great as is, but you can try new things too. You might want to add a teaspoon of almond extract, some lemon zest, or even a handful of chocolate chips to the batter to give it your own special touch.
- Store: To keep your cupcakes fresh, put them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you’re not serving them right away, you can freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. Just thaw them at room temperature before you add frosting and serve.
FAQs: The Scoop on Solving Your Baking Problems!
Q1: Why are my cupcakes dense and heavy?
A1: Overmixing batter or too much flour are popular causes of cupcake being heavy. Mix until the ingredients are combined, and measure the flour properly using the spoon and level method to be free from this.
Q2: How do I get my cupcakes moister?
A2: To enhance moisture, make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature while mixing. You can also put in a simple syrup of equal sugar and water, brushed on top after baking. Another tip is to avoid overbaking—take them out of the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
Q3: Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?
A3: Cupcakes will collapse if they are overworked, baked at too high of a heat, or undercooked. Be sure not to overwork the flour when mixing, keep that oven door closed while baking, and remember that toothpick test.
Q4: Can I make this into a cake instead of cupcakes?
A4: Yes, you can! Just pour the batter into a greased 8- or 9-inch round cake pan and bake at the same temperature. Baking time might be a bit longer, around 25-30 minutes, so make sure to check the doneness with a toothpick.
Q5: Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time?
A5: For sure! You can make the cupcakes a day or 2 ahead of time. Just store the unfrosted cupcakes in an air-tight container at room temperature. If storing longer, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
Q6: Can I make these cupcakes gluten-free?
A6: Gluten-free vanilla cupcakes can be made by just substituting all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Just ensure all other ingredients, such as baking powder, are gluten-free.
Q7: What do I do with the leftover cupcakes?
A7: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container. If unfrosted, the cupcakes can stay at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for 5 days if frosted. If freezing, do without the frosting, and then thaw and decorate.
Q8: May I double this recipe?
A8: Just be sure to have a bigger mixing bowl if you double the recipe; you may also have to bake the cupcakes in turns depending on the size of your oven. The baking time will be the same.
Q9: How do I know if I’ve overbaked my cupcakes?
A9: Overbaked cupcakes will be dry and crumbly. For this, monitoring the baking time and checking the cupcakes for doneness with a toothpick at the end of the minimum recommended baking time should be kept in check. They will be moist, with a few crumbs attached, but not wet.
Q10: What type of frosting is best with vanilla cupcakes?
A10: Vanilla cupcakes are really versatile, and almost any kind of frosting can be put on them, from the simple and classic buttercream, to cream cheese frosting, to chocolate ganache or even lightly sweetened simple whipped cream. Get creative with the flavors and colors!
You can check the recipe of “Fluffy vanilla frosting” that is used in this and for cakes, cupcakes and much more.
Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Muffin tin
- Cupcake liners
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 190g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup 115g unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup 150g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup 120ml whole milk, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
