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
Thank you, Mel, you ABSOLUTELY did it again! I made these for a little birthday party for my son. All weekend I had horrible visions of grainy frosting and sawdust-textured cupcakes. But these came out perfect!! They looked great and tasted amazing! The frosting did really well with food coloring too. I told the moms at the party about my bestie Mel (who, my husband pointed out, I’ve never actually met in person) and the great recipes on her blog!
Haha, thanks, Melissa!! Glad these cupcakes were a hit!
Hands down the best vanilla cupcake you will ever make and eat. We love them a lot and I will never make any other recipe besides this one.
I should add: on multiple occasions I did not have buttermilk on hand and just mixed part sour cream part milk and the cupcakes still turned out just as amazing.
I am such a fan of your recipes! Thank you for making so many happy bellies around here!
I made these cupcakes and they tasted divine, but they fell in the center, while baking. Does that mean I need more flour? I live in Utah (just in case you’re wondering my elevation).
Hi Meridee, usually at high elevation it helps to add a couple tablespoons extra flour and/or reduce the oven temperature by 15-25 degrees.
This recipe is delicious! I baked it in two 6” pans for a cute little birthday cake and it fit perfectly. In fact, I’ve made it twice in the last month! I left the cream cheese out of the frosting both times and it was tasty (I’m sure even better with the cream cheese!).
Oh also, I think it took around 35 min to cook (not positive, I kept adding time, but that’s a ballpark).
Just perfect! So easy and delicious. This is my favourtive vanilla cupcakes recipe. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Thanks, Mel!
I use your Favorite Sugar Cookies recipe with this frosting for all of my holiday cookies – it’s our absolute favorite frosting!
I’m hoping to make the frosting here for a giant cookie, but I know I’ll have extra. Does it freeze well? How would you recommend freezing it? Thanks!
It might turn a bit grainy after being defrosted, but you could try it! Or you could make a half batch of frosting.
Hey Mel! My cousin is turning one soon, and I’m making her birthday cake! I was wondering if you have a recipe for an almond cake??? If so, could I please have it? Thanks!
I don’t have a recipe like that right now – so sorry! Good luck!
I just made this recipe, and OMG. Seriously THE best combination of flavors. Thank you so much for sharing! This will be a recipe that will stay in our family vault forever lol!
Alright, y’all. I made this in a 9″ round cake pan, and it turned out delish! Bake at 350 for 32 – 35 min (mine was done right at 32 min). I love this recipe both for cupcakes and cake! So flavorful, fluffy, and moist. Yes I said it. Thanks Mel!
Did it make two 9″ round or only one? I want to use it to make a white cake for my daughters birthday but need to know if i need to double it to make two 9″ round. Thanks!
Can I use pastry/cake flour instead of all purpose flour?
I haven’t tried that, but you could experiment.
Can I use this recipe and make a 9″
round cake?
I haven’t tried that, but I think it should work pretty well!
I know a few people have asked, but I’m wondering if anyone has tried baking this recipe as a cake instead of cupcakes. My son would like a vanilla cake for his 6th birthday – not cupcakes!
I’ve made this recipe before and would like to use it since it’s SO yummy. Thanks for any help anyone can share! 🙂
These are SO good! I was visiting my daughter, and my granddaughter (10 years old) wanted to make some cupcakes. My daughter directed her to this recipe. She made it from start to finish by herself! They were fabulous! I’m making to take to my neighbors during our Social Distancing/Stay at Home situation right now. Just a little something to brighten someone’s day as they did mine! Thanks 🙂
Hi Mel,
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your recipes! so thank you for that…
I must know, where did you find the bear paws on the cupcakes in the picture?
those are adorable!!
thank you again for all the amazing recipes, you ROCK!!!
Tess
I just made them out of white gumdrops and chocolate frosting. 🙂
Hi Mel,
I’ve made these as cupcakes and they’re my very favorite vanilla cupcake! So good! I’m wondering if I can cook it into a couple round cake pans? I’m not sure if you’ve answered this already.
