Pages

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes {Recipe}



This week I've made 6 batches of vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla cake.  I feel like my oven has been on for 42 hours straight!  =)  What are all these cupcakes for, you might ask.  Well, for me... and for science, and for you too.  Confused yet?   I'll explain...
  I have been on a search for a perfect vanilla cupcake recipe for several years.  I have tried Martha's, Magnolia's, Billy's and Amy Sedaris'.  I've read the Cake Bible from cover to cover (really!).  I've googled until I can't google anymore!  Some of the recipes were good, just not perfect.  I've considered just giving up... maybe my expectations were to high.  I wanted a vanilla cupcake recipe that was as light and fluffy as a box mix, but without all the funny chemicals.  I wanted a cupcake that was flavorful and moist.  And I wanted it to be almost as easy to make from scratch as from a box. 
This week, I wasn't going to stop until I found what I was looking for.  So I baked and baked... then went to the store for more butter and sugar, and baked some more!  I tried recipes with butter, oil, or some of both... recipes with milk, buttermilk, or sour cream... 1 egg, 2 eggs, 5 eggs... baking powder, baking soda... bake at 350*, bake at 325*...


I made cupcakes that were lopsided, over-flowing, over-baked, and just plain ugly...


And then I made these...



They looked beautiful and tasted perfect, so I double checked all my notes to make sure I could remember what I put in them... then I made another batch to make sure it was THE ONE.

They were just as perfect!!  I think I heard angels singing....


I am SO happy to share the results of my many experiments.  I am perfectly happy with these cupcakes and look forward to making them again and again.  Now certainly, peoples tastes and preferences vary greatly.  I love these, my husband (my #1 taste tester) loves them, and I hope many of you will too.  As with any recipe, it is very important to use the best quality ingredients you can.  You will notice the recipe calls for cake flour, which is a bit more expensive than all-purpose flour, but I have found it is essential to produce the light and fluffy texture I was looking for.  Also, the recipe uses oil instead of butter.  I realized most cupcake recipes (from scratch) call for butter, and yet box mixes (which have the texture I was looking for) are baked using oil.  I was concerned that using only oil would leave the cupcakes without adequate flavor, but I found that with good quality vanilla, these cupcakes are delicious and flavorful.  

Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
Recipe by Glorious Treats 
Yields- 15-16 cupcakes

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil)
1/2 cup buttermilk
(or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice- add acid to the milk then set aside for 5 minutes before using)

Directions-
* Preheat oven to 350*F.
* In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds.  Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds.  Add vanilla and oil, beat.
* Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture.  Add half of the milk, then the rest of the flour and the rest of the milk.  Beat until just combined.  Scrap down the side of the bowl.  
* The batter will be thin.   Pour batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners.  Fill liners about 2/3 full. 
* Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-14 minutes. 
* Cool in pan 1-2 minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan (carefully) and finish cooling on a wire rack.
* Frost as desired when fully cool.  I love to use my favorite Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.   

* Feel free to use this recipe for a cake as well.  The recipe above will work for a 6" cake.  Double the recipe for an 8" or 9" cake.
* A note about Cake Flour-  Cake Flour has a lower protein content than traditional all-purpose flour, which results in a more tender, delicate crumb in the finished product.  If you can not find or access cake flour, feel free to substitute as necessary, but your results will vary from the original recipe. 

Prop notes- 
Brown cupcake liners from Simply Caked.  The pretty purple cupcake liners are from Confectionery House.  The pearlized sprinkles are from Sweet Baking Supply.  Cupcake stands available at Farmhouse Wares.   

294 comments:

  1. YAAAY!!! I have been on the hunt for a really great vanilla cupcake recipe and every one I tried hasn't quite hit the mark. I'm excited to try these, they look perfect! But your stuff always looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Glory!!! I, too, have been looking for that perfect vanilla cupcake recipe. I will be trying this on Friday!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow... these are just perfect. I love the purple cases, they finish the cupcakes off perfectly. I am very impressed by your effort and determination. Thank you for sharing your success. It's comforting to see that others too sometimes bake 'unacceptable' things, that are slightly wonky looking or as you put it, just plain ugly!! I seem to be stumbling upon this quite regularly at the moment :( Maybe one day I will be as talented as you. Thanks again. They look so lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oooh ooh! I can't wait to try these! Thanks! :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aside from the oil, these are very, very close to my favourite vanilla cupcake recipe...I always considered the buttermilk to be the secret weapon but now I'm going to have to try them with vegetable oil. And not having to wait for the butter to soften would mean you could bake these on a whim any time of the day!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for sharing this! I too have been on the search for years to find the best cupcake recipes and every recipe has fallen short in some way. I can't wait to try yours.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I will by trying these! We made cupcakes for my daughter's wedding last Saturday. Would have loved the lavender papers.♥♫

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are my hero! Thank you, I am adding this to my recipes!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for doing all the work for us! I will be sure to remember these the time I need a good ol' vanilla cake!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Congratulations on your conquest. I am sure that these cupcakes are wonderfully tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you so much for sharing your perfect vanilla cupcake recipe :) I know what it feels like to sift through recipe after recipe to find "the one" haha! I am currently on a quest to find the best sugar cookie recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love that you experiment and try things over and over.....this way we can all benefit from your wisdom and not have to suffer the mess! Thanks Glory!!! I can't wait to try out this recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you! i've tried many different vanilla recipes too, i'll try your and hope mine come out as pretty as yours!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Do you weigh the cake flour? I can't wait to try this out!! I have a fail safe recipe that always works but it too dry and not my favorite. The one I've worked and worked on for texture, flavor and moistness is so hit and miss. Thank you SO much for sharing! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. DameDonna- I don't weigh my flour, I just gently scoop it into my measuring cup, then level, but don't pack it down.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jessica Brown HusseinJuly 27, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Hi Glory, thankyou for your efforts in finding the best recipe for us, could I trouble you to tell me, 1. What is the difference between all-purpose and cake flour and 2. What brand of cake flour did you choose, thanks so much, Jessica
    (jessicabrownhussein@y7mail.com)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Jessica- Here is an article on the differenc between cake flour and all purpose, http://www.differencebetween.net/object/difference-between-all-purpose-flour-and-cake-flour/

