Dessert · American
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
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Updated Aug 24, 2026 GMT
Soft vanilla cupcakes with a plush crumb and a swirl of buttercream.
A vanilla cupcake has nowhere to hide. We use real vanilla, sour cream for moisture, and a two-bowl method so the crumb stays fine. The buttercream is simple on purpose — vanilla, butter, a pinch of salt.
Why this works
Room-temperature dairy emulsifies instead of breaking. Sour cream keeps the cupcakes tender the next day. Filling the liners two-thirds full gives you a gentle dome that is easy to frost, not a muffin top.
Key ingredients
- Vanilla
- A scraped bean is lovely. 1½ teaspoons of good extract is what we use most days.
- Sour cream
- Full-fat. Greek yogurt (2 to 5 percent) is the swap.
Studio tips
- Weigh the flour. Extra flour is the usual reason cupcakes bake up dry.
- Cool completely before frosting or the buttercream will slide.
- A closed-star tip makes an easy swirl. A spooned dollop is just as welcome.
Recipe card
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Soft vanilla cupcakes with a plush crumb and a swirl of buttercream.
Difficulty: Easy 👌
25 min
Preparation
18 min
Baking
0 min
Resting
- Total
- 43 min
- Yield
- 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (60g) whole milk
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk or cream
Instructions
Cupcakes
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- 2Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- 3Beat butter and sugar until pale, 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then sour cream, milk, and vanilla. The mixture may look slightly curdled.
- 4Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined. Divide among liners.
- 5Bake 16 to 18 minutes, until the centers spring back. Cool completely.
Buttercream
- 1Beat the butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar in two additions, then vanilla, salt, and enough milk to make a soft, pipeable frosting.
- 2Swirl onto the cooled cupcakes.
Notes
- Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for a month. Thaw, then frost.
Nutrition
412 kcal · 52g carbs · 3g protein · 21g fat · 40g sugar
About 412 calories per cupcake. Values are estimates.
Frequently asked
Can I bake this as a layer cake?
Yes. Divide between two 8-inch pans and bake 22 to 26 minutes. The buttercream quantity is enough to fill and frost lightly.
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