Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Updated: May 4, 2026 by christina.marsigliese · 72 Comments

It's hard to beat the combination of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and this is my easy recipe for Classic Vanilla Cupcakes that are soft, moist, fluffy and flavorful. The recipe is so simple and the frosting is THE BEST Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. I'm not a fan of American buttercream, so if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it right. This one tastes like whipped chocolate ganache, but it uses a simple buttercream method. It is so intensely chocolatey and not too sweet. This is the quintessential birthday cake combination and the recipe makes an even 12 cupcakes which is a reasonable batch size that you can easily double up for a crowd! For an easy birthday cake idea, check out my One Bowl Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting. If you prefer chocolate cakes, here's my recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes. And, if you want to use a vanilla frosting on this recipe, I recommend my ultra creamy Vanilla Whipped Ganache.

best vanilla cupcakes crumb texture with bite

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Super moist vanilla cupcakes - these cupcakes are so moist and they stay moist for days! I promise you well be blown away.
Soft and fluffy vanilla cupcakes - the cake crumb texture is so soft and fluffy that it just melts in your mouth. They're a great balance of being soft and light but also substantial without being dense.
Butter AND oil - butter adds wonderful flavor to these vanilla cupcakes, and oil is essential to keeping them soft since it is a liquid fat. Butter is a solid fat which means that butter cakes are delicious while warm, but can be slightly firm when once cooled.
Rich chocolate buttercream frosting - this frosting is so rich and chocolatey and not too sweet! It's so easy to whip up and you will love it even if you are not a buttercream person like me.
Small batch! This recipe makes 12 perfect little cupcakes which is great because they are best enjoyed the day you make them so hopefully there aren't any leftovers and no waste. If you have a crowd to serve, then you can easily make a double batch.

best vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make wonderful cupcakes. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup piling it high and then use a knife to level it off.
Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the vanilla shines. Bonus points if you use extra fine (caster) sugar which will create an even finer texture.
Pure vanilla extract - you can use inexpensive flour, milk and sour cream, but it is nice to have good vanilla for this recipe! It's the main flavor so you want it to taste great. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
Unsalted butter - butter brings the flavor! I couldn't make the perfect vanilla cupcake without butter. Make sure it is completely softened to room temperature. You will also need soft unsalted butter to make the frosting.
Oil - just a bit of oil is my secret to making soft cupcakes. Oil is liquid at room temperature while butter has more solid fats. That means if I were to use all butter, the cupcakes would have a firmer texture. Oil will help bring down the fat melting profile so that these cupcakes stay soft. You can use any neutral oil like sunflower oil or canola oil.
Egg - one whole egg will provide structure, lift and of course flavor to these cakes.
Milk - you can use whole milk at 3.25% or 2% milk. I would avoid anything with less fat content than that (i.e. avoid skim milk).
Sour cream - full fat sour cream adds so much flavor, balances the sweetness and makes these cupcakes meltingly tender.
Vanilla whipped ganache - if you prefer to make vanilla frosting instead of chocolate, I recommend this one.

best vanilla cupcakes recipe ingredients

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
STEP 2). Cream the butter and sugar. Combine soft butter with sugar in a large bowl and mix using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until very pale, creamy and fluffy.
STEP 3). Mix in egg. Add egg and beat until well incorporated and fluffy, about 30 seconds on medium-high speed. Scrape around the bowl and then mix in oil, vanilla and sour cream.
STEP 4). Mix in dry ingredients and milk. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on medium-low speed until mostly incorporated. Add half of the warm milk and beat until well blended, about 10-15 seconds. Mix in half of the remaining flour mixture followed by the last of the milk on medium speed just until the batter is smooth, but do not over-mix. Finally, mix in the rest of the flour mixture on low until evenly combined. Then, just when the flour is combined, mix on medium-high speed for 5-10 seconds to emulsify the batter.
STEP 5). Bake. Divide the batter evenly among paper cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Tap the pan on the counter several times to knock out any large air bubbles and bake for 17-20 minutes until just lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 6). Make the frosting. Prepare the frosting as directed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post and pipe or spread it over the cupcakes. Decorate with your favorite sprinkles and enjoy!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CLASSIC VANILLA CUPCAKES

