Light, fluffy vanilla cupcakes with a tender crumb, golden tops, and a cozy bakery vibe. Made with simple pantry staples and a few tiny tricks for big, reliable results.
By Matt Campbell
There are cupcakes… and then there are classic cupcakes. The kind with a soft, bouncy crumb, a gentle vanilla perfume, and tops that go lightly golden instead of turning into weird little domes of sadness. These are those cupcakes.
This recipe is built for real life. No obscure ingredients. No fussy steps. Just a dependable method that gives you light and fluffy cupcakes every time, whether you are baking for a birthday, a school event, or a Tuesday that needs frosting.
Unfrosted cupcakes: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your kitchen runs warm or humid, move them to the fridge after day 1.
Frosted cupcakes: If the frosting is buttercream, you can keep them at cool room temperature for 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. If the frosting contains cream cheese or whipped cream, refrigerate right away.
Bring back the fluffy: Cold cupcakes taste dull. Let refrigerated cupcakes sit at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before serving.
Freezing: Freeze unfrosted cupcakes on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw, still wrapped, at room temperature so condensation stays on the wrap, not the cake.
Yes. Cake flour makes the crumb extra tender, but all-purpose works. Use the same amount by weight if you can.
If you want a DIY substitute in a pinch: for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, then whisk very well before measuring. Heads up: it is not a perfect match for true cake flour, but it will get you close.
The usual suspects are overmixing after adding flour, ingredients that were too cold, or too much flour. Mix just until no dry flour remains and use the spoon-and-level method if measuring by cups.
About 2/3 full. That gives a nice rise without spilling over and leaves room for frosting. If you like a more “measured” approach, it is roughly 3 tablespoons of batter per standard liner, depending on liner size.
Absolutely. Fill mini liners 2/3 full and bake at the same temperature, checking at 10 minutes. Most minis finish around 10 to 12 minutes.
Vanilla buttercream is the classic move. If you want something less sweet, go with whipped cream frosting or a tangy cream cheese frosting. You can also keep it simple with powdered sugar and berries and call it a day.
It depends on the frosting. Buttercream is usually fine at cool room temperature for 1 day. Cream cheese or whipped cream frostings should be refrigerated, then brought to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
I have a soft spot for recipes that feel like the culinary equivalent of a clean hoodie. These cupcakes are that for me. They are the batch I make when someone says, “Just bring something simple,” but I still want people to take a bite and do the little head tilt like, wait… why are these so good?
The secret is not a secret ingredient. It is the small stuff: room temp ingredients, a gentle mix, and pulling them from the oven the second they are done. Classic, fluffy, and just fancy enough to make you feel like you have your life together, even if your sink is full of bowls.
Optional, for extra vanilla warmth: 1/4 tsp almond extract or the seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean.
Prep the oven and pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (or sift, then whisk if your flour is clumpy). Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.
Add sour cream. Mix in the sour cream just until smooth. Your batter should look creamy and slightly thicker now.
Alternate dry and milk. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions (dry, milk, dry, milk, dry). Mix just until no dry flour remains. Finish with a few gentle folds using a spatula.
Fill the liners. Divide batter evenly between liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Optional precision cue: they are typically done around 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C) in the center.
Cool. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Matt’s tiny upgrade: If you want slightly crisper edges, bake on the middle rack and do not open the oven door until the 15-minute mark. Let the heat do its thing.