Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes and Fantastic {Easy} Buttercream Frosting
These vanilla buttermilk cupcakes with fantastic and easy buttercream frosting are so moist, so delicious, and so pretty!
There’s nothing worse than eyeballing an adorable cupcake that looks too good to eat….stuffing it in your face….and realizing that actually, it really was too pretty to eat and should have been left alone.
If there’s one thing I hate doing, it is sacrificing taste for appearance. So imagine my joy to be able to share with you the only vanilla cupcake recipe I’ve been making for the last year.
It is so moist, so delicious, and so perfect in any application.
Frosted up cute like these polar bears and snowmen cupcakes or simply garnished with frosting and a few sprinkles – either way, the cupcake is beautiful and gloriously tasty.
These cupcakes are the best and are my go-to cupcakes (for non-chocolate purposes, of course).
In addition, I wanted to share a quick and easy buttercream frosting that I use all the time. Yes, I love this magical frosting, but the vanilla buttercream recipe, below, makes an equally frequent appearance because not only is it simple, it has a divinely creamy, silky texture that beats out all other easy buttercream frostings.
I use this recipe on my kids’ birthday cakes and on most cupcakes I make, especially if I am going to pipe any decorations. It’s fantastic.
Incidentally, both of the cupcakes pictured above are from the brilliant Hello, Cupcake series. Those books make me look like a cupcake-decorating rockstar.
One Year Ago: Tortellini Spinach Salad with Balsamic-Tomato Vinaigrette
Two Years Ago: Quick and Delicious Clam Chowder
Three Years Ago: California Chicken Marinade
Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes and Fantastic {Easy} Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, (12 tablespoons), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 16 ounces powdered sugar, about 3 ½ cups
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 for light, aluminum or silicone muffin pans or 325 for dark, nonstick muffin pans. Line about 16-24 muffin cups with liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in eggs and egg yolk one at a time and then mix in the vanilla. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Combine. Add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix. Add the final 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix and then add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined and the batter is smooth. Spoon out batter into lined cupcake pan, filling only halfway or just barely over halfway.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven based on the type of muffin pan you have), until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs. Don’t overbake!
- Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it is light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar gradually and mix in fully after each addition. Cream at low speed until well blended and creamy. Pour in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Becca H., a reader, who got it from a Parade magazine
Recipe Source: adapted from The Recipe Girl
http://thechoppingblogs.blogspot.com/2013/11/vanilla-buttermilk-cupcakes-with.html
Came across this site…she’s using a lot of your recipes and photos with a TINY little link to your posts…then she goes on her social media and shares the whole recipe. I know I would want to know, so I thought I’d pass this along to you. Good luck 🙂
I can’t wait to try this! Is it advisable to frost a cake with your vanilla buttercream frosting recipe and refrigerate it overnight? I have to bring a cake into work and don’t want to wake up early to frost it!
Hi Nicole – I’ve used this frosting many times and frosted cakes 24 hours in advance. Works great!
These were fantastic! We had a Sesame Street party and wanted to make homemade cupcakes. They were so tasty! The buttercream icing was amazing too! Love your site:)
I’ve been loyal to my Mom’s buttercream frosting recipe for years, but it calls for a bit of shortening, and I live out of the country where shortening isn’t available. This frosting turned out PERFECT. My hubby and kids and I voted, and we like this frosting even better than the one I’ve been making for years! (Shhh, don’t tell Mom)
Oh my gosh! This polar bear is so cute I can’t wait for December to make it!
I made these cupcakes for my daughters birthday and they were delicious! I find myself searching and using your recipes a lot. Thanks for family friendly ideas!
I’m sorry Mel, I was completely disappointed. I am an experience baker and followed instructions to the T. Mine rose a TON in the oven, and then fell horribly once I got them out. I am so bummed to have to resort to a box mix for my little ones birthday. 🙁 I am not sure where I went wrong. Extra sad.
