There's something special about seeing the flecks of vanilla pod seeds in fresh bakes! And these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes are dotted with them!
This Vanilla Bean Cupcake recipe is for soft vanilla cupcakes covered in a smooth and creamy vanilla bean buttercream frosting. This is the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe to make for birthday parties or special high tea afternoons for close friends.
If you love vanilla bakes as much as I do, then have a look at this recipe for a Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Buttercream or this recipe for Salted Caramel Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.
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Ingredients
To make this easy vanilla cupcake recipe you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember always to use fresh room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Extra-large eggs
- Granulated white sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- Vanilla bean pod
- Whole milk
- Pure vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
Extra-large eggs - out of their shell, the eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Sunflower oil - This cupcake recipe uses oil instead of butter for extra moistness! Use neutral-tasting vegetable oil for this recipe like sunflower or canola oil.
Self-raising flour - If you can't find self-raising flour, you can use cake flour or all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Check the recommendations on the packaging of your baking powder to decide how much should be added.
Vanilla pods - the seeds from fresh vanilla pods add flavor and fragrance to these cupcakes. If you can't find vanilla pods you can use vanilla paste instead.
Unsalted butter - use unsalted butter rather than salted butter for this recipe. It is also essential that you use room-temperature butter.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To make these fluffy vanilla bean cupcakes, follow the simple instructions below. First, you will make the vanilla cupcakes and then follow the frosting recipe.
instructions for cupcakes
STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
STEP 2: Beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
STEP 3: Add dry ingredients. Sift together the salt and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: Scrape out vanilla pod seeds. Use a sharp knife the slice open the vanilla pod lengthways and use the back of a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds.
STEP 5: Add wet ingredients. Mix together the milk and vanilla bean seeds in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
STEP 6: Bake. Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Instructions for vanilla frosting
STEP 1: Beat butter. Add the softened butter to a bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until the butter is light and fluffy, this can take between 5 and 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
STEP 2: Add icing sugar. Switch the mixer's attachment to a paddle attachment and add the icing sugar to the whipped butter. Beat at a low speed until combined.
STEP 3: Beat butter and icing sugar. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream frosting until it is light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
STEP 4: Scrape out vanilla pod seeds. Use a sharp knife to slice open the vanilla pod lengthways and use the back of a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds. Add the seeds to the frosting and beat again.
STEP 5: Decorate. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Hint: for the perfect fluffy buttercream frosting, make sure the butter is at room temperature.
Variations
If you aren't able to find fresh vanilla pods, then you can use vanilla bean paste instead. Add about ½ teaspoon to the vanilla cupcake batter and the vanilla buttercream frosting.
Equipment
For these vanilla bean cupcakes, you will need x2 12-hole cupcake tins, 24x paper cupcake cases, a wire rack for cooling, one disposable piping bag, a piping nozzle, and an electric mixer.
I always use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make the buttercream as they help ensure a fluffy frosting. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking.
Storage
Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly so try to frost them the same day that they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate the cupcakes the same day as baking them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays in plastic wrap until the next day.
For any leftover frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
To freeze these cupcakes, place any leftover cupcakes in a freezer-safe air-tight container and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost properly before consuming them.
Top tips
Follow my top baking tips below to ensure that your cupcakes come out perfectly.
- Use an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
- Don't overfill the cupcake cases as this can lead to mishappen cupcakes.
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before you make the frosting.
- Ensure the cupcakes have cooled properly before frosting them.
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams, if you aren't sure if you have the same eggs - weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
Check the temperature of your oven and make sure you haven't overfilled the cupcake cases. Overfilling the cases can result in misshapen cupcakes.
Wait - having room-temperature butter is the most important step in a successful frosting. Choose to wait until the butter has reached room temperature before making this recipe, or cube the butter and heat it gently in the microwave, being careful to not melt it.
These cupcakes have to be the ultimate vanilla bake made with real vanilla beans! For me, few things beat a fluffy cupcake topped with a delicious creamy frosting.
If you love this recipe for the best vanilla bean cupcakes, please leave a comment and star review below - I love hearing about your kitchen stories!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x 12-hole cupcake trays
- 24 cupcake papers
- 1x disposable piping bag
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 290 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 270 ml milk
- 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Frosting
- 500 g unsalted butter
- 500 g icing sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
Instructions
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
- Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Sift together the salt and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- Use a sharp knife the slice open the vanilla pod lengthways and use the back of a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds.
- Mix together the milk and vanilla bean seeds in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
- Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Vanilla Bean Frosting
- Add the softened butter to a bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at high speed until the butter is light and fluffy, this can take between 5 and 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula.
- Switch the mixer's attachment to a paddle attachment and add the icing sugar to the whipped butter. Beat at a low speed until combined.
- Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream frosting until it is light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- Use a sharp knife to slice open the vanilla pod lengthways and use the back of a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds. Add the seeds to the frosting and beat again.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Mel says
The perfect vanilla cupcake recipe! Thank you!!!!