    Also, I use Softasilk cake flour, mostly because it's what they sell at my local stores.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Glory, They look great, I am going to try them I love buttermilk in cake recipies. Thanks for posting this Marlyn

    ReplyDelete
  19. Laaaaaaaaaaah!!! Angels singing. Wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You might have saved me years of suffering and therapy.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks so much for doing all our research for us! I, like so many others, felt the same way as you about vanilla cupcakes...I cannot wait to try them - and they came in the knick of time as I need to make some in 2 weeks for a little girl's birthday! Merci, merci, merci!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Theres a whole "search" for the ultimate vanilla cupcake on another blog. I cannot wait to try these! It would be the ULTIMATE to finally find the perfect vanilla cuppie!! Thanks so much! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thanks for sharing and for all your hard work! I think just about everyone grew up eating cake mix cakes & this is the taste we associate with a cake. Nowadays people want scratch cakes but they don't live up to our idea of what cake should taste like. How awesome that you have mastered a scratch recipe to taste like a mix but be much better for us. I'm so gonna try this recipe this weekend.

    P.S. I'm making your smores cookies tomorrow to take to work Friday. Can't wait :-)

    ReplyDelete
  24. All in the name of science.....these look wonderful, I will add the to my to-do list. Normally I´m a butter person, but sometimes oil recipes are a bit easier to do. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I've been waiting for you to post this ever since I discovered your perfect chocolate ones - it's fabulous to have someone else do all that road testing. Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I agree - they are indeed perfect and look stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I just bookmarked this recipe! I love your passionate persuite for the perfect vanilla cupcake. You should contact Stef at The Cupcake Project... She's currently hosting a thing she's calling "The Quest for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake". You might be perfect for the explorer position?

    ReplyDelete
  28. God Bless you!!! I too have been on a mission for the perfect vanilla cake. I tried all the recipes that you mentioned too never totally excited with the results. I was looking for the same things you were in a vanilla cupcake..so I can not wait to try these!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love the photo of all the oddly shaped ones :) this is such a brilliant post! I am definitely saving it for reference next time i plan to make cupcakes, you have taken the hard work out of it for the rest of us and im very grateful for that! Gorgeous little photos to go with a fabby post :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. They do look perfect and I am loving the pearly sprinkles.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Es perfecto! gracias por compartir tu receta!

    ReplyDelete
  32. look PERFECT!!!!
    Will love to try it...
    but I don´t know where in Spain I can find "Cake Flour".. mmmh
    thank´s for sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  33. You are a dear for sharing this with us, I have been on the search also. I will def. try your combi. How many grams are 2 eggs on your side? Because here in The Netherlands we have S, M en L sizes....
    Many Thanks and kindest regards.
    Xandra

    ReplyDelete
  34. I am so excited to try these!! Thanks for all your hard work!! I love every recipe you post!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Did you know you can make your own cake flour? No need to spend $4 a box anymore or make a special trip to the store! Simply add 2 T. cornstarch to each 1 cup flour your recipe calls for, and sift twice. Then measure from that mixture. Voila!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Congrats on your success! Yep, they certainly do look perfect! It's good to know their taste matches. We are lucky that we get to benefit from your diligence:)

    ReplyDelete
  37. What brand vanilla do you use? I'm looking for something better than the generic brand I see at the grocery store. Can't wait to try these.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Thank you so much for sharing! With these times its really costly to try to experiment with recipes. I have had to cut back on stocking my pantry, and have had to rely on great reviews like this when it comes to trying new recipes. I'm confident enough this recipe will work for me! Thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  39. This one cracks me up. You sound like me a few weeks ago. I was "searching" endlessly for the perfect white cake for my daughter's birthday earlier this month. Your narrative on the oil and butter was right on! In fact, I made two recipes (one oil, one butter), was not satisfied, then went to chocolate for the party! I will be trying yours soon. I had to stop at two times, because my husband didn't' want the cake sitting around. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  40. @Xandra- All U.S. recipes are made for large eggs, unless otherwise noted.
    @Sharon- I use Watkins vanilla.

    About cake flour- Cake flour has a lower protein content than all purpose, and is milled finer. If you can not find cake flour, a close substitue would be to add 2 Tablespoons corn startch to just under a cup of flour, to equal 1 cup cake flour. Sift together. I have never used this, so your results may vary from my original recipe. Feel free to use google as a great source of information on substitutions.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I've been a cake box fan for a while now, I've gave scratch cupcakes a try and they have never tasted good or had the fluffy texture that the cake box gives you!
    I'm so glad you found a scratch recipe that works so good and makes the most cute cupcakes! I'm anxiously waiting to give your recipe a try! :D

    ReplyDelete
  42. THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! Ahhh, I'm so excited. i've also been on the hunt for this and mine always looked like the "ugly" ones. Can't wait to try this!!!

    ReplyDelete
  43. So happy I just bought some buttermilk and have all the other ingrediants on hand...trying this one tomorrow! Thank you once again for sharing and your beautiful blog!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Will be trying out this recipe soon, many thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Wow Glory you've certainly hit the mark with this one :) look at all of the comments you have received. I have just one more question to add please... When filling the cupcake cases do you measure the 2/3 using a cookie scoop or anything? I sometimes struggle to ensure consist sizing and not over filling the cases. Thank you again for sharing your wonderful recipe and tips.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Thank you Glory, like all the others, I've been in search of a great Vanilla Cupcake. My husband comes home and says "Not more yellow cupcakes". I'm constantly trying new recipes. I have found that recipes with oil rather than butter will give you a moister cupcake. So, you do need a flavor to compensate for the butter. I am going to try vanilla bean paste. Much more concentrated than vanilla extract. Can't wait to try your recipe.....thanks you!
    Loretta

    ReplyDelete
  47. Hehehe... I thought the lead in to your story was hilarious listing all the ingredient combos and oven temperatures you've tried.