Just stopping in to say that I made your Buttermilk cupcakes (like very much) and have posted them on my blog at thewednesdaybaker.blogspot.com I had no prolbems with them sinking in the middle. Just watch your baking so you don’t overbake them. Yummy Thank you for a nice recipe………….andi
Made a trial batch as I have an up coming event and wanted a good cupcake. These are delicious and even better the second day. I added a teaspoon of coconut flavoring to the frosting. My hubby loved them too. Will make this recipe often. Makes about 15 to 18.
Hi Mel – Do you think doubling this recipe would give me enough for a 2-layer round cake?
Sally – You’ll have to experiment but it’s worth a try. If anything there might be too much batter…
I want to say LOVE THIS RECIPE. I’ve tried all kinds of vanilla cupcake recipes, but I have to say this is one of the best. The only thing I did different was added more extract(vanilla-nut). LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!! =)
I made these last night with a different buttercream frosting – I probably could have left the frosting off, the cupcake is amazing just by itself! I messed up and put 16 tablespoons of butter in by mistake – to compensate I added a heaping tablespoon of flour and a heaping teaspoon of sugar to the recipe. I had to cook them about 5 minutes longer, but they came out delicious. I might make them this way from now on!
I don’t know what happened to some of the posters’ batches that came out tasting like cornbread, but I’ve heard this can happen with vanilla cupcake recipes. There’s a few tricks I’ve learned that I deployed for this recipe, so I will share them here in the hopes that it will prevent another cornbread cupcake disaster:
– While your butter should be soft, if you are using a stand mixer you do not need for it to be room temperature when you begin the recipe. Slightly soft will be fine. You want it to be room temperature AFTER you’ve creamed the butter and sugar, and stand mixers add heat.
-Don’t underestimate how long it takes to cream butter and sugar. Give it a good five minutes to let it get soft and fluffy.
-Let your eggs get to room temperature before adding to batter.
-When you alternate your dry ingredients and buttermilk, make sure you end with the dry ingredients. Stated in the recipe, but it bears repeating. Don’t overmix the batter after alternating the dry ingredients and buttermilk. It has something to do with the formation of gluten, which changes the texture of your cake.
-Stand mixers don’t need to run at a high speed – Keep the speed pretty low to avoid overmixing (and to extend the life of your machine).
I was sure that all those people comparing these cupcakes to “cornbread” were surely nuts but now, having made them myself, I can kind of see why! I wouldn’t describe them like cornbread at all (I guess I like my cornbread to taste like corn, which these definitely do not!), but the texture of the cupcakes is definitely more sturdy than you’ll get from a box, and they’re not overly sweet. So if “sturdy” (though not dense) and “not overly sweet” translate to “cornbread” in your book, than don’t make these. But if you want a nice, substantial cake that’s not too sweet, these are fine. If you want a nice, light-textured white cake that taste more like (but better than) a box mix, I recommend the recipe for white cake from the America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.
I didn’t love the frosting recipe, but it wasn’t bad. It just tasted like run-of-the-mill frosting to me. Nothing special.
Katie – the nose is a candy orange slice cut in pieces. For the hat, I used nabisco chocolate crackers that are shaped like an octagon (I can’t remember the exact name). It’s been a few years so I don’t know if they are still available but you could use any type of chocolate cracker that could be cut into pieces.
these are adorable! what are the candies on the snowman? specifically his hat? I’m thinking of doing them for my son’s 4th b-day next month.
Made the cupcakes and frosting over the weekend, followed all directions and I think these are the BEST. The texture is unreal. Made exactly 16 cupcakes filling each tin half or less than half. Tend to frost lightly could have easily halved the frosting and kind of wish I had because I cannot bring myself to throw out leftover frosting and will HAVE to make a second batch today 🙂
Also, because something about dough just fascinates me I loved the texture of this dough even before they were cooked. Thank you as usual! Now to find a chocolate recipe recipe as good!
