This moist Vanilla cupcake recipe is quick and easy to make. Ready in 30 minutes! Using the hot liquid method makes the cupcakes stay moist for days. Frosted with delicious and creamy Vanilla cream cheese buttercream frosting is a satisfying combination.
Vanilla cupcake is one of the most popular cupcake flavours. It is a crowd-pleasing dessert that everyone loves. Either for everyday dessert or special occasions. These easy vanilla cupcakes can be ready in 30 minutes unfrosted.
How do these vanilla cupcakes stay moist for days?
Except for the ingredients (oil or fats) that make these cupcakes moist for days. I used a hot liquid method. As a baker, we know that baking is Science. Adding hot liquid to the cake batter with the leavening agent produces gas (explained by wikipedia.org) that creates bubbles (a double-acting reaction) when heated in the cake batter before baking in the oven. The baking powder has an acid-based reaction when combined with water. Primarily it is used to absorb moisture, and so prolong the shelf life of baked goods.
Vanilla Cupcakes Ingredients
Vanilla – because this is the main flavour and the star ingredient in this cupcake recipe, you want to intensify this flavour. Although you can use imitation vanilla, for best results I recommend the best quality vanilla extract if not using pods or beans that you can also infuse with the sugar. I used vanilla beans and my homemade vanilla extract in this recipe. It’s delicious and has a very vanillary-flavour.
Sugar – granulated sugar to infused with vanilla beans or pods and or vanilla sugar if available.
Flour – cake flour for soft fine crumbs or all-purpose flour is just fine.
Baking powder – the leavening agent needed for this cupcake to rise for a fluffy texture.
Eggs – for light and fluffier texture of the cupcakes.
Oil – olive oil, vegetable oil or canola oil for moist cupcakes.
Sour Cream – with 14℅ milk fat for extra rich moist cupcakes.
Milk – whole milk, 3.25% milk fat or evaporated milk. 2% milk can also be used. Keep in mind the less milk fat, less moist cupcakes.
Butter – for a rich buttery flavour, unsalted or salted butter. Adjust the salt measurement to about 1/8 tsp less if using salted butter for this recipe.
How to make Moist Vanilla Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line the muffin pan with cupcake/muffin liners.
Infuse the sugar with vanilla. In a medium-sized bowl add sugar and vanilla beans or paste (if using) and pure vanilla extract. Adjust the amount to taste, depending on the kind of vanilla you are using. You can make this ahead to let the vanilla infuse longer to the sugar.
Beat the eggs until pale in colour. Add the room temperature eggs into the vanilla sugar and beat until pale in colour and sugar is almost dissolved. For a spongy texture, use an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Add these two Ingredients to make the cupcakes moist. Add the oil and sour cream (14% MF) and mix until well blended.
Use a scale to measure, mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture in four additions. Mix in just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
Heat the milk and melt the butter over the stove or microwave for a few seconds until it reaches 120°F to 125°F. If no thermometer is available, do the tempering method to prevent the cake batter from curdling. Add about a quarter cup of the cake batter into the hot milk-butter mixture and mix until well blended. Then add this mixture to the rest of the cake batter.
Mixing the hot liquid into the cake batter. Add the hot milk-butter mixture slowly while mixing into the cake batter. Mix until blended.
Because this batter is a bit liquidy, use a liquid measuring cup to fill the muffin pan/cups with the liner about a quarter cup or 2/3 full. Drop or tap on a counter to knock out some air pockets.
Bake the vanilla cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes in preheated oven at 325°F for about 15 to18 minutes until springy to the touch or when the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cooling the cupcakes. Remove the vanilla cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes. Then remove from the muffin pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
You can use any of your favourite frostings of course. I think this Vanilla Creamcheese Buttercream frosting on these vanilla cupcakes is a satisfying decadent combination. If you want to splurge, make this frosting to the next level by adding vanilla beans or paste.
Making the vanilla cupcake frosting. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add pure vanilla extract or vanilla beans (if available) and gradually add sifted powdered sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
Frosting the cupcakes. Transfer in a piping bag with the piping tip of your choice. Frost the cupcakes that have been completely cool. Add sprinkles if desired.
Try these vanilla cupcakes with Italian meringue or boiled icing. It is also a great make-ahead icing or frosting for cupcakes that can be store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Storing the Vanilla Cupcakes
Unfrosted cupcakes in a sealed container can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Fridge 5 for up to 7 days and freeze for up to 3 months, after that the quality decline.
Frosted cupcakes in a sealed container need to keep refrigerated with cream cheese frosting for 3 up to 5 days. Although you can freeze it with the frosting, the texture of the frosting changes.
More Cupcake Recipes
Moist Vanilla Cupcakes (Stays Moist for Days!)
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- 1 12-muffin pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 pods vanilla beans Optional or substitute with 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tbsp if not using vanilla beans, infused the vanilla extract into the sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1¼ cups cake flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup milk whole milk or evaporated milk
- 3 tbsp butter
Vanilla Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting Ingredients for 12 cupcakes
- 125 g cream cheese softened but still cold
- 60 g salted butter softened but still cold
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-½ to 2 cups Powdered Sugar Sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line the muffin pan with cupcake/muffin liners.
- Infuse the sugar with vanilla. In a medium-sized bowl add sugar and vanilla beans or paste (if using) and pure vanilla extract. (see note 1)
- Beat the eggs until pale in colour. Add the room temperature eggs into the vanilla sugar and beat until pale in colour and sugar is almost dissolved.
- Ingredients to make the cupcakes moist. Add the oil and sour cream and mix until well blended.
- Measure, mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture in four additions. Mix in just until incorporated.
- Heat the milk and melt the butter over the stove or microwave for a few seconds until it reaches 120°F to 125°F. (see note 2)
- Mixing in the hot liquid. Add the hot milk-butter mixture slowly while mixing into the cake batter. Mix until blended. (see note 2)
- Use a liquid measuring cup to fill the muffin pan/cups with the liner about a quarter cup or 2/3 full.
- Bake the vanilla cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes in preheated oven at 325°F for about 15 to18 minutes until springy to the touch or when the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cooling the cupcakes. Remove the vanilla cupcakes from the oven and let them cool in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes. Then remove from the muffin pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Vanilla Creamcheese Buttercream Frosting
- Making the cupcake frosting. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add pure vanilla extract and gradually add sifted powdered sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Frosting the cupcakes. Transfer in a piping bag with the piping tip of your choice. Frost the cupcakes that have been completely cool. Add sprinkles if desired.
