This Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes recipe makes six moist and delicious cupcakes that are topped with a simple vanilla buttercream frosting. They're perfect for birthdays, welcome-to-the-neighborhood gifts, or just a fun after-dinner treat for the family!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super easy to whip up!
- Makes only six vanilla cupcakes.
- Perfect for beginner bakers or those who dislike having extra desserts around!
- Simple and delicious!
- Pairs well with this small batch of vanilla buttercream frosting.
- Super moist!
- It can easily be decorated with fresh berries, sprinkles, and more!
- Perfect for birthdays, gifts, or a sweet after-dinner treat!
This small batch vanilla cupcakes recipe can be easily doubled as well! For example, I doubled them for my How to Decorate Cupcakes with a Sprinkled Heart tutorial!
Ingredients Needed
Here's what you'll need to make this easy vanilla cupcakes recipe!
- All-Purpose Flour. My favorite flour to use is the King Arthur brand. With flour still hard to get in some spots, though, use what you can find!
- Baking Powder. Always a good idea to make sure this hasn't expired. Expired baking powder can leave your baked goods dense and sunken in the middle. To test, pour some boiling water over a teaspoon of baking powder. If it bubbles up, it is still good!
- Salt. Just a pinch, or ⅛ teaspoon, is needed.
- Unsalted Butter. For the best results, this should be softened to room temperature.
- Granulated Sugar. I've been using Simply Nature Organic sugar from ALDI, but the classic white granulated sugar works just as well.
- Egg. Yep, just one is needed. Having it at room temperature is recommended too.
- Vanilla Bean Paste. You can also use vanilla extract. I just like to use the paste sometimes because I love to see the vanilla bean specks!
- Whole Milk. You can also use 1% milk, but whole milk is my preference here.
How to Make the Recipe
Here is a basic overview of the steps for how to make this small batch of vanilla cupcakes from scratch. The method is slightly different from my other cupcake recipes, but I promise, it's an easy one. Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe below!
STEP 1. Mix together the dry ingredients and egg. Use your hand-held or stand mixer to mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and egg. On medium-high speed, blending all of these ingredients takes about 1 minute. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl and blend for a few seconds more.
STEP 2. Add in the vanilla bean paste and whole milk. Reduce the mixer speed to low when adding these final two ingredients. Then mix together for another 30 seconds or so.
STEP 3. Evenly fill each cupcake liner. You can use either a medium-sized cookie scoop or a serving spoon and a regular size spoon to do this. The batter will be easily scoopable, on the thinner side, but not runny. So either of these methods will work fine.
STEP 4. Bake the vanilla cupcakes. The recommended baking times are 18-20 minutes at 350ºF. The tops should be a nice golden yellow with a slight dome to the top.
STEP 5. Remove from the oven and cool. Let the vanilla cupcakes cool first in the cupcake tin for 5-10 minutes. Then remove and allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Storage
Unfrosted vanilla cupcakes can be made 2-3 days in advance and kept in a tightly sealed storage container at room temperature.
If the tops of the cupcakes appear to be slightly sticky to the touch after storing, let them sit out uncovered for about 30 minutes before adding the frosting.
If high heat or humidity is an issue, you can keep them stored in the refrigerator. They tend to dry out more this way, so ensure they are in a well-sealed container!
Helpful Tips
Below are just a few quick notes to read over before starting this small batch vanilla cupcakes recipe.
- In place of vanilla bean paste, you can use the same amount of vanilla extract.
- Be careful not to over-mix the cupcake batter. Meaning stop mixing once the dry ingredients are no longer visible and mixed into the batter.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for only 5-10 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool them completely.
- Wait until the vanilla cupcakes have cooled before adding frosting.
- I used the Wilton 1A decorating tip with a medium-sized piping bag to pipe the vanilla buttercream.
- I used King Arthur Flour's sparkling sugar and fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for toppings. You can also use sprinkles, crushed cookie crumbs, and chocolate syrup, just to name a few!
- The vanilla buttercream frosting recipe makes just enough for this small batch of vanilla cupcakes recipe using the Wilton 1A piping tip.
- If you or the recipient of your cupcakes isn't a big frosting fan, you can probably halve the recipe. And by skipping the piping as well, you will still have enough frosting!
Essential Baking Tools
You can use either your hand-held mixer or stand mixer that's fitted with a paddle attachment. You will also need:
- Cupcake tin. I baked the cupcakes in the middle section of the tin.