Thanks for your amazing recipes! You’re always my go-to, have been for years!
I haven’t tried it but you definitely could try!
Will this frosting be stiff enough to use with Russian piping tips?
I’m not familiar with Russian piping tips?? I’ve piped with it before, though…so it works great with Wilton/Ateco piping tips.
Hi Mel, I want to cut this recipe into half but I’m not sure what to do with the egg and yolk situation…should I use 1 egg and 1 yolk?
Yes, I think that’s what I would do.
Can I leave out the egg yolk?
They may not turn out the same if you do, but feel free to experiment.
In your cupcake recipe you don’t state whether it’s salted or unsalted butter. If I use unsalted butter, how much salt would I need to add?
I always use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, you’d probably want to increase the salt by 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon.
Your butter seems salted as there is no salt in the ingredients list – If I use unsalted butter, is 1/2 tsp salt good to add to frosting or just unsalted will work?
Thank you so much
If you use unsalted butter, I’d just add about 1/4 teaspoon salt to the recipe
So, I made this frosting recipe with your chocolate cupcake recipe (https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-chocolate-cupcakes/) as you suggested. But the kids really wanted chocolate frosting so I added about 1/4 cup of Dutch process cocoa powder (which you have turned me onto) and it worked well as a chocolate frosting.
This is probably a dumb question… But since the amount of cream cheese is so small in this frosting recipe, does that mean it would be ok stored on the counter for longer periods of time? Or do any leftovers need to stay refrigerated? Thanks Mel!
Hi Jamie – as long as it’s cool room temp, I think these could be left out at room temp, covered, for 24 hours, maybe?
I almost never comment, but I just wanted to say thank you for posting this recipe and your delicious chocolate cake recipe. I used both recipes to make my three layer wedding cake and it came out beautifully even though I am not a professional baker.
Thanks, Sarah!
Mel, I am one of your biggest fans! After following your blog for YEARS, I can officially say I’m hooked! Your recipes have NEVER failed me and I proudly spread the word about your amazing recipes. It doesn’t hurt that they make me appear to be some kind of kitchen rock star. And this recipe is no different. These vanilla buttermilk cupcakes are heavenly! Moist and a little bit tangy, you can’t eat just one! I first made them for my son’s first birthday thinking it would be an easy, delicious cupcake (which it was). But it has become so much more than that. It’s now the go to vanilla cake recipe that I use. Friends ask for the recipe and my mother in law requests it for her birthday cake! This is how it goes for all your recipes. The love and obsession for them just spread like wild fire!
My husband has even stopped asking me where I find my new recipes….he just says, “This is Mel’s, huh!” Haha. No surprises there!
I just wanted you to know that you have a believer in me.
P.S I’m sorry this is so long…but it was my first ever post so I wanted to make sure I said everything.
You are so sweet, Megan! You totally made my day. I’m so glad you love these cupcakes! Sounds like you are quite famous for them – I hope you are taking all the credit! Thanks for the comment!
Hi, Megan! I wanted to try this as a cake and I see that you’ve made it several times, at least. 🙂 I was wondering what size pan do you use and what time and temp? Thanks for the help!
Have you ever made this raspberry buttercream (or some other berry flavor)? If I added about 1/4 cup of a pureed/strained/reduced raspberry and reduced the cream a bit, do you think the frosting would still hold up? I’m making a pink smash cake, and I’d like to use some natural coloring instead of food dye. Thanks so much Mel! I always know I can trust your recipes!
You have 16 ounces/3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. Isn’t 16 ounces equal to 2 cups. Which is correct as I am just starting to make this icing.
Thanks
The 16 ounces is referring to the weight of the powdered sugar, not the volume in an 8-ounce measuring cup. Hope that helps!