    I have a question though and it's a problem I run into often...

    I have a wonderful Vanilla Cupcake recipe from the Crabapple Bakery in Australia (I'm happy to share but I don't want to do your head in after all this hard work) and it makes around 30 cupcakes. Your receipe yields 15-16 cupcakes. The only cupcake tins I have ever seen are for 12 cupcakes. What do you do with the remaining mix while the first batch bakes?

    I have tried baking two trays at the same time (one on top of the other on different racks) but both always come out substandard. I've tried leaving the remaining cake mix in the mixing bowl but it obviously looses it's airation. I've tried to leave the remaining cake mix on a slow beat to keep the airation. None of which work. Short of having a double oven (which I will be getting next year) what did you do?

    Thanks so much :)

    Penny - Little Housewife, Auckland, New Zealand

    ReplyDelete
  48. I can't wait to try these.... So many if us have been on the same mission! Who would have thought a good "vanilla" cupcake would be so hard to conquer! Thanks for sharing the results of all your hard work:)

    ReplyDelete
  49. Good timing! I have been looking for one too. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  50. I am looking forward to trying these. I cannot find regular buttermilk at any of my local grocers. They are ALL reduced fat!! If I use the alternative is it going to mess up the "perfection"??

    ReplyDelete
  51. @Little Housewife- Yes, most cupcake pans hold 12 cupcakes, so it will be be fine to let the batter sit out while the first batch bakes. Just give the batter a little stir before baking the second batch. Baking powder is activated by heat, so it will not lose it's power by sitting at room temperature.

    @Las Vegas Mama- Yes, most buttermilk is 2% and that will be perfect. Also, I never have buttermilk on hand, and I use the milk with a little vinegar alternative =)

    ReplyDelete
  52. i can hardly wait to try this recipe! Thank you for all of your hard work! Tell James we appreciate all of his hard work taste testing all those cupcakes to! Love you!
    ~Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  53. What size tip did you use for the frosting? It looks beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  54. i'm not necessarily saying their is a case of plagiarism going on, but this was weird to me, only hours after you posted: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/vanilla-bean-cupcakes-recipe/

    vanilla cupcakes w/ vanilla frosting, same wrappers, same sprinkles??

    weird, right?

    ReplyDelete
  55. Glory/ Glorious TreatsJuly 30, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    @Chloe- No copying on either end, just a strange coincidence! We've chatted (Jamie of My baking addiction and I) and even considered making changes to our posts, but decided to leave them as is. We just both have great taste in supplies =)

    ReplyDelete
  56. That sure is looking delicious. Thank you for sharing your yummy ingredient to us. I'll be looking forward for your next post.

    ReplyDelete
  57. I have been dying (not literally) to find a really good cupcake/cake recipe for regular old vanilla. I will certainly try these out---the chocolate and the vanilla! Thanks for working so hard!!!! AND SHARING!!!

    ReplyDelete
  58. My niece emailed me today, looking for a cupcake recipe for a baby shower, and you can bet I will be linking her directly to these:)
    Thanks also for the great cupcake baking tips!

    ReplyDelete
  59. Excellent! Thanks so much for sharing:)

    ReplyDelete
  60. I really enjoyed baking this cupcake. I live by your chocolate and the vanilla is a good recipe also. I have one question though, it isn't that sweet. At first bite it tasted like a muffin, but then it began to taste like a cupcake. Is there a way to add a bit more sugar without the possibility of messing up the cupcake?

    ReplyDelete
  61. How do your liners stay so perfect as well? Love them!

    ReplyDelete
  62. @Anonymous- If you would like the cupcakes a bit sweeter, I think you could add up to 1/4 cup more sugar and leave the other ingredients the same.

    @Brandy- I'll be posting on the cupcake liners in the next week or so.

    @Amalia- I used a 1M tip for these, I'll be posting more on piping tips in the next week or two.

    ReplyDelete
  63. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  64. These look amazing. =o] I've been on the search for a perfect white and yellow cupcake/cake forever! I just tested a yellow cake a few days ago..yet another failure!

    ReplyDelete
  65. This was the solution to all of my problems...amazing. I went with a buttercream frosting with buttermilk and it was perfect!! THANK YOU!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Thanks for the perfect recipe for vanilla cupcakes. I hate to say it but, I'm glad someone has the all the hard work for us! I'm jusst getting my feet wet with decorated sugar cookies and i'd love to learn how to make a few good cupcakes. (Gotta love all the inspiration from "Cupcake Wars" as well as your awesome blog, BTW they look fantastic. again thanks so much!!
    paige

    paige.fuentes@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  67. I love the pictures.What camera do you use?

    ReplyDelete
  68. Wow, these really do look perfect! I've been frustrated with most of the vanilla cupcake recipes I've tried. I'm definitely going to try this one.

    ReplyDelete
  69. I too have just about given up finding a good vanilla cupcake. I have tried and tired and searched until i could search no more.
    I can't wait to try these!!

    They look absolutely delicious!!
    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  70. Looks wonderful! I cannot wait to try them. I have a question. How do you keep your cupcake liners from getting oily or messy?

    Whenever I make cupcakes mine aren't as clean looking after the cupcakes have cooked and sometime seem oily at the bottom. Also, I have issues with the liners folding inward while I am pouring in the batter (I have even used an ice cream scoop and squeeze bottle). So they never come out looking as nice as yours. What is the secret?

