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Discover the perfect small batch vanilla cupcakes - these moist, light, and fluffy treats are a match made in heaven with your favorite vanilla buttercream frosting.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredient you need
- How to Make a Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
- Best frostings
- Tips for this recipe
- Storage and freeze
- Recipes Variations
- More Cupcake Recipes
- Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
These small-batch vanilla cupcakes are my favorite little delights, soft, moist, and bursting with classic vanilla flavor. They're perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without making a huge batch.
This delicious cupcake recipe is so easy to make and with simple ingredients that won't leave you with leftovers. It's easy to measure and always results in wonderfully moist and perfectly tender cupcakes that go perfectly with any type of frosting recipes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy Baking: These cupcakes are a breeze to make with basic ingredients.
- No Excess: Say goodbye to leftovers; this small-batch recipe is perfect for small batches.
- Deliciously Moist: They turn out moist and tender every time, and they pair perfectly with your favorite frosting.
Looking for more plain recipes? Give these a try, Vanilla sponge cake, Vanilla muffins, and Vanilla French Crepes.
Ingredient you need
You need these ingredients to make a small batch of cupcakes:
- Butter: Use unsalted butter that is well softened (no melted butter).(for a oil base cupcakes follow this recipe for vanilla cupcake with oil)
- Sugar: You'll need granulated sugar extra fine (no powdered sugar) or use light brown sugar.
- Egg: One large egg at room temperature or the same amount of egg white to make white cupcakes.
- Buttermilk: See recipe note for substitution with whole milk, yogurt or sour cream.
- Flour: Use cake flour for a lighter texture or even all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: only baking powder.
- Vanilla and salt: fine salt and vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla seeds.
How to Make a Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar using an electric mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, until creamy.
Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat again for about 2 minutes until smooth.
Step 3: Add the sifted dry ingredients, flour, salt, baking powder and buttermilk alternately, and mix gently with a spatula.
Step 4: Pour the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake pan in the cupcake liners, filling them only ⅔ full with a cookie scoop.
Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 347°F/175°C for about 15 minutes, until lightly browned and until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
Cool completely: Leave the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a wire rack until completely cool.
Best frostings
Here's a list of frostings that will go perfectly with your vanilla cupcakes, just divide the quantity by two to have enough for 6 cupcakes.
- Buttercream frostings: American whipped buttercream, Italian meringue buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, Strawberry buttercream.
- Whipped cream frostings: Mascarpone whipped frosting, Chocolate mascarpone frosting, Oreo frosting, Strawberry Frosting, Raspberry frosting.
- Cream cheese frostings: Buttercream cream cheese frosting
- Ganache frostings: Whipped ganache, milk chocolate ganache, white chocolate ganache, Nutella ganache, Salted caramel ganache.
Tips for this recipe
- Precise Measurements: Ensure precise measurements of ingredients, especially when halving or quartering a recipe, use an electronic scale.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Bring eggs, butter, and buttermilk to room temperature for better incorporation and smoother batter.
- Quality Vanilla Extract: Use high-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor, like a pure vanilla extract or vanilla seed.
- Mix Gently: Avoid overmixing the batter; gently combine the wet and dry ingredients until just incorporated.
- Fill ⅔ Full: Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full to prevent overflow during baking.
- Precise Baking Time: Watch closely as they bake since smaller cupcakes may cook faster; use a toothpick test for doneness.
Secret tip
Whisk the egg for at least 2 minutes to incorporate air in the batter and obtain a fluffy texture.
Storage and freeze
Storage for Plain Vanilla Cupcakes: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Storage for Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes: Store in the fridge in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days.
Freezing: Wrap individual cupcakes in plastic or foil, place in an airtight container or bag, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Recipes Variations
- Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cupcakes: Fold in mini chocolate chips into the batter for a delightful chocolate twist.
- Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes: Add lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice for a zesty citrus flavor like these lemon curd cupcakes.
- Berry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes: Fill the center of each cupcake with your favorite berry jam or fresh berries before baking like these raspberry cupcakes, blueberry cupcakes or strawberry cupcakes.
- Coconut Vanilla Cupcakes: Mix in shredded coconut like my coconut cupcake.
- Cinnamon Sugar Vanilla Cupcakes: Sprinkle a cinnamon sugar mixture on top of the cupcakes before baking for a sweet and slightly crunchy finish.
- Nutella-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes: Fill the center with Nutella for a gooey chocolate-hazelnut surprise like these Nutella cupcakes.
- Mini Cupcakes: Make small cupcakes following my recipe for mini vanilla cupcakes.
More Cupcake Recipes
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
- Fluffy Raspberry Cupcakes
- Blueberry Cupcakes
- Best Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
I hope you love this small-batch cupcake recipe. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
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- Author: Fadela
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cupcakes
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Description
Recipe for small batch vanilla cupcakes, moist and perfect with all frostings (for 6 cupcakes)
Ingredients
- 50 g (¼ cup)Butter - unsalted, softened
- 75 g (⅓ cup) Sugar - granulatd extra fine
- 1 Egg - room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 68 g (¼ cup) Buttermilk
- 75 g (½ cup) Flour - cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder - about 5 g
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 347°F/175°C and prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking powder, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the softened butter with the granulated sugar for about 1 minute until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, then beat for at least 2 more minutes until you have a smooth mixture.
- Gradually and alternately incorporate the dry ingredients mixture and buttermilk, gently folding with a spatula until you achieve a hom*ogeneous and smooth batter.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake pan using an ice cream scoop, filling the paper liners about ¾ full.
- Bake the vanilla cupcakes in the preheated oven for approximately 14-17 minutes until they are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool briefly before removing them from the pan and letting them cool completely on a cake rack.
Notes
Storage: 1 week at room temperature, 4-5 days with glaze in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Buttermilk substitute: You can replace the buttermilk with whole or half-skimmed milk, or with a mixture of yogurt and milk or sour cream and milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: cupcakes, cakes
- Cuisine: American
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