The Best Homemade Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Co-founder of Zujava, I write about U.S. travel, road trips, and music. You can also find my work on Road Roamer and Metal Descent.

Who Doesn't Love Cupcakes?

There's nothing better than a perfect vanilla cupcake. This recipe features a rich, golden vanilla cake with a sweet vanilla buttercream frosting. It also calls for a little more vanilla than most. Use Bourbon vanilla, Madagascar vanilla, or paste for the best flavor.

Get ready: people will ask you for this recipe.

Cupcake Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla (add more for a super-vanilla taste)
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Cupcake Instructions

1. Prior to starting, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bring the eggs and butter to room temperature. Grease and flour two cupcake/muffin pans or insert cupcake cups.
2. Stir together the salt, baking powder, and flour.
3. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on high for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Continue to beat and add the eggs and vanilla.
4. Add part of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then add some of the milk and beat on low. Continue alternating like this until all of the milk and flour mixture has been added. Mix well.
5. Pour the batter into the cupcake pans, filling them about halfway.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pans.
7. See below for frosting ingredients and instructions.

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 pounds powdered sugar (around 8 cups)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla*

*Note about choosing the what type of vanilla to use:

• Vanilla paste will give your frosting tiny vanilla specks
• Clear vanilla will make your frosting white
• Bourbon or Madagascar vanilla will make the frosting off-white

Vanilla Frosting Instructions

Vanilla frosting is simple and requires only a few ingredients. This version will work perfectly every time.

1. Make sure the butter is softened.
2. Beat butter together with some powdered sugar and vanilla and some milk. Alternate between adding sugar and milk until you are happy with the consistency.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a little more sugar.