    K.Gardner

    ReplyDelete
  71. i am doing these! i have tried magnolia twice and have made some sad looking but very moist vanilla cupcakes with them....i think its the butter...so love you use oil...thanks for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Can't wait to try them!

    ReplyDelete
  73. OMG, thank you soooo much for the recipe! I've been searching for the good cupcakes recipe for ever, and really getting depressed for not making them right. The cupcake came out perfect, spongy feel and good looking. And a great taste.
    THANK YOU AGAIN!

    ReplyDelete
  74. Yay!!!! Thanks sooo much for posting these!! I can't wait to try these!I've been looking for a vanilla cake recipe for a long time, but never found one I liked.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Thanks for all the sweet comments!
    @K. Gardner- I just added a post all about cupcake liners, http://glorioustreats.blogspot.com/2011/08/cupcake-basics-cupcake-liners.html

    @Food Photography- I use a Cannon 30D, with a 50mm 1/8 lens

    ReplyDelete
  76. Thanks for all your hard work and experimentation. I will def bake these!!!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Hi - I couldn't wait to try these, so I did! I could only find White Lily 'light' all purpose flour - so my cupcakes rose more than I'd hoped. But the texture and flavor were nice. So, I will try them again and just put less batter in each liner. Trying the cream cheese frosting next. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Hi, I live in the UK where cake flour does not exist. As an alternative would Self Raising or Plain flour be the equivalent?

    ReplyDelete
  79. i attempted these cupcakes and the texture was great!

    but one question - beacuse there is no butter in the recipe, how would i make the cupcakes sweeter? or more fuller with flavour.

    more sugar and vanilla?

    ReplyDelete
  80. Just had to stop by and thank you very much for the recipe. I found you through Thimbleanna who swooned over your cupcakes.
    I’ve just made the vanilla cupcakes yesterday and they were perfect and that is saying something as we are a no egg household (two of us are allergic) and it is always a bit iffy making new recipes using my egg replacement that I get from the health food shop…but these cupcakes turned out light and fluffy just like one with eggs and the crumb was perfect and I’m overjoyed that once again the cupcake in all its glory is back in my life!

    Thank you thank you!!!

    (P.S….sorry for the ramble…must be the sugar high!!) :o)

    ReplyDelete
  81. @Gillian- If you can't find cake flour, feel free to try all purpose flour (plain flour), for each cup of flour, remove one tablespoon of flour, and add one tablespoon of corn starch, sift together well.

    @Joey- These cupcakes are designed to be frosted, so I didn't want them overpowered with sweetness. You are welcome to increase the sugar a bit if you like.

    ReplyDelete
  82. Hi - These look delicious!! How far in advance can I make these and your Perfectly Chocolate cupcakes? And would I need to refrigerate them? I need to make seven dozen and want to get started ...
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  83. @Mel G- Most cupcakes are best the day they are made. If needed, bake the cupcakes the day before they will be served. Cover them, and keep them at room temperature.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Had to try these so I baked a batch this morning. The consistence was like a box mix (light and fluffy). Mine didn't bake as pretty but I over filled the liners a bit. I also made my own buttermik, next time will use store bought. I also think I'll shift the ingredients. Overall I really liked the taste. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  85. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but all the cupcakes sank in the middle.....They tasted good! Could you help me out when you get a chance as to why they sink in. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  86. Holy wow, perfect is right! I just made these, and oh my goodness they are delicious and beautiful! Fluffy, light, perfectly sweet, and perfectly shaped!

    I love baking and decorating cupcakes, but seldom like eating them. I'm just not a cake person. I prefer pastries and cookies. But these? I am trying like heck not to eat all of them right now!!

    I doubled the recipe AND I made them into rainbow cupcakes. Ambitious for my first try with this recipe, but I figured, why not? I thought the extra mixing and pouring of the different layers might have resulted in crappy cupcakes, regardless of how great the recipe seemed, but I was totally wrong. Even after all the mixing and pouring, they came out absolutely beautiful.

    I can't thank you enough for this!

    (Also, after almost two full years of unemployment, I FINALLY found a job and started this week. I'm making these cupcakes for my new co-workers, and they are going to be seriously impressed. If anyone asks for the recipe, I will be directing them here. Thank you thank you thank you!)

    ReplyDelete
  87. YUM!!! i try almost all your recipes and they are absolutely perfect..do u happen to have a chocolate or white mud cake recipe you would like to share? tried plenty of recipes and they dont turn out as good as i want them to..thank u :)

    ReplyDelete
  88. Dear Glory,

    Thankyou again for your efforts here.

    I have made these twice now, the first time subing the flour and buttermilk, the second time (last night) with Achor Cake Flour (from Australian Coles Supermarkets) and Buttermilk both times the cake was gorgeous, but when I peel back the wrapper the base of the cupcake is quite brown versus the actual body of the cupcake.

    I thought this may be because I am overcooking these, but I am following the recipe to a t and had reduced the cooking time for each batch. Is this just me? Or is this normal?

    Thanks so much,

    Cheers,

    Jessica

    jessicabrownhussein@y7mail.com

    ReplyDelete
  89. This IS the PERFECT cupcake recipe. I made your recipe for a birthday party last weekend.. They were a hit, they even shadowed the cake from a fancy bakery..and I didn't used the mixer..
    THANK YOU THANK YOU.
    Aimee B.

    ReplyDelete
  90. AHHH ! Thank you so much for this recipe. It's perfect. I did a tiny twist though..I made them into rainbow cupcakes ! They came out beautiful and oh-so yummy. :)

    ReplyDelete
  91. I can't wait to try this recipe, but I have a question. Do you use a convection oven? 12-14 minutes for cupcakes doesn't seem like enough time. Just curious.

    ReplyDelete
  92. @Jessica- Without being in the kitchen with you, sometimes it's hard to say what the problem may be. Are you putting the cupcakes in the oven before it's fully pre-heated? Maybe your pans are a dark finish, or too thin, that can sometimes cause extra browning.

