This vanilla cupcake recipe is loved by thousands of families! These white cupcakes are our ultimate pick for birthdays because they’re moist, packed with flavor, and super easy to whip up.

You can’t go wrong with either vanilla or chocolate frosting on these bad boys. Whether it’s a wedding, baby shower, or any party, these easy vanilla cupcakes are a must-have!

vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and sprinkles with wrapped removed next to a fork

White cake is a birthday party staple (okay and chocolate too!) and while a box mix is pretty good (no shame!) these homemade moist white cupcakes are SO GOOD!

They are light, fluffy, & extra white since you only use egg whites and clear vanilla extract. They are incredibly moist and have great flavor. Make and serve these white wedding cupcakes for a wedding, baby shower, bridal shower or birthday party.

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vanilla cupcakes with chocolate and white frosting on metal cooling rack on marble background

What’s the Difference Between White Cupcakes and Vanilla Cupcakes?

White cupcakes are technically made with egg whites only, to keep the cupcakes as white as possible. Bakers may also use clear vanilla extract to keep the cupcakes white.

Vanilla cupcakes are typically made with whole eggs (the white and the yolk) and contain regular vanilla extract. However, the flavor of white cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes are nearly identical. 

bite removed from vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles

Our recipe calls for a lot of moist ingredients. We use egg whites instead of whole eggs, sour cream and milk. Using egg whites only gives the batter a nice white look. The sour cream and milk are where the fat, flavor, and moistness come into play.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

  • Unsalted butter – Let this come to room temperature before you start the recipe.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Egg whites
  • Sour cream – This is how you get that moist, tender crumb!
  • Milk – Use skim, 1%, or 2% milk.
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt

FOR THE VANILLA FROSTING:

  • Unsalted butter – The butter for the frosting also needs to be room temperature so it can be whipped into a smooth, creamy topping for your cupcakes.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk or heavy cream – You only need to use this if the frosting is too thick.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

  • Unsalted butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Natural cocoa powder or Dutch process is fine, but don’t use hot cocoa mix! It’s not the same; cocoa mix is sweetened.
  • Powdered sugar
  • Milk or heavy cream

How to Make Our Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

collage of how to make vanilla cupcakes
  1. Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350º F and line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl for a minute or two, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. 
  3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt, then sift them. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time, mixing after each addition. 
  4. Bake. Divide the batter into the muffin liners, filling them no more than halfway full. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes at 350ºF, or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. Let the cupcakes cool completely before you frost them.
vanilla cupcake batter being scooped into cupcake pan

FOR THE FROSTING:

Each of these frosting recipes will frost about 12 cupcakes, so choose one or the other, or make both recipes in half.

  1. Beat the butter and extract. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until the butter is light and fluffy. 
  2. Add the dry ingredients. Slowly add the powdered sugar to the bowl, mixing on low until combined. If you’re making chocolate frosting, you’ll add the cocoa powder here. If you want to add food coloring, do so now. I used a pale pink food coloring from AmeriColor.
  3. Finish. Taste the frosting and add more sugar if needed; if the frosting is too thick, beat in a dash of milk or heavy cream. For extra fluffy frosting, beat in 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream when you’re adding the last portion of powdered sugar and whip for 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Frost the cupcakes. Fit a piping bag with a piping tip; I used an Ateco 809 and 844. Fill the bag about three-quarters of the way full with frosting and pipe it onto the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. 
unfrosted baked vanilla cupcakes in cupcake pan

Frosting to Pair with Vanilla Cupcakes

I personally like to pair my moist vanilla cupcakes with chocolate buttercream, but we’re sharing recipes for both chocolate and vanilla frosting in the recipe card because why not have options!

You can easily make the vanilla buttercream into any color you want with food coloring – I like wilton’s gel food colors because they are vibrant and a little goes a long way!

Here are more frosting options:

vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles on white cake stand

Total Time Required

  • 10 minutes to prep the batter
  • 15 minutes to bake the cupcakes
  • 1 hour, at least, to cool the cupcakes
  • 15 minutes to make the frosting and frost the cupcakes

Frosting Piping Supplies

How to Pipe Frosting onto Cupcakes

I used a wilton 2D piping tip to pipe the frosting on these white wedding cupcakes. A wilton 1M and an Ateco 844 are both very similar to the 2D.

Start in the center of the cupcake, applying pressure to the frosting bag, going in a swirling motion until you reach the edge of the cupcake then lift the tip up and tip more frosting onto that base layer you just made, stacking the frosting and continuing in a swirling motion until you reach the center of the cupcake.

vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles with bite removed on white cake stand

How to Freeze Unfrosted Cupcakes

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely. Wrap each cupcake in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer ziplock bag or freezer storage container.

To thaw: place the bag or container of cupcakes on the counter overnight. Frost once fully thawed. 

How to Make Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Follow the directions as stated, but substitute gluten free flour for all purpose flour. 

9 vanilla cupcakes with chocolate and white frosting on marble background

Tips for Making Cupcakes

  • Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
  • Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until they are combined. Over mixing could lead to dry, dense cake.
  • Each buttercream recipe will make enough frosting to frost 12 cupcakes, so if you are wanting to have a mix of chocolate and vanilla frosting, half each buttercream recipe.
  • Store these cupcakes covered on the counter.
vanilla cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles

More Delicious Desserts

Vanilla Cupcakes

4.47 from 132 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
This vanilla cupcake recipe is loved by thousands of families! These white cupcakes are our ultimate pick for birthdays because they're moist, packed with flavor, and super easy to whip up.
You can't go wrong with either vanilla or chocolate frosting on these bad boys. Whether it's a wedding, baby shower, or any party, these easy vanilla cupcakes are a must-have!

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, 1/2 cup
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk, I used skim
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

Vanilla Frosting (makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes)

  • cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-3 cups powdered sugar
  • Dash milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick

Chocolate Frosting (makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes)

  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • Dash milk or heavy cream if frosting becomes too thick

Instructions
 

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add in the egg whites, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat lightly with the electric mixer.
  • In a separate mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift the dry ingredients together, this will help produce extra fluffy cupcakes. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time. Mix until just incorporated. Fill the muffin liners 1/2 full.
  • Bake for 17-19 minutes at 350º F or until a few moist crumbs remain on a toothpick when inserted into the center. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before adding the frosting. Each frosting recipe below will frost about 12 cupcakes. Choose if you want vanilla or chocolate frosting.

Vanilla Frosting

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and vanilla extract, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined. If you want to add food coloring, do so now. Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream. If you want an extra fluffy frosting, add in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream when adding the last bit of powdered sugar. Whip for 3-4 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, vanilla extract, beat using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Gradually add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined. Taste as needed to determine if you want more powdered sugar. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a dash of milk or heavy cream. If you want an extra fluffy frosting, add in 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream when adding the last bit of powdered sugar. Whip for 3-4 minutes.

Assemble the Cupcakes

  • Fit a piping bag with a piping tip, I used an Ateco 809 and 844. Fill the bag about 3/4 full with frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.

Notes

Each frosting recipe makes enough frosting to frost 12 cupcakes. If you want 6 white and 6 chocolate frosted cupcakes, be sure to cut each frosting recipe in half.
This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Beth
Calories: 471kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 103mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 1012IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 1mg
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