Stop searching because this is the only vanilla cupcake recipe you’ll ever need! This recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil is for easy-to-make, moist, and fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with the best buttercream frosting.
I love making these vanilla cupcakes for birthday parties or when you’re having a last-minute visit from friends and have only an hour to get something up!
If you love cupcake recipes then you have to try this recipe for Raffaello Cupcakes or this recipe for Vanilla Bean Cupcakes. And if you're after a vanilla cake recipe then try out this Vanilla and Strawberry Cake.
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Ingredients
To make these delicious vanilla cupcakes, you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to always use fresh room temperature ingredients for baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Extra-large whole eggs
- Granulated white sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Salt
- 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 extract – choose a good quality vanilla extract for this recipe, if you don’t have vanilla essence will also work. You can also choose to use vanilla bean 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 this easy cupcake recipe follow the simple instructions below. First, you will be making the cupcakes and then the buttercream frosting.
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: Add wet ingredients. Mix together 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.
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 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.
instructions for vanilla frosting
STEP 1: Beat butter. 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 milk and vanilla. 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: Beat. 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.
STEP 4: 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
This is the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe to get creative with, so if you’re looking to try out other frostings then have a look at the ones below.
- Passionfruit Buttercream
- Vanilla Bean Buttercream
- Salted caramel Buttercream
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Coffee Buttercream
Equipment
For these moist 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 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.
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.
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.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
This recipe is just as easy to make as using box-mix and 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 kiddie's party.
If you love this recipe as much as I do, then please leave a comment and star review below – I love hearing from all of you!
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Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil
Equipment
- 2x cupcake pan
- 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
- 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!
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
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 🙂