    @Sarah- No, I don't use a convection oven (or I would have noted that). I know the time seems on the low side, but I've made these several tims, and it seems to work out great! Of course you are welcome to test them with a toothpick for doneness.

    ReplyDelete
  93. These are delicious! I made them last night and brought them to work this morning. All dozen were gone by 10 a.m. Mine looked lumpy but tasted good...I guess I added the flour too quickly (?) but was afraid of overbeating. Thanks for your hard work!

    ReplyDelete
  94. I thought they could use a bit more sugar and SURELY did not have enough vanilla in them. Thank you for the recipe though. My search continues! :)

    ReplyDelete
  95. I discovered your recipe on FB. With my daughter's 6th birthday coming up this weekend I decided to try the cupcakes out before I tackled the cake. I haven't frosted them yet, but I must say, they don't even need frosting. These are scrumptious! Great recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  96. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! My search for a great vanilla cupcake recipe has finished! Perfection

    ReplyDelete
  97. I love the cake stands; so cute! Your cupcakes are gorgeous too.

    ReplyDelete
  98. Hi, would you recommend halving the recipe? or do you think it would yield different results? Thanks
    p.s these are just looking soo lovely

    ReplyDelete
  99. If I'm doubling the recipe and making an 8-9 inch cake how should I adjust the cook temp and time??? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  100. I adore these! How could we make these chocolate?

    ReplyDelete
  101. Can I use all-purpose flour instead for your Perfect Vanilla Cupcake recipe?

    ReplyDelete
  102. I too have been looking for that perfect Vanilla cake recipe...........I think my search ends here.. Great blog overall. Glad to follow it.
    http://sadaf-culinaryadventures.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  103. Tu blog ha sido el gran descubrimiento del año!!!
    Dios mio que blog tan fantastico.
    Miguel
    lareposteriademiguel.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  104. Hi Glory,
    I'm just waiting for my last (4th)batch of vanilla cupcakes to come out of the oven and while I wait, I must share the weirdest experience. I followed the recipe to a T for the first batch. The only thing I didn't have in the fridge was buttermilk so I did the milk/vinegar thing and followed the recipe. The batter yielded 16 cupcakes but each and every one of them spread (flat like cookies), overflowed and were just plain ugly. I decided to make a second batch but this time I doubled the recipe. After putting in the first pan of the second batch, I decided to taste one of the ugly cupcakes. They were horrible! The salt overpowered the cupcake and the cupcake texture was too airy (I mean you barely pinch the case off and it fell apart). After tasting the salt, I realized that I completely forgot the salt in the second batch, but these came out amazing! The batter didn't spread, they looked like they fit the cupcake case much snugger and best part, they taste great. The texture of the second batch is a bit denser than the first batch, but moist and delicious. The only mishap with the doubled quanitity was that some of them came out just right, while others had a huge dome on top. What do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  105. I was wondering about the oven. I have a gas oven; where should I position the racks?

    ReplyDelete
  106. I tried these...super! Delicious, easy and economical. Made two batches because my normally picky son liked them so much. They aren't very sweet, which i think is best with all the frosting on top! Made the Sweetapolita's Swiss buttercream- came out beautifully and tasted great with the cupcakes. Thankyou for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  107. Thank you for this great recipe! I really want to try it soon. Looks like I have been missing out on your blog--not anymore!

    ReplyDelete
  108. I wanted to make this as a cake. How should I adjust the bake time or temperature?

    ReplyDelete
  109. The best vanilla cupcakes!!!...Thank you for sharing this recipe...Greetings from Canary Islands!

    ReplyDelete
  110. all your cupcakes are fascinating that i reli want to try them out! :D
    May i know for your measuring cup, is 1 cup = 250mL or 200mL?
    Besides, what's your cupcake size? are they around 6cm in diameter? If i'm using paper cups with ~4cm in diameter, should i reduce the baking time by half for all recipes?
    For oil, would corn oil or peanut oil be fine?
    While for frosting, how could i shuffle / substitute the ingredients if i want the sweet flavour to reduce by half?
    Sorry for so many questions... Many thanks in advance! =]

    ReplyDelete
  111. I just made a batch of these today because my 3 year old wanted vanilla cake. We had fun baking together. They tasted great....didn't look very pretty because I let him fill the cups up :) This was my first time making cake from scratch...I've always used a box mix. Never again! These were so much better.

    ReplyDelete
  112. This looks really amazing...where could I find buttermilk and cake flour though?

    ReplyDelete
  113. Glory YOU GOT IT DOWN 110% WONDERFUL, SUPER MOIST VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE. THANK YOU THANK YOU...CAN'T WAIT TO TRY YOUR OTHER RECIPES!!! BTY I DID NOT HAVE VANILLA EXTRACT SO I USED 1 TSP ALMOND EXTRACT AND WOW DELICIOUS

    ReplyDelete
  114. Glory YOU GOT IT DOWN 110% WONDERFUL, SUPER MOIST VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE. THANK YOU THANK YOU...CAN'T WAIT TO TRY YOUR OTHER RECIPES!!! BTY I DID NOT HAVE VANILLA EXTRACT SO I USED 1 TSP ALMOND EXTRACT AND WOW DELICIOUS

    ReplyDelete
  115. Thank you for this recipe! My daughter is having a cupcake party for her 2nd birthday and I've been stressing about finding a good cupcake recipe. I found this on pinterest. THANK YOU!

    ReplyDelete
  116. OMG, I haven't been able to follow regularly but i just came back to look at the recipe section and saw the vanilla cupcake at the bottom of the page! can't wait to try these!