- Cupcake liners. The liners I used for this small batch recipe are the wavy cupcake liners from Wilton. I've used them before in black for my Devil's Food Cupcakes. They also come in a few other random colors, but man are those so hard to find!
- Spatula(s). I have quite a growing collection of spatulas in my kitchen, but my favorite ones are from GIR. They make these mini baby spatulas that are perfect for getting extra batter from around the paddle attachment.
- Cookie Scoop. You can use a medium size cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter into each liner. Another alternative—use a large serving spoon and a regular size spoon!
📖 Recipe
Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
Author:Ingredients
small batch vanilla cupcakes
- ⅔ cup All-Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Whole Milk
vanilla buttercream frosting
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
small batch vanilla cupcakes
- Adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center). Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a cupcake tin with 6 cupcake liners. I placed mine in the middle section of the tin, but you can also space them out if you'd like.
- Using your hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar and egg on medium-high speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.⅔ cup All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ⅛ teaspoon Salt, ¼ cup Unsalted Butter, ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar, 1 Large Egg
- Add in the vanilla bean paste and milk, and mix until just combined (about 30 seconds). The batter should be easily scoopable and on the thinner side, but not runny.½ teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract, ¼ cup Whole Milk
- Using a medium-size cookie scoop (or a serving spoon and regular size spoon), evenly divide the batter into the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350ºF. They should be a nice golden yellow color with a slight dome to the top.
- Cool the cupcakes in the tin for 5-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.
vanilla buttercream frosting
- Using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy (about 1-2 minutes).4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the sifted powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 cup Powdered Sugar, 1 tablespoon Heavy Whipping Cream, ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- Fill a medium size piping bag fitted with the Wilton 1A piping tip (or one of your choosing) and pipe the frosting onto each cooled cupcake.
- Top with sparkling sugar, berries, sprinkles, or other toppings of your choosing!
Video
Recipe Notes
- In place of vanilla bean paste, you can use the same amount of vanilla extract.
- Be careful not to over-mix the cupcake batter. Meaning stop mixing once the dry ingredients are no longer visible and mixed into the batter.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for only 5-10 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool them completely.
- Wait until the vanilla cupcakes have cooled before adding frosting.
- I used the Wilton 1A decorating tip with a medium-sized piping bag to pipe the vanilla buttercream.
- I used King Arthur Flour's sparkling sugar and fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries for toppings. You can also use sprinkles, crushed cookie crumbs, and chocolate syrup, just to name a few!
- The vanilla buttercream frosting recipe makes just enough for this small batch of vanilla cupcakes recipe using the Wilton 1A piping tip.
- If you or the recipient of your cupcakes isn't a big frosting fan, you can probably half this—skipping the piping as well—and still be okay!
Nutrition
Nutritonal information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Jewel Anne says
looks great, can't wait to make these. thanks for all the small batch options!!💕
Ness says
How do you make them look like suns ?
Jennifer says
It's just the cupcake liners I used 🙂 They're the wave cupcake liners from Wilton. I love them, but they're getting harder to find lately! I've seen some dupes over on Amazon, though!
Chan says
Awesomeeeeee! These came out perfect, thank you so much!
Samantha says
I made these twice and did not get the stated thin consistency according to the recipe as is, and ended up with a weird texture to these cupcakes. One recipe as is, one recipe I ended up adding milk to make it thinner as in the video, both were just weird.
Vic says
Do you have a small batch of chocolate cupcake recipe?
Jennifer says
I do, yes! Here it is...Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
Sarah says
Yummy vanilla cupcakes! Just made these with my 2.5 year old daughter. Jennifer is always my first stop for a nice quick recipe. This one did not disappoint 🙂
Jennifer says
Thank you for making them, Sarah! I love that you made them with your daughter too!
Joanne says
Can I replace butter with oil?
Jennifer says
Hi! I didn't test the recipe this way, but I don't see why not. Just to note it will more than likely change the texture of the cupcakes.
Marion says
A lovely no fuss easy and delicious small batch.
Beautiful frosting too ♥️
2nd time I tried orange flavour. Replaced milk with orange juice and add rind to the batter, a few drops of orange essence and hubby is happy.
p.s. I made them gluten free for hubby and they were fabulous
Thank you so much for these little treasures ♥️♥️♥️
Jennifer says
Oh you're so welcome! I love that you added the orange flavors to the 2nd batch. So creative! Thank you so much for taking the time to make them...and twice!❤️
Nidhi says
Any egg replacement ideas?
Jennifer says
I'm sorry, I don't have any for this recipe.