Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Name: Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour; 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened ); ¾ cups sugar; 2 eggs, room temp; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup buttermilk (room temp); 3 ½ cups confectioner's sugar; 6 tablespoons heavy cream; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; pinch of salt; Rainbow Sprinkles for Decoration ((optional)); 6 tablespoons butter (room temperature)

Jump to Recipe

These vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream are truly super easy to make and you most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry for them. They are fluffy and delicious and most importantly, always a crowd pleaser.

vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting and colored sprinkles on a plate

Sometimes I really just crave a simple vanilla cupcake topped with a whipped vanilla buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. I feel like the sprinkles are always so much fun to add and they just make me smile.

As you already know, I love a good cupcake. These definitely tick off all the boxes as far as a vanilla cupcake recipe goes.

These are very easy to make, extremely fluffy and really delicious. The buttercream is really the icing on these cupcakes.

Why This Recipe Works

6 vanilla cupcakes with frosting and sprinkles on a plate

The cupcakes are moist, fluffy and flavorful.
They are just the right amount of sweet.
They come together in a short amount of time.
The sprinkles are fun to add and make everyone smile.
Everyone needs a solid vanilla cupcake recipe!

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

All purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Unsalted butter
sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Buttermilk

This is a pretty basic recipe, requiring mostly pantry staple ingredients. The only "special" ingredient is the buttermilk, which is essential for creating a soft and tender crumb.

Don't forget the importance of bringing both your eggs and buttermilk to room temperature beforehand. When they are cold, they won't incorporate into the batter correctly, which could alter the final texture.

For the Vanilla Buttercream

Confectioner's Sugar
Unsalted Butter, Room Temp
Heavy Cream
Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
Rainbow Sprinkles for decoration (optional)

cupcake on a table with vanilla frosting and colored sprinkles on top

Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

collage of steps one to four of making the vanilla cupcakes

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt; Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light in color and thick and fluffy.
Scrape down the sides as needed.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.

collage of steps 5 to 8 of making the vanilla cupcake recipe

Reduce speed to medium add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, make sure they are well incorporated between each addition.
Scrape down bowl and mix for another 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the tops spring back or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully before frosting.

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

The vanilla buttercream frosting comes together super fast and it really is easy to make. You can throw the frosting together while the cupcakes are cooling.

collage of the steps to make the vanilla buttercream frosting

Sift the confectioner's sugar to assure there are no lumps.
With a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy (approximately 2 mins).
Gradually add the sifted sugar alternating with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Stop adding cream when the desired consistency has been reached.
Frost cooled cupcakes and top with rainbow sprinkles as desired. Then enjoy!

TIP: The key to frosting cupcakes is to make sure they are completely cooled before you start adding the frosting. Since this is a buttercream frosting, if you don't wait, the buttercream will melt making a mess and creating lots of frustrations on your end.

close up of sprinkles on top of the cupcake

Storage

Store the cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You don't need to worry about refrigerating the buttercream because of the high sugar content of the frosting.

Variations

Instead of buttercream, you can make a whipped cream topping
Add food dye for a fun colorful spin in the frosting
Forego the sprinkles and add chopped fresh berries on top
This simple frosting also tastes delicious on top of these chocolate cupcakes.

inside texture of the vanilla cupcake and vanilla frosting

Frequently asked Questions

What flavor frosting goes best with vanilla cupcakes?

I prefer vanilla buttercream frosting with vanilla cupcakes however, you can do any frosting that you prefer.

Is vanilla frosting the same as vanilla buttercream?

Basic frosting is usually a buttercream base so yes, vanilla frosting is the same as vanilla buttercream.

How do you frost cupcakes with buttercream?

There are many ways to frost a cupcake however, the easiest way I have found is to use a pastry bag. You can get reusable ones or plastic ones. You can easily purchase a pastry bag online that comes with a variety of tips. Once you fill the pastry bag, you simply pipe it onto your cupcakes.

How do you frost cupcakes without a pastry bag?

You can easily use a ziplock bag for frosting the cupcakes. Simply fill a gallon size ziplock bag and squeeze out as much air as possible. You will need to cut a top off of one of the corners of your ziplock that is big enough for the frosting to come out. Then squeeze and frost your cupcakes!