    ReplyDelete
  117. i am soooo happy to find your blog and to find out you experimented. i am trying these for my daughter's 6th birthday. will let you know how it goes :)

    ReplyDelete
  118. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I just tried it, and my cupcakes turned out perfect! I didn't think they'd look as good as yours in the pic, but they did!! Can't wait to try the butter cream frosting now!! :) Emashka xx

    ReplyDelete
  119. cream cheese frosting, that is*

    ReplyDelete
  120. I try this recipe Oh my God perfect thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
  121. I tried these... The first batch came out yummy and the second batch not no much. I took them to a bake sale and mine were the only ones that sold out. Thanks for the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  122. Hi, just tried your recipe, and this cupcakes are perfect :) Thank you for experimenting and shearing.

    ReplyDelete
  123. I just baked a batch and wanted to know how your cupcakes came out with that beautiful dome? Mine spread flat. I've read that an initial higher temperature and then reducing the temp. will ensure a dome-though this doesn't work when i do it. Is that what you did? Wonder what i'm doing wrong? They taste great but i was hoping they'd look like yours in the picture. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  124. So I have been searching a long time as well. I made a batch and carefully sifted the flour and they came out sunken and darker on top than I wanted. Then I added a couple Tablespoons more of cake flour to the remaining batter and viola! Perfect, light, golden cupcakes. If your cupcakes are caving in, try adding a bit more flour. I would love a weight measure, so maybe I'll find it on my own. Thanks for the lovely recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  125. These are great! I was looking for an easy, yummy and fluffy cupcake recipe and you have perfected it!
    I made my batch as mini cupcakes with mini chocolate chips and the are really good.
    I can't wait to decorate them for my kids christmas party:)

    ReplyDelete
  126. what kind of oven do you use? i've been baking cupcakes using the convection feature of my oven but noticed that the time to peak in the middle. Your cupcakes looks so nicely shaped that i would like to know if you use the normal baking method on your oven.

    ReplyDelete
  127. Thank u for da recipe...i tried it, they were perfect tasted well..i wanted to ask that whenever i bake cupcakes they are not perfectly shaped..they r either too flat or too domed or uneven shape..how shall i bake them perfect shaped cupcakes...thanks

    ReplyDelete
  128. thank you for sharing your success! i came across your blog just today and like you (and many other bakers) i've been on the search (no HUNT) for that perfect recipe for years. Ive tried so many and the one that i liked the most outa the lot was Donna Hay's double chocolate cupcake recipe. Will be trying these over the weekend. And thank you oh so much for the frosting tips. You're god-sent :)
    Love, muneera

    ReplyDelete
  129. can't wait to try, thanks for not giving up

    ReplyDelete
  130. Thank you so much for this recipe, my husband thanks you also. I've always stuck with Martha's recipe for vanilla cupcakes but these are 1000 times better. Light and fluffy, just what I was looking for!
    It is also the perfect cake recipe for Maple Pudding cake.

    ReplyDelete
  131. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  132. First of all, I wann thank you for that great recipe. I really love it! But I have a question: for 2 days now I‘m searching for these sweet little…ähm…i don‘t know what it‘s called…mini cake plates? These tiny plates, your Cupcakes are standing on. Where can I find them? Would be great, if you can help me.

    Love & greeting from your german reader
    Elli

    ReplyDelete
  133. 2 questions about this recipe - 1> would you suggest altering the baking time for minis? and 2) what are your thoughts on butter extract to add that missing butter flavor? Im from the south so I have relatives that swear by it, but Im always wary of getting that alcohol taste, especially in something this delicate. Looking forward to trying this one out!

    ReplyDelete
  134. @Elli- The cupcakes stands are from Farmhouse wares (as mentioned at the end of the post)

    @Morgan- For minis I would suggest a baking time of 6-8 minutes. You'll have to give it a try. Feel free to add butter extract if you like. I would start with 1/2 teaspoon.

    ReplyDelete
  135. Oh God…i‘m so sorry. Anyway, thank you very much!

    ReplyDelete
  136. I was wondering what the baking time would be if I used this recipe to make an 8" cake instead? Thanks so much for the help and the great recipe. I can't wait to try it!

    ReplyDelete
  137. Oh my goodness...these were so delicious! Thank you for this recipe. It's amazing :D

    ReplyDelete
  138. I made these yesterday. The taste was great but they were a little crumbly and stuck to the paper. Did I bake them too long? The first batch I baked for 14 minutes and the second batch was baked for 13 minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  139. Oh my lordy! I googled moist vanilla cupcake and found your blog. One of the best things I have done!! These cakes were sooooo easy and tasted like heaven! And the cream cheese frosting worked perfectly with them. I had so many people compliment me on them. I loved your recipe so much I am featuring it on my blog now...
    x Molly

    ReplyDelete
  140. Made these with my daughter yesterday and hands down the best vanilla cupcake I've ever had. I couldn't believe I made it! This is the only vanilla cupcake recipe I will ever use.

    ReplyDelete
  141. Thank you for this recipe- going to try it out today for my son's party. It makes a perfect amount- I didnt want 30 cupcakes now :)

    ReplyDelete
  142. Was just wondering if your cupcake recipes could also be made into just 1 big cake?

    ReplyDelete
  143. Hi,
    I am trying to find the perfect recipe for my daughter's first birthday cupcakes and giant cupcake-cake. I have never baked a cake or cupcakes before so I am trying to make sure I have everything perfect before I get started. I have a few questions.

    1) Will this recipe work with a Wilton-giant cupcake two cavity pan? If so, will the temperature and time of cooking vary? I am not sure how many it serves but I think it serves 12 people.
    2)Will this recipe work with a fresh strawberry filling?
    3)Will these cupcakes and giant cupcake work out with a Swiss merangue buttercream (vanilla flavor) frosting, strawberry filling and topped with rock candy?
    4)I am open to different recipes. I would like a vanilla cake with strawberry filling and buttercream icing but I am just trying to find a great recipe for this. I am so afraid of messing this up!

    Whatever advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

    Your blog is amazing, thanks for everything!