I love the addition of heavy cream to lighten this frosting. However, I wonder if the small cream cheese amount gives it a cream cheesy taste. I am looking for a new vanilla buttercream, but am not sure I want one to taste too much like cream cheese. Does this one? Also, I saw you had your eye on that Ina Garten chocolate buttercream. I’ve made it several times. It is delicious, but the amount of coffee she calls for is very strong and turns it very mocha-like instead of chocolate (we prefer it plain). I use dried egg yolks for the raw yolk.
Teresa – I don’t think this frosting has a strong cream cheese taste. The small amount of cream cheese helps stabilize the frosting. Thanks for the advice on the Ina Garten frosting!
The best! Making minis today. Going to dye the frosting red and make little trees. the frosting is the super-yummy!
Can you make this frosting chocolate? Thanks! 🙂
Melissa – I have never made this frosting chocolate. Your best bet would probably be to google a chocolate buttercream frosting. Good luck!
Hi Shannon – yes, you can decorate the night before but they will need to be refrigerated or stored at cool room temperature.
I am so excited to try th frosting this week. I was wondering if I can decorate the cupcakes the night before I need them. Will they be okay? We just moved to F l and I have had problems with icing “melting”
Ana – yes, I refrigerate this frosting a lot. It comes out of the refrigerator quite stiff so I let it sit at room temp for about an hour and give it a brisk stir (or even whip it up again with the electric mixer).
I just want to ask if is possible to keep the frosting in the fridge to use it another day? Have you done that with this frosting?
Hi Sylvia, I’ve never made this in 9 inch round pans. Read through the comments and see if anyone else has tried it. Good luck!
This recipe sounds perfect for what I’m looking for. Can I use it to make two 9″ round cakes? I’m a beginner baker and not sure if cupcake and cake recipes are interchangeable. I would think so but I want to make sure! Thanks!
Super cute cupcakes and very delicious, I’m sure.I’m delighted with them! I’ve featured this recipes on my blog! I hope you don’t mind! If you don’t agree with that please contact me and I will remove it. All the best.
Mel, I can highly recommend the Pastry Queen’s (Rebecca Rather) White-on-White Buttermilk Cake as a wonderful, moist, from-scratch, snow white cake. The recipe is written to be a 2 or 3-layer cake, but I bake it in a 9-x-13″ AirBake sheet pan. It does not, however, translate to cupcakes. Great flavor, but poor structure. It comes with a “Jack Daniel’s Buttercream” frosting, but I ice it with our favorite chocolate buttercream from Bunnywoman on the Wilton’s forums. My family loves this cake. You can find the recipe and others’ thoughts about it by googling it.
I had my hopes high on this one..major disappointment.:( I, too, search and search for “the perfect recipe”…so I was very excited-knowing many recipes had been tried in order to find the best one.
This just didn’t do anything for me. I made the recipe for my kiddos’s fall social at their school and I just can’t take them. Honestly, they taste like cornbread- good cornbread, but not exactly what I was looking for.
Shawna – sorry these didn’t work out for you. I’m not sure what you mean by melted all over the pan – did they overflow a lot? My only guess is that you might need to decrease the amount of batter even more in each muffin cup. I hope they work out better if you try them again!
Hi, I was so excited to make these and your “magic frosting”. Sadly my baking skill did not shine through. What did I do wrong, they melted all over the pan? I was even careful to try not and over fill the cups. My daughter says they taste wonderful but they are more like a ruined sugar cookie than cake. I thought I followed the recipe exactly, I even thought that the batter seemed kind of thick and was wondering if it was going to be too heavy. Well that was not a problem! LOL
Melanie – this recipe was never intended to be made into cake form – I don’t think the amounts translate well into converting it from cupcakes to a cake so I’m sorry it won’t be much help for your daughter’s birthday; however, as cupcakes, the recipe is fantastic. I have never made a from-scratch white cake I love, sadly.
I was going to make this recipe as a cake for my daughter’s birthday, but now I’m a little leery about it turning out based on some of the comments. I would love to see you post a recipe for a white/vanilla cake that you think is fabulous–come on, Mel! I need a good one!
