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Quick and Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Quick and Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe – the cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting that can be customized in many, many ways.

Vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and heart sprinkles.

I am super excited to share this recipe with you, because this is one of the easiest and fastest cupcakes you will ever be able to make. Not only that, but it’s also one of the most delicious ones too! The cake itself is very moist and the frosting is lucious, what else do you need?

Also, this recipe is super adaptable…

A cupcake cut in half on a cupcake liner next to a glass of milk.

Want some nuts? – no problem! Chocolate? Why not? Poppy seeds? You got it! If you have only 30 minutes and want a decadent cupcake to go with your tea, turn your oven, get your mixer out and start baking!

Oh and another great thing about these vanilla cupcakes is, that this recipe uses all the pantry ingredients that you usually have in your fridge, so no running to the grocery store for some marzipan 🙂

For those that have little kids and usually buy cupcakes for their birthday, now you can make these vanilla cupcakes yourself and even let your little one put the sprinkles on top, or if you’re one of the daring ones that don’t mind frosting looking somewhat funny, you can let them pipe the frosting too!

Two vanilla cupcakes on a pink plate with a pitcher of milk.

All in all, it’s a great go to recipe that can make anybody look like a pro in the kitchen. And no, I am not going to tell anybody that you didn’t spend all day making them. So enjoy!

Simple Buttercreams to use for cupcakes:

Quick and Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Quick and Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe - these cupcakes are topped with cream cheese frosting that can be customized in many, many ways. 

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cupcake recipe
Calories: 355 kcal
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cake Batter:

Optional (choose one):

  • 5 tablespoons cocoa powder for chocolate cupcakes
  • 1.5 cups chopped nuts of any kind
  • 1 cup canned poppy seed filling
  • * You can combine cocoa powder with either nuts or poppy seeds.
  • ** If using nuts just sprinkle them on top of the batter, once spooned in the cupcake pan.
  • ***If using poppy seed filling incorporate after all the other ingredients have been mixed.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 package Cream Cheese room temperature or warmed up in the microwave for 30 seconds
  • 4 oz unsalted butter 114 grams, room temperature (NOT melted)
  • 4 cups powder sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • *optional - food coloring

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Turn your oven to 350F. Line your cupcake baking pan with paper cupcake cups.
  2. Using your mixer, whip 3 eggs, then gradually add 1.5 cups sugar. Whip until pale yellow and foamy, about 4 minutes. Add half of the sour cream, mix to incorporate. Add half the flour and the baking soda, mix to incorporate. Repeat with remaining sour cream and flour. -If using poppy seeds, add them at this point and mix to incorporate.

  3. Using a 1/4 cup or smaller ice cream spoon, spoon the batter into the prepared paper cups.
  4. If using nuts, sprinkle them on top. Bake for about 11-14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the color should be pale yellow, not golden brown).

Frosting

  1. Using a mixer, whip together 1 pack cream cheese and 4 oz butter. Turn the speed to low and add 4 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, allowing the ingredients to incorporate before adding the next cup. Add 1 tbsp vanilla extract. Whip for another 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Fit a pastry bag or a sturdy gallon-sized zip lock bag with a star tip or a tip of your choice. Fill the pastry bag with frosting and put it in the refrigerator until the cupcakes cooled down.

  2. Once the cupcakes cooled down, pipe the frosting on top. Use sprinkles if desired.

Recipe Notes

The recipe can be cut in 3, this way you will probably get about 8 cupcakes.
*This frosting recipe makes a pretty sweet frosting. You can cut the amount of sugar, to your taste if you want a less sweet frosting.
***Ultimately, you can use a different frosting altogether. You can use 3 ups of whip cream+ 1 can of condensed milk (cooked or uncooked) + 1/4 cup sugar. - Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, continuing to whip, add the condensed milk, pouring it down the side of the bowl. Add the sugar and mix to incorporate.

Nutrition Facts
Quick and Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 355 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 37mg12%
Sodium 120mg5%
Potassium 152mg4%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 43g48%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 160IU3%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 118mg12%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Bon Appetit & Happy Pinning

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Hashtag your photos #LetTheBakingBeginBlog so I can see your creations and for a chance to be featured!

 

Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Welcome to Let the Baking Begin! I'm Marina and my love and passion for eating only the most delicious foods drive me to share that love here on Let the Baking Begin (since 2009). With over 20 years of experience in the kitchen, you know the recipes are tested and retested until perfect. I'm so happy to have you here. Enjoy! Read more...

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  • Margaret

    I have a quick question. I just made this recipe based on 8 cupcakes and I only have 3.5. What am I doing wrong? How much butter I am supposed to put per cupcake?

    · Reply
    • I think you’ve overfilled your pans. If you’ve made it for 8 cupcakes then you just divide the batter between 8 muffin tins. Make sure the size of your cupcake molds is regular size, not extra large.

      · Reply
  • Tatyana

    Did you use the 1M tip to decorate?

    · Reply
  • Annya

    these look amazing! im planning to make these for my sons birthday party. will the frosting hold up in 80 weather outside in the shade? or will it melt?

    · Reply
    • Annya

      ?

      · Reply
  • Irina Karpenko

    Recipe sounds amazing! Im planning on making those for my babies 1st birthday party !Hows the cream here is it too sweet by any chance with all the powdered sugar ?

    · Reply
  • Vera Zecevic – Cupcakes Garden

    I’ve featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don’t mind, but if you do, please contact me and I’ll remove it. All the best.

    · Reply
    • Thanks for featuring my recipe and taking the time to ask for permission 🙂

      · Reply
  • Paris Pastry

    So glad to see you're back! Gorgeous cupcakes, gorgeous photos and gorgeous recipe 🙂 Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

    x

    · Reply
    • Andrey

      If you wanted it just like podwer sugar add a littlebit of corn starch. The companiesadd cornstarch so that the podwer sugar does not sticktogether, and it does makea differnce in the texture andthe way that the Icing turns out.

      · Reply

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