Stop searching because this is the only vanilla cupcake recipe you'll ever need! This recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil makes easy-to-make, moist, fluffy vanilla cupcakes without butter, topped with the best buttercream frosting.
Cupcakes are here to stay, and my collection of Easy Cupcake Recipes from Scratch is packed with recipes you just have to try!
Why This Vanilla Cupcake Recipe With Oil Works
- Recipe name: Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil
- Ready in: 1 hr 15 minutes
- Serves: 24 cupcakes
- Main ingredients: Oil, flour, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla, butter, icing sugar, and milk.
- Perfect for: From wedding cupcakes to kids' birthday parties, this is the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe for special occasions!
- Why I love it: The fluffy, moist texture of these cupcakes is incredible! This is also such an easy recipe to follow.
- Calories: 276kcal
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I have a soft spot for vanilla cupcakes, but love trying out other flavours too! These Banoffee Banana Caramel Cupcakes and these Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes are two of my favourites when I'm feeling adventurous.
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Key Ingredients
- 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 a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola.
- Self-raising flour - If you can't find self-raising flour, you can use cake flour or all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder.
- Unsalted butter - It is essential that you use room-temperature butter.
- Vanilla extract - Choose a good-quality vanilla extract for this recipe; if you don't have vanilla essence, it will also work. You can also choose to use vanilla bean paste.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
This recipe also works beautifully as a base for moist vanilla cupcakes without butter, making it the perfect recipe to get creative with! If you're looking to try out other frostings, you have to see my collection of Simple Buttercream Frostings for Homemade Cakes and Cupcakes.
This Passionfruit Buttercream and this Coffee Buttercream are two of my favourites! If you are a chocolate lover, don't skip this Whipped Ganache Frosting Recipe or this Nutella Buttercream!
How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil
Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two 12-hole cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners. 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 2: Sift the salt and flour together, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined. Mix the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, then slowly pour it into the cupcake batter while the mixer is running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
- Step 3: Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds full.
- Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 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 cool completely on a cooling rack.
Vanilla Frosting
- Step 1: Add the powdered sugar and softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Add the milk and vanilla to a small jug and stir to combine. Slowly add this to the frosting mixture with the mixer running at medium speed.
- Step 3: Once all the milk mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Step 4: Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle, then pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
How To Bake The Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
This recipe is very beginner-friendly, and there is little to zero chance of you messing up on the method. Where things can go wrong is in the oven. You need to test the oven's actual temperature; it must not exceed 170°C (340°F), and I recommend avoiding a fan-forced setting. If this is your only option, set the dial to 150°C (300°F). If your cupcakes have sunk, are dense, or have deflated, you need to check your oven settings. Once you've perfected these vanilla cupcakes, get a chocolate variation under your belt with this Chocolate Fudge Cupcake Recipe!
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 you bake them, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays with plastic wrap until the next day.
For any leftover frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for up to 4 days.
Expert Tips
- Use an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
- Don't overfill the cupcake cases, as this can lead to misshapen cupcakes.
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature before you make the frosting.
- Ensure the cupcakes have cooled properly before frosting them.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil FAQs
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 not to melt it.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking. This way, you can ensure you've measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
To freeze these moist vanilla 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.
More Easy Birthday Party Recipes
This recipe is just as easy to make as a box mix, and it tastes so much better! It'll be the recipe that ups your cupcake game and ensures that you're the one offering to bake for any occasion! So, get creative with how you decorate these guys because they're perfect for any event - from a wedding to a kid's party.
And, what's a celebration without a cake! These cupcakes deserve to be served alongside a beautiful celebration cake. This roundup of Easy Homemade Birthday Cakes for Beginners is the perfect place to find a great recipe.
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at this Bar One Chocolate Caramel Cake!
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil
Equipment
- 2x cupcake pans
- 24 cupcake liners
- 1x disposable piping bag
- 1x piping nozzle
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 3 eggs extra large
- 250 g sugar white granulated
- 290 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 270 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 500 g powdered sugar
- 180 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 40 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Vanilla 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.
- Mix the milk and vanilla extract 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 15 to 20 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 Buttercream
- Add the powdered sugar and softened butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
- Add the milk and vanilla to a small jug and stir to combine, slowly add this to the frosting mixture with the mixer running at medium speed.
- Once all of the milk mixture has been added increase the speed of the mixer to high and beat for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula often.
- Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For the perfect fluffy buttercream frosting, make sure the butter is at room temperature.
- For the perfect cupcakes with a fluffy texture, you must ensure the oven is set correctly. Use an oven thermometer to test this.
Clementina tuscano says
Hey i try your vanilla cup cake recipe it was perfect l like recipe
withlovekitty2020 says
Hi Clementina, thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Lexi says
Fabulous recipe the mixing method also yields no lumps! Perfect cupcakes every time, I would love to see a lemon variant !
withlovekitty2020 says
Hi Lexi! Im so glad you loved this recipe! And I'll definitely work on a lemon one 🙂
Chloe says
Is there a lemon version? These are the easiest / fluffiest cupcakes I’ve ever made and have a variation on the flavour would be a game changer?
Thanks so much for all your fab recipes
withlovekitty2020 says
Hi Chloe, thank you so much for your amazing comment! I am so glad you loved these cupcakes, I also cant get enough of making them! I dont have a lemon recipe yet with this exact recipe but i do have one made with butter if you'd like to try it https://www.withlovekitty.com/lemon-drizzle-cupcakes/ xx