Cerise – I didn’t create this recipe, it came from an old Parade magazine and was sent to me by a reader so I’m not sure how all the amounts of baking powder/soda were calculated but generally, if there are acids in the recipe, like buttermilk, there is a presence of baking soda, like in this recipe. I’m not familiar with the theory of reducing the baking powder based on the acidity. I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you – they are a favorite around here and I don’t usually identify a cornbread taste to them, although they do have a buttery taste and texture.
I tried these cupcakes today. I was expecting great things, based on your Magical (it really is!) frosting recipe. I have been baking a long time, so I know how to follow directions. Nonetheless, my cupcakes came out bready, reminiscent of corn bread. And they tasted of excess leavening. My understanding is that recipes are supposed to reduce the amount of baking powder when using acids like buttermilk. I wonder if you forgot to make this adjustment?
Now I have to start over using another recipe– these are for a birthday party tonight, so I’m really disappointed.
What a cute website! The cupcakes were delicious and had a buttery flavor. They were moist even after 2 days in the fridge. Looking forward to a 2nd batch with your buttercream frosting. Thanks for the recipe.
Lorrie – you might just try googling a chocolate buttercream recipe versus trying to adapt this one. I’ve had my eye on this one from Ina Garten:
Chocolate Frosting:
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (recommended: Callebaut)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
How much cocoa powder o u think I should add if I want it to be chocolate buttercream frosting?
HI – I am a first time “drive by” and am amazed at what you have done. Thank you so much for your approach to ease. I have a question, for your frosting, have you ever tried Pastry Pride? It is a whipped topping which comes frozen. It has to be thawed and I have been using it in my frosting.
BEST CUPCAKES EVER…. no need to look anywhere else for recipe!
Hi Mel, I hope you are doing well!
Can you make the frosting a day in advance?
Hi Vicki – yes, you can make the frosting in advance. Just make sure to pull it out of the refrigerator about an hour or so (at cool room temperature) before you need to frost. It may even benefit from a quick re-whip with an electric mixer but it should be fine made in advance.
You don’t probably need another comment saying how awesome these are but I’m gonna leave one anyway :). Really liked these. They came together easy and the frosting was so yummy – love how that little bit of cream cheese takes the edge off the sweetness. I made these into Easter bunnies – I don’t see them lasting the day.
Stacey – I have a Bosch and use my cookie paddles (that are probably like a Kitchenaid beater attchment). I learned my lesson the hard way when I broke my whisk attachment making this because it is pretty stiff until you add in the heavy cream.
Hi Mel,
When making frosting, would you suggest using the beater attachment or the whisk attachment? Thank you!
I just made this frosting. It is indeed delicious, but I would prefer more cream cheese. Great decorating!!!!!! The polar bears are out of this world.
Awesome thankyou so much!
Hi Pania – here is a great online calculator to help you convert recipes to other measurements, like grams:
http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/butter_converter.html
Hi there,
In New Zealand when baking the butter measurement are always measured in grams, so I’m always confused (it’s not hard) when baking with an American recipe, can you please convert the butter measurement into grams please, if possible?
Many many thanks in advance,
Pania
MrsC – never tried it but I think it’s probably worth a go. I’d definitely drain the pineapple so as not to add too much liquid to the batter…good luck!
I love the way this recipe sounds…my hubby wants a pineapple flavor in the cupcake..can i just add in crushed pineapples???
Yum yum yum! The vanilla cupcakes sound great and so does the frosting! The frosting with the polar bear looks soooooo cuuuuute 🙂
Question: is the frosting really sweet, or not too sweet? Because I don’t like sickeningly sweet frosting.
And what is buttermilk? Do you know a replacement for it?
Thank you!
Millie – the frosting is moderately sweet – just a typical buttercream frosting. Buttermilk is like sour milk. You can substitute one cup of milk mixed with one tablespoon lemon juice.