This is my go to buttercream frosting….love it. I used 3 cups of sugar and it was still too sweet though (even my KIDS said so)….so next time I’m going to try to remember and cut it down a full cup. Love the cream cheese mixed with the butter…
I’ve made these twice (a year apart) and both times failed to get the fluffy soft texture I’m looking for. After baking mine sink down and get crispy/chewy/gummy on top. Going to research online and see why.
I pulled out of the oven two pans of cupcakes at the same time. The first batch I was able to place on a cooling rack right away. My little one needed something so after I took care of his needs the 2nd batch still in the pan sunk unlike my 1st and 3rd batch. I realize this comment is 2 years later but thought it might help someone else down the line. I haven’t tasted them yet, but after following Mel for years I know they’re gonna be da bomb! She rocks and so do her recipes- tried and true!
Hi Mel, these are my family’s favorite vanilla cupcakes! I make them all the time. My little is turning 4 in a couple of weeks and has requested a vanilla Hello Kitty cake. I was wondering if you’ve ever baked this recipe as a cake rather than cupcakes? I bought a Wilton cake pan that is shaped like Hello Kitty’s head and it says it holds the same amount of batter as a 2 layer cake would be. I’m wondering if this recipe would work? Thank you!
Hi Stephanie – I’ve never baked this in a cake but I believe others have in the comment thread (but I don’t remember the details; sorry). I’m not sure how the quantity measures up but I think this cupcake recipe is just a little short of what would normally fit in a 9X13 or maybe 2 layers.
Is this enough frosting to frost 24 cupcakes like you do in your frosting tutorial?
If you are just swiping the frosting on with a knife then yes, but if you are planning on doing a swirly design (with a piping bag and tip), I’d recommend doubling the frosting.
Hello Mel! I made these and they tasted absolutely WONDERFUL! My entire family loved them (especially my little brother), and they stayed moist and yummy days after I baked them. I just have one question… I noticed that within a minute of removing them from the oven, the cupcakes shrink away from the sides of the pan 🙁 Tried it a few times but I keep getting the same result. Do you have any idea what could be going wrong? Because I can’t seem to figure it out. And I followed all the measurements and instructions exactly.
Thank you!
Do they shrink away from the liners or do the liners and cupcakes shrink away from the sides of the pan? What coating is on your muffin pan (is it light or dark, nonstick)?
The liners and cupcakes shrink away from the pan, and it’s an aluminum pan.
That’s puzzling. I’ll keep an eye on my baking pan next time I make them. I’ve found that grease-proof liners tend to shrink less but it’s been a while since I’ve made these particular cupcakes so I’ll check back in next time I make them.
This may sound like a silly question, but is this recipe white or yellow? I ask because I noticed it had yolks in it. Trying to find a white cupcake recipe so I can color it light purple. Thank you! Looking forward to trying this recipe soon!
The batter is more yellow than pure white.
Thanks! I actually tested them today and they are awesome! I may try to do a test with subbing egg whites to get the whiter color in the future but these will be perfect as is for my daughter’s birthday this weekend. Thanks for another great recipe!
I made these and they were perfectly delicious!! Making them tonight again as they have became highly requested by my 3 babies. Thank you so much for sharing (-:
Hi Mel, I just made your AMAZING Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes yesterday, and am so thrilled that I’ve finally found a vanilla cupcake recipe that doesn’t end up tasting kind of like cornbread. This will be my go-to recipe from now on! They came out perfectly…not dry….not too moist…not “caved in”…..just the perfect cupcake. And the flavor is amazing. I used a regular buttercream frosting since my daughter doesn’t care for cream cheese, but look forward to trying your frosting recipe soon. (I love cream cheese myself!) Thank you for ALL of your fabulous recipes! :o)
Hi..it seems like wonderful recepi…just want to ask which cream cheese shall I use in it..i am,cobfused
I’m not sure what you are asking, sorry. I use regular cream cheese (in the 8 ounce blocks).