Use very soft (but not melted) butter. Take your butter out of the fridge two hours before you plan to bake. I usually take mine out the night before if it's not a hot day. It should be nice and soft but not melted to whip properly with the sugar during the initial "creaming" step.
Gradually add the wet and dry ingredients. Alternating additions of dry ingredients and milk will help ensure that the ingredient incorporate smoothly without over-mixing.
Do not over-mix, but DO mix. Just mix in the dry ingredients and wet ingredients until just combined between additions, and then mix on medium-high speed at the very end to emulsify the batter. An emulsified batter is the secret to the soft texture.
Have eggs at room temperature. Take your egg out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place it in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
Warm the milk. Using warm liquid will help sugar dissolve for a softer texture and it will also help the batter emulsify for a uniform crumb.
Do not over-bake. The cupcakes are ready when they spring back when pressed gently and a skewer comes out clean. They will not get very browned on the top, just lightly golden so don't wait for browning.
Cool the chocolate for the frosting. Make sure the melted chocolate is cooled or else it will melt the butter and can cause the frosting to separate.
Have the cream at room temperature when making the buttercream. Cold cream straight from the fridge will not emulsify into the butter and may cause it to split. It will also make the chocolate harden, which will stiffen up the frosting.
Use chocolate between 55% and 70% cocoa solids. The dark the chocolate, the firmer the frosting will be because it has more cocoa butter which is hard at room temperature. However, it will taste more intensely chocolatey. Semi-sweet chocolate will make a slightly softer and sweeter frosting.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of oil is best for vanilla cake?

Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do.

What is a substitute for sour cream?

Sour cream really makes these cupcakes delicious, but if sour cream is not available to you where you live, you can also make this recipe using an equal amount of full fat Greek yogurt. I have tested this and it worked well! and if you can't get sour cream where you live then you can substitute with fill fat Greek yogurt. Another suitable substitution is crème fraîche -- a type of fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and sour cream.

How do I know when my cupcakes are finished baking?

Once the centers are springy and a toothpick comes out clean the cupcakes are ready. The do not get very brown, just lightly golden around the edges.

What is the secret to super moist cake and how do I make my cake more moist?

It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.

How do you add moisture to vanilla cake?

A bit of oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.

Why are my cupcakes flat?

These cupcakes bake up with beautiful soft domes. If your cakes baked up flat or sink in the middle, it may be that your raising agents are no longer active, so be sure to use fresh baking soda and fresh baking powder. It may also be that you happened to add too much raising agents and the gases reacted so fast that they escaped the batter before it could set.

Can I make this vanilla cupcake recipe with a 9x13-inch pan?

Yes, you can spread this batter into a 9x9-inch or 9x13-inch pan to make a sheet cake! You'll need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.

Can I make the best vanilla cupcake recipe in advance?

These cupcakes are so wonderful because they stay moist, so you can make them a day in advance and still be a star. I recommend making the frosting the day you plan to serve them since it firms up as it sits due to the melted chocolate in it.

Can I double the chocolate frosting?

This recipe for chocolate frosting makes the perfect amount to generously frost 12 cupcakes, but if you prefer even more you can easily double it or make 1.5x the recipe.

STORING AND FREEZING

How do I store vanilla cupcakes?

These cupcakes can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They do not need to be refrigerated since the frosting is very stable. Storing butter-based cakes will firm up the texture, but if you choose to store them refrigerated, then they should come to room temperature before serving.

How should I serve these cupcakes?

Since this is a butter-based recipe, these cupcakes are best served at room temperature. If you plan to store them in the fridge, then take them out about 20 minutes prior to serving them to let the butter soften a bit.

Can I freeze vanilla cupcakes?

You can wrap and freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag for storage.

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