    Laci

    ReplyDelete
  144. @Kathleen, Yes you can certainly use this to make one large cake. For an 8" cake, use one recipe per layer (for two layers, double the recipe, for three layers, tripple the recipe).

    @Laci- In general I would never recommend trying all new recipes for the first time for a party. If you could do a trial run first, it will reduce the stress for the actual party quite a bit!
    This recipe should work fine for the giant cupcake pan, although I'm not sure how much batter you'll need. You may need to tripple the recipe. And you'll have to just watch it a bit to check for baking time. The fillings and frostings you listed I'm sure will be delicious with this cake. Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  145. I tried them -----> http://hollowness-design.blogspot.com/2012/01/sweetheart-i-have-to-confess.html

    Yummi!!

    ReplyDelete
  146. Hi Gloria. Your recipe certainly sounds like it won't go tumbling down on me. I had a real temptation to have a REAL chocolate cupcake yesterday so i baked them. However my recipe called for 3 eggs and as i dont eat eggs, i ommitted them. :((( would your recipe turn out ok without eggs?

    ReplyDelete
  147. I'm definitely going to try these - they look delicious! I'm hungry now!

    ReplyDelete
  148. WOW! I just made these for my daughter's pre-school class for her birthday. I made these into the rainbow ones on pintrest and all I can say is I will be up early tomorrow morning to make new ones for her to bring to school! Simply delicious! Oh yeah...and I love baking and this was my first time making cupcakes from scratch! I will never make a differnt vanilla cupcake! Thank you for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
  149. not sure what i did wrong, i've never had an issue with baking before but these sunk and were brown on top...any pointers? I followed the recipe to the T and double checked after they came out ruined and i had every thing the way it was written...

    ReplyDelete
  150. @Nathan and Katie- I'm not sure what to suggest... I've used this recipe several times with good results. Usually when cupcakes sink it's because they need to be baked just a bit longer, or the liners were overfilled, and the cupcakes overflowed, and had nothing to hold up the strucure. Unless by chance you are at a high elevation, that would a whole different issue. Feel free to experiment with variations, or give another recipe a try. Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  151. @Anonymous commenter who keeps leaving rude comments-
    This is my personal site, where I share my photos, ideas and baking experiences. If you try a recipe and have a specific question as to why it may have not turned out as expected I am very open to that, and will try to offer suggestions. But if you have nothing to offer but negativity, then your comments will be removed.

    ReplyDelete
  152. I actually am at a high elevation, so I'll adjust for that with the recipe and try again!

    ReplyDelete
  153. Yahoo...! This one is a keeper. I loved them. I made this and it came perfect! Thanks a lot...xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  154. I have made these numerous times and they are always a hit-even with the cake mix lovers :) I reaaallly love vanilla so I always add homemade vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.

    ReplyDelete
  155. I am a beginner and I made this cupacake recipe, they were easy and awesome. It is so good I can eat it even without the frosting.

    ReplyDelete
  156. hey dear i tried your recipe today i like taste and they r too moist but the problem is they looks sp bad like your first photo can you tell me what i did wrong?
    I followed same direction what you said in recipe please tell me what i did wrong because i wanna try again

    ReplyDelete
  157. In the oven now! Wish me luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  158. Thank you! I adapted your recipe to be gluten free and they turned out very tender moist and super vanilla.

    Frosted with Bourbon Vanilla SMBC!
    So happy:)

    ReplyDelete
  159. I just baked these for a customer and the smell amazing. I think i am going to bake another batch for my house this evening with my daugther who is 2 1/2 and loves baking with me. This way I know how the product tastes. I doubled the batter to make however only ended up with 24 cupcakes but my were higher then yours so thats probably why i only got 24. Thank you so much for the recipe my home smells amazing so they must taste just as good as they smell :)

    ReplyDelete
  160. I just made 3 batches of the cupcakes. They are delicious! I'm turning them into my nieces first birthday "cake". Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  161. Wow..my search for perfect vanilla cake ends here. Just made the first batch and all of them are gone !! Super moist, light and fluffy !! I am going to make more tomorrow for my son's Valentine's Day class party .Thank you very much for the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  162. I tried and the result it's not satisfying. sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  163. I tried to make these and used duck eggs. Now duck eggs are very large. I dont think they came out as good as they should. Should i have used only one duck egg (which I heard are GREAT for baking). Or should I have just used fresh chicken eggs? About to make a batch with fresh chicken eggs.:) All in all they are really good. Im wondering if my vanilla is not right. My mom gave me pure vanilla from Mexico. Hum? Thoughts?

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  164. Hi, I'm new to this blog but when I Read about your experiments, I sighed in relief as I have been on this mission myself in exact same way, only today I tested 3 diff recipes including Mary berry, magnolia and other and none to my liking! I googled till I'm cross eyed
    BUT can't wait to try these, I am in the uk so don't have cake flour but I do use the home made version which is supposed to be equivalent of cake flour!

    Hope they turn out as j expect , and will post if they do

    ReplyDelete
  165. any chance this can be converted into English metric? I have tried loads on Google and just cant do it.

    ReplyDelete
  166. Made these last night for my son's school valentine's party. The best cupcakes I have ever made! Thank you. The only change I added was to additionally use one full vanilla bean in the batter. My husband loved them. I am definitley going to check out the rest of your site. Thank you again!

    ReplyDelete
  167. I'm sorry to be a party pooper; mayb its because I used
    regular milk not butter milk but these cup cakes come out flat on top and all different sizes. The sponge does seem exceptionally light though so 10/10 there. It seems the key is to use much bigger cupcake cases to get that "rounded top" good luck cupcake makers!

    ReplyDelete
  168. I must be doing something wrong, because my batter wasn't thin! It was quite a thick and heavy batter. It turned out fairly moist, but not as moist as what I would have imagined... I used vegetable oil and buttermilk. Is the batter supposed to be crepe thin or pancake thin? Please help!

