Moist Vanilla Cupcakes (video)

Say goodbye to dry and boring vanilla cupcakes, and HELLO to these supremely moist and flavorful vanilla cupcakes of your dreams! The cupcakes take only 10 minutes to make and they are topped with a heavenly whipped vanilla bean frosting.

A good vanilla cupcake is just one of those things that suits all and any occasion. It’s like the little black dress. You can dress it up or dress it down. You can accessorize it with colored paper liners and/or sprinkles to match any event.

Why these vanilla cupcakes are the best:

• Extremely moist and flavorful – This recipe has a higher ratio of wet ingredients than most other vanilla cupcakes out there which makes it more moist. I used butter instead of oil because it’s more flavorful and provides a lovely buttery taste that pairs really well with the vanilla. I also incorporated Greek yogurt AND buttermilk for tender moist crumbs. So with the high ratio of liquids, Greek yogurt, and buttermilk, it’s like a trifecta method for making sure these cupcakes are ultra moist.
• Easy to make – There is no creaming of the butter, and no alternating between wet and dry ingredients. You simply mix everything with a whisk, stir the wet and dry ingredients together, and you’re done!
• Here is what some of my readers have to say:

“These are seriously the best vanilla cupcakes ever! And I am not one to like vanilla cupcakes! Every time I make these people rave over them! Thank you! Very easy recipe to follow too!” – Candice

“They are like little pillows of heaven! OMG! So good. I’m never using another cupcake recipe again! Baking is my therapy when I’m having a rough day and I must say these cupcakes put a smile on my face. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.” – April

“I just finished frosting these for Easter and they are by far the BEST homemade cupcakes I’ve ever tried! I made mini cupcakes, which took about 12 minutes at 350 and kept them barely done (how my family likes them). They came out perfect, taste fantastic and they popped right of the paper liners. Thank you SO much for this! I’ll never make another vanilla cupcake or buy a packaged mix!” – Katie

How to make moist vanilla cupcakes:

1. You start by tossing the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar.
3. Then whisk in the egg, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Divide the batter into 12 cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes.

I topped the cupcakes with a fluffy whipped vanilla bean buttercream. I just love the speckled look of the vanilla bean seeds and it gives the buttercream a very natural vanilla flavor. I used Native Vanilla’s organic premium vanilla beans. They have the most amazing sweet-floral aroma and come vacuum-sealed in plastic so they are super fresh and easy to work with. You can buy them from Amazon or directly from their website, NativeVanilla.com.

How to frost these cupcakes:

You can frost these cupcakes any way you want. The frosting is firm enough that it holds really well if you pipe rosettes or tall swirls. I like to decorate these cupcakes as follows:

1. Use a medium cookie scoop as pictured above.
2. Using the scoop, apply a dollop of buttercream on top of the cupcake.
3. Spread out the buttercream using the back of a spoon.
4. Finish with a sprinkle of colorful nonpareils in the center.

You can also use a large cookie scoop to apply the buttercream if you want a more generous amount of frosting on the cupcakes. That’s what I used in the original photos with the pink liners and pastel nonpareils. Using a large Wilton 1A tip works too.

Expert tips:

• Use good quality vanilla – Since vanilla is the main flavor profile in this recipe, it’s best to use pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
• Use cold milk, yogurt, and egg – I know this is a bit unusual for a recipe that uses melted butter, but I find it works much better because it thickens the batter and gives the cupcakes a better rise. So no need to bring these ingredients to room temperature, just use straight from the fridge.

Substitutions:

• Greek yogurt – You can substitute with regular yogurt, sour cream or mayonnaise.
• Buttermilk – You can use any kind of milk you have on hand even though buttermilk is best or you can make your own buttermilk. To make your own buttermilk: add 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup, fill to 3/4 cup with milk, stir and let stand for 5 minutes.

FAQ:

• Can you freeze these cupcakes? Yes, these cupcakes freeze very well. I like to place them frosted in a freezer-safe plastic container and freeze for 2-3 hours until the frosting is completely frozen. Then individually wrap them in saran wrap, place back in the plastic container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove saran wrap and thaw at room temperature for about 2-3 hours.
• How to store cupcakes – Cupcakes are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. However, if you don’t plan on consuming them within 2-3 days, then it’s best to store them in the fridge to maintain freshness.
• How long do cupcakes last? Cupcakes will stay fresh 2-3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge.

You might also like:

• Vanilla Sheet Cake
• Low-Fat Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
• Tropical Mango Vanilla Cupcakes
• Champagne Cupcakes
• Vanilla Bean Pound Cake

These cupcakes are rich and buttery with a lovely vanilla taste. They are super moist and soft. The frosting is fluffy, creamy and dotted with gorgeous little vanilla bean seeds.

Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.

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This post was originally published on Mar 31st, 2017 and has been recently updated with more information and step-by-step photo instructions. SaveSave

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