The Softest Vanilla Cupcakes

Name: The Softest Vanilla Cupcakes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 400 g Cake flour; 2½ tsp Baking powder (13 grams); ½ tsp Salt; 150 g Unsalted butter (room temp); 350 g Caster Sugar; 2 Large eggs (free-range, room temp); 1¼ cup Buttermilk (room temp); 3 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (use the best quality you can find)

Mar 20, 2025 | Cakes, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Vanilla

After 20+ years of testing, I'm sharing my secret recipe for the softest, most delicious Vanilla Cupcakes ever. They stay fluffy and moist for days and work with any frosting you can think of! Perfect for birthday parties, picnics and school lunchboxes, these easy vanilla cupcakes will earn you serious baking cred—just ask my four sons!

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How to make the softest vanilla cupcakes, with four cupcakes in gold papers, topped with vanilla buttercream.

The Softest Vanilla Cupcakes You'll Ever Make

This is a simple recipe for the best homemade vanilla cupcakes that stay super fluffy and moist for days! With a generous dose of vanilla, they’re bursting with that classic, comforting flavour everyone loves. My easy vanilla cupcake recipe is wonderfully adaptable—top with your favorite frosting, fill with tangy curd or gooey salted caramel, or fold in colourful sprinkles for the perfect birthday party treat. Trust me, this vanilla cake recipe is one you’ll reach for again and again (I’ve been making it for over 20 years!).

Here’s a little secret—I used to make and sell cupcakes professionally! Mostly vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, and red velvet cupcakes (the holy trinity of cupcake heaven). I quickly became the most popular mum at my children’s all-boy school, arriving with containers of these homemade vanilla cupcakes during carnival days and celebrations. This cupcake recipe has been my go-to for graduations, birthday parties, sports days, and just-because treats. One of my favorite mum tricks was sandwiching two cupcakes together at the frosting, wrapping them up, and surprising my boys with this double-decker delight in their lunchboxes. Forget the trend of cutting one cupcake in half—that’s amateur hour! Two full cupcakes is where the magic happens!

After testing countless recipes over the years, I can confidently say this homemade vanilla cupcake recipe is the best vanilla cupcake recipe out there. I really hope you think so too!

Why We Love This Recipe

Insanely moist for days -no dry cupcake sadness here!
Rich vanilla flavour that actually tastes like vanilla.
Super light and fluffy!
Works with literally any of your favourite frostings.
Perfect for birthday parties.
The recipe is foolproof, even for beginner bakers.
They freeze beautifully for future cupcake emergencies.
Some recipes call for just egg whites, but I like to use whole eggs in my cupcakes. The egg yolks contribute to the richness of the cupcakes and the cake is still a lovely white colour.

Recipe Ingredients

for a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below

Cake flour: I use cake flour to make these cupcakes super soft. I have also used regular, all purpose flour at times and the cupcakes are still beautiful. Cake flour just makes them extra special!
Buttermilk creates the most incredible crumb. See substitutions below, to make your own.
Whole eggs: for richness
A pinch of salt, to really bring out the vanilla flavour and not make these cupcakes too sweet.
Vanilla bean paste has little bit os seeds, which I like to see. I use 3 teaspoons, but feel free to add a little more if you like!

Ingredients needed to make the softest vanilla cupcakes.

Substitutions and Variations

Replace Cake Flour with plain or all-purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons of flour. Replace it with cornflour or cornstarch, give it a mix and you have cake flour.
Buttermilk: make your own with regular milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (let it sit 5 minutes before using).
I love to use vanilla bean paste, but you can swap it for pure vanilla extract, whole vanilla bean (scraped), or vanilla powder (added to the dry ingredients).
Fun Mix-ins: Sprinkles for funfetti cupcakes, citrus zest for brightness, or mini chocolate chips for chocolate chip cupcakes.
Flavour Twists: Add almond extract for a bakery-style flavour, coconut extract for a tropical vibe.
Filling Options: Core out the centres of the cupcakes and fill them with lemon curd, chocolate ganache, salted caramel or jam.
Gluten-Free Cupcakes: Replace cake flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend

How To Make The Softest Vanilla Cupcakes

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180° C / 350° F / 165° fan forced and line 2 muffin pans or cupcake pans with 20 cupcake liners.

How to make fluffy simple vanilla cupcakes.

Step 1:

In a medium bowl, sift the cake flour and baking powder and set aside (I just whisk it with a fork)

Step 2:

In the large bowl of a stand mixer and using your paddle attachment, beat the butter on low speed for 1 minute.

Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula, return to low speed, then gradually add the caster sugar and salt. Increase to medium speed and beat for 8-10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl as needed.

Step 3:

In a jug, combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla paste.

Step 5:

With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the bowl, alternating with the wet ingredients. Do this in 3 batches of each and mix until just combined.

Step 6:

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the cupcake batter (scraping the scoop along the side of the bowl for even measurement) and place into cupcake papers.

Step 7:

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Times vary, depending on what type of cupcake papers you’re using (I used the high, thick papers in the photo and baked these cupcakes for 25 minutes. Regular paper liners will cook faster).

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, before transferring cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled, cupcakes can be topped with your choice of frosting. My Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is super quick, totally delicious and the perfect match for these delicious cupcakes!

Expert Baking Tips

If you’re using difficult or intricate cupcake papers, give them a spray with a little bit of oil to prevent sticking.
Use kitchen scales for measuring ingredients—measuring cup sizes differ between the USA and Australia (28g difference per cup!)
Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable for a smooth batter that bakes evenly
Don’t overmix the batter after adding flour—this develops gluten and makes tough cupcakes
Fill cupcake liners only ⅔ full for that perfect dome (not too flat, not overflowing)
Test doneness with a cake tester or toothpick at the minimum bake time—moist crumbs are perfect, wet batter means you need to bake longer
Cool cupcakes completely before frosting or the buttercream will melt and slide right off!

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I store these cupcakes in the fridge or at room temperature?

These vanilla cupcakes are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Refrigerating actually dries them out faster! If you’ve used a cream cheese frosting, store in the fridge but bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavour.

Can I use a handheld electric mixer instead of a stand mixer?

Absolutely! A hand mixer works perfectly for this recipe. Just be sure to cream the butter and sugar for the full 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy—this is the secret to that incredible texture! The mixing time might be slightly longer with a hand mixer, but the results will be just as delicious.

Can I make these homemade vanilla cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake the cupcakes up to 2 days in advance and store them unfrosted in an airtight container. You can also freeze frosted or unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months—just wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature.

Why did my cupcakes sink in the middle?

Sunken cupcakes usually mean they were underbaked or your oven temperature runs too low. Make sure to bake until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Also, avoid opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking—that sudden temperature change can cause sinking!

Storage Tips

Room Temperature: In an airtight container, these frosted or unfrosted cupcakes will keep for up to 4 days, as long as it’s not too warm.

Fridge: Only store in the fridge if it’s particularly warm, or if you have frosted the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Freezer: They will keep for up to 3 months, either frosted or not.

Have you made this?

Please let me know by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook

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