    ReplyDelete
  169. Glorious indeed! thanks for sharing this... I can't wait to try this later. I'm in search for a "perfect vanilla cupcake" sans the funny ingredients that I'm not so fond of using hehe. I love your blog btw. keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  170. I Love this recipe. I was just curious though, could I substitute the vanilla extract for lemon extract to make these taste like a lemon cake? I was doing to do a raspberry cream cheese frosting so I wanted to be sure????

    ReplyDelete
  171. Do you really mean eleven cups of flour?? And eleven tsp of baking powder and eleven tsp on vanilla extract??

    ReplyDelete
  172. These look great but Im a lactose free girl and I cant have buttermilk is there a sub. I could use instead of buttermilk because i love that pink cake with swirl frosting. I was going to make it for my b-day party but in teals.
    Please Help

    ReplyDelete
  173. Thanks for sharing this great recipe! This is the vanilla cupcake recipe tat I am looking for after trying a few....

    ReplyDelete
  174. I made these and they were super delicious, but it made only 8 cupcakes for me, maybe because I used an egg replacer instead of eggs, now if i want to make these my way into 12, how do I increase the ingredients?? could you tell me pleaseeeee, thanks

    ReplyDelete
  175. @ anonymous. Hello. That's one and one fourth. Or one and one half. Not eleven. Look again. It happens to the best of us wink wink wink:-)

    ReplyDelete
  176. I have been searching for 6 months for a vanilla cake recipe!!! I have baked 10 cakes and threw every single one of them away until I baked this one! This cake is so yummy and is fool proof. THANK YOU for preventing me from baking another 10 cakes that the garbage will enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  177. Thanks for the perfect vanilla cupcakes recipe. It seems you found the right combination of ingredients for light and fluffy cupcakes.

    ReplyDelete
  178. I made these the other day, and all I can say is finally a cupcake that lives up to its name.
    This recipe is a keeper.

    ReplyDelete
  179. I made these as a test run for my daughter's 1st birthday party. They were really yummy, but they were TINY. They didn't rise at all. Any suggestions on how to fix that, or is that just how this recipe bakes up?

    ReplyDelete
  180. Hi Glory, Thank you for your hard work Can you advise to the WEIGHT of the measured cake flour? I have learned to bake by weight and not by measured volume and have found this greatly adds to ensure a successful end product. Thank you in advance. JM

    ReplyDelete
  181. I made these a few weeks ago and they tasted very good! I have one question though. The tops of mine were hard and flat, unlike yours which look soft and not flat at all. The insides were soft, though. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used lemon juice and milk instead of buttermilk like you suggested. But other than that I don't know what it could be. I want to try them again in hopes I won't have the same problem. Do you know what the problem could be? I'm not sure if it's my oven, or what. It was weird because other than that they were delicious! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  182. Hi,
    Can I use this recipe to make a circle cake? not cupcakes but a whole cake??

    ReplyDelete
  183. This was a delicious recipe and they came out beautiful! Although, the recipe says it makes around fifteen cupcakes but it make about 9 cupcakes that were each 2/3rds full. I tripled the recipe and came out with 30 cupcakes. Just FYI!

    ReplyDelete
  184. So what did I do wrong? I followed the recipe and my cupcakes came out spongy? Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  185. I made these with your American Buttercream recipe. They turned out great! Here's my post, featuring your blog. :)

    http://wilderlace.blogspot.com/2012/03/macarons-cupcakes-and-kitty.html

    Emily

    ReplyDelete
  186. I made these. I have a small cupcake business that I run out of my home. I have tried countless vanilla recipes and was always disappointed. Never once did I like any of them. The cake was always dry and the appearance of the cupcakes was unacceptable, sunken in the middle, or flat at best, some came out round, others came out oval! How in the world that happens is beyond me. Your recipe is the best vanilla recipe I have ever tried. My cupcakes came out soft, moist, perfectly shaped and domed on the top. I dyed my batter green and decorated them with green and white icing for a St. Patty's Day order that was placed by my office. The office peeps said I out did myself. I will for sure follow your blog in future since this is what I have to expect from your recipes. Outstanding, thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  187. Can anyone please tell me what I did wrong? My were flat and oily! I followed the receipe 1/2 cup of oil....is that right.

    ReplyDelete
  188. Reading this entry was like reading my diary. I have tried dozens of recipes in search of one with the same things you were looking for (especially the light texture). I too immersed myself in the Cake Bible and tried countless recipes with high promises. Can't wait to try them...though I'm skeptical because I've been let down so often before...on the other hand, I discovered the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate cake recipe recently and you use that, so maybe there is hope for the vanilla too... can't wait to try!

    ReplyDelete
  189. This is just what I was looking for!
    Although I have a question, I only have access to self rising cake flour, can you possibly tell me what adjustments I need to make?

    ReplyDelete
  190. To Anonymous
    Posted Feb 9 2012

    You mentioned you adapted this recipe to be gluten-free .. Do you mind sharing what you did? I'm getting quite frustrated at trying to find a gluten-free vanilla cake recipe that is moist AND that doesn't taste gluten-free.

    Thanks,

    ReplyDelete
  191. Okay, so I have a question for you. I read all the comments and didn't see it, so hopefully I'm not redundant. I saw that you scoop your flour into the cup but do you sift your cake flour? It make a 1/2 ounce per cup difference if it's sifted...

    ReplyDelete
  192. These just came out of the oven. I have't even frosted them yet & they are amazing! I'm truly a novice baker but have this new found cupcake obsession. Thank you so much for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  193. Baked these last night and they were perfect. I did have to bake them about 5 minutes more, I use a GE Profile electric oven, and I know all ovens are different. They were so delicious and I was surprised there were any left this morning with 5 people in the house. Thank you so much for a delicious recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  194. I can't wait to try this! I think I may try it as a cake first, though! Sounds delicious!!! :)

    ReplyDelete