Mel,
If I want to make a vanilla cake in two cake rounds rather than cupcakes, how long do I bake it for?
Thanks!
Jessica – I’ve never converted this cupcake recipe to a cake so I’m not sure. You’ll have to experiment and/or read through the comment thread to see if anyone else has tried it. Good luck!
Thank you for such wonderful recipes! I have a question: does this buttercream “crust” like a buttercream that contains shortening? I’m looking for a buttercream that will hold up in warm weather, and I’ve heard it’s best to use a buttercream that crusts… any suggestions? Thanks so much!
Melissa – No, unfortunately, this buttercream frosting doesn’t crust like ones that use shortening. You might try googling a recipe for “crusting buttercream” or substitute some of the butter in this with shortening. Good luck!
Made these tonight for the first time- these are amazing and delicious!
Btw I went on a cooking spree today and made these, your buttermilk drop biscuits and your chocolate cake (into cupcakes)…your one of my def go to websites for recipes…thanks for such great stuff
Thanks, Tyleia!
A friend let me borrow a dress for a dance and I made these for her as a thank you present. That was the easy part-the making them. Unfortunately giving them away was nearly impossible. Especially after our 3 mile run together. These are the fluffier most delicious cupcakes I have ever had in my life!!! And the frosting has the amazing consistency if whipped cream while still being mouthwateringly sweet. I got turned off of cupcakes when they started becoming such a gourmet desert because I find most specialty cupcakes too dense and rich. Needless to say, I no longer have any objection to cupcakes. Thank you sooooo much for posting this recipe Mel.
Does and can the frosting need to be put in the fridge to firm up? Will it ruin it? Or do I frost right away?
Viktoriya – I usually frost right away. If you refrigerate the frosting, it will need to sit at room temp a few hours before using to soften a bit (and I find it doesn’t have quite the same creamy consistency).
I wanted to make these but realized I was out of salted butter…since I know that’s what you use…how much extra salt do you think I should add if I used unsalted? Thanks!
Hi Katie – I’d say an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt.
These recipes are great. I filled the cupcake to just over half, as directed, and it made 16 cupcakes. I can’t see how it would ever make 24 unless they were very small cupcakes.
I found your cupcake recipe after searching google for a “fluffly vanilla cupcake recipe”. I made a batch of the cupcakes today and they turned out beautiful! I wanted to write and praise you for sharing this recipe, it will be my number one vanilla cupcake recipe forever now. My husband and I love a fluffy cupcake, these are perfect. I am making two dozen cupcakes for Easter and this will be my recipe of choice paired with three colours of coconut swiss meringue butter cream frosting. Thank you very much!!
Hi Mel,
Big fan – love SO many of your recipes .. tried, true and delicious!!
Using your easy butter cream frosting – if I make and frost 3 dozen cupcakes Friday afternoon and the party is Saturday afternoon – would you suggest refrigerating the cupcakes until party time? Also, is it fine to add a little coloring to this recipe to tint the frosting?
Thanks for sharing your talent!
Sue – Yes, that is fine to add coloring although I recommend the gel coloring instead of liquid. I would refrigerate the cupcakes and take them out about 2 hours before serving to let the frosting soften. Have a fun party!
I’ve made this so many times, I’ve lost count. So yummy!
I never need to try another vanilla cupcake recipe. These are perfect.
I made them into coconut cream pie cupcakes- after cooling, I cut a little cone shape in the cupcake, piped a ring of buttercream around the edge of the cake and dipped the frosting in toasted coconut, then filled the center with the custard from your coconut cream pie recipe. They were so pretty and they were gone too fast for me to try one, but I hear they were delicious! 🙂
I made mini cupcakes out of this recipe and they are so tasty!
I got about 52 mini cupcakes. My batter was thick enough to just pipe it into the tiny cups. They are surprisingly light. I will use this as my “go to” recipe from now on! Thank you so much!