Soft Vanilla Cupcakes (Moist For Days!)

We’re about to delve into my incredibly soft and moist vanilla cupcakes. I’m talking fluffy and tender with a flavorful crumb that melts in your mouth. They also stay moist for days thanks to the hot milk method. They’re topped with my fluffy vanilla frosting which is lighter than air and speckled with all the vanilla pods you could want!

Hey team, Nick here! This is my last ever vanilla cupcake recipe. Let me tell you why.

I’ve been through my fair share of different cupcake recipes over the years. For the longest time I used the reverse creaming method. A denser but moist cake which I know you guys loved. Then I dabbled in the creaming method to see if I could lighten them up, but those cupcakes don’t stay moist.

I won’t need a new vanilla cupcake recipe after this, and neither will you. This recipe uses the hot milk method (more on the magic of that below!). They stay moist for days, they taste phenomenal, and they’re so soft and fluffy.

Related – I actually based these cupcakes on my new soft vanilla cake recipe which uses the same method and stays moist for days. I like layering that cake with my super smooth Ermine frosting which tastes like pastry cream.

I like pairing my vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting because I like the classic vanilla on vanilla action. Plus its super light, smooth, airy and fluffy. But I have loads of great frosting recipes on the blog that would pair well with these. I’ll list them at the bottom of the post before the recipe card!

The ‘hot milk method’ makes the best vanilla cake

I was always jealous of moist chocolate cakes that use boiling water. It helps bloom the cocoa and intensify the chocolate flavor, but texture wise, it results in a moist, soft crumb. And THAT’S what I wanted for my vanilla cake. So I delved into the science of why that is and then tried to find the vanilla equivalent.

It turns out the hot milk method is the vanilla cake equivalent! It kind of works in a similar way to the boiling water in a chocolate cake

What it does – To me, the most important thing the hot milk does is gently cook the flour before baking. It partly gelatinizes the starch in the flour which helps lock in moisture, lessens the risk of over mixing (no tough cakes here). The result is a soft, springy cake that tastes so good too!

This is how you make my favorite vanilla cupcakes

This recipe leans closer to a sponge style cake because I whip the eggs and sugar first, which gives the cupcakes their light, fluffy texture. But you know what? It works!

• Start by whipping the eggs in a bowl for about 30-40 seconds. Just to get them frothy.
• Then slowly pour the sugar in while the mixer is on high speed and whip until they’re thick and fluffy. It’ll fall off in a ribbon when you lift the beaters up. It usually takes about 3 minutes on high speed. You can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment instead.

• Run the dry ingredients through a sieve into the egg mixture and mix on low speed until well combined. The last step is where the magic happens!
• Begin slowly warming up the milk and butter right before you add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. You want to warm up on low heat until the butter is completely melted. Make sure it doesn’t bubble!

• Add the oil to the warm milk and stir. Then slowly pour the milk into the batter while the mixer is on low speed and mix until well combined. The batter will be really thin and smooth.

Tip – Make sure you scrape the bowl down with a spatula after each step to ensure everything mixes properly. Cake batter 101!

How much to fill your liners

It doesn’t matter what size cupcake liners or cupcake tin you use, you just need to know how much to fill them up! I fill mine up 3/4 of the way to get nicely shaped domes on top that don’t look under or over filled (spilling out)

• I like using an ice cream scoop to do this. It’s quick, and mess free. I trained this way as a pastry chef, but two spoons will get the job done too.
• Bake the cupcakes in the middle rack until lightly golden. You can tell they’re baked when you gently touch the top of one and they feel springy.

To keep your cupcakes moist for days!

As soon as the cupcake bake, take them out of the tin and pop them onto a cooling rack. They’ll take about 60-90 minutes to cool to room temperature. As soon as they cool, pop them into a container with a lid. That’ll keep them moist for days! I mean it. These cupcakes don’t dry out.

How to frost cupcakes like a pro

I like using an open star tip to frost my cupcakes. Gives them a classic look but you can use any tip you like!

I trained in a cupcake bakery. I piped cupcakes daily for 2 years. Here’s how to pipe like a pro no matter which piping tip you’re using!

1. Twist the end of the piping bag nice and tight.
2. Use your dominant hand to hold the top of the bag like you’re holding a ball. This is the only hand you’ll use to squeeze with. You’ll squeeze from the top of the bag.
3. Hold the piping bag straight, not on an angle.
4. Hold the tip about 1cm from the top of the cupcake and start in the center.
5. Begin squeezing and pipe around the center, making your way around the cupcake in a circle, then continue piping until you create a swirl.
6. Stop squeezing before you lift the tip up to get a nice peak. (it’s all in the video)

My favorite frosting options!

• Ermine frosting – smooth, tastes like pastry cream
• Luscious chocolate frosting
• Chocolate Ganache (great chocolate boost!)
• Strawberry Frosting – super strong strawberry flavor!

Soft Vanilla Cupcakes (Moist For Days!)

My Soft Vanilla Cupcakes are a blog favorite for a reason. They have a deeply vanilla flavor, and they stay soft and moist for days!

Serves 20

4.7 from 45 votes

Author: Nick Makrides

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 18 minutes mins

Cool: 1 hour hr

Total: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 93kcal

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Ingredients

Soft Vanilla Cupcakes

• ▢ 160 g all-purpose flour, plain flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 large eggs, 50-55g, room temperature
• ▢ 130 g caster sugar / superfine sugar, see notes
• ▢ 140 g milk, full fat
• ▢ 60 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• ▢ 40 g vegetable oil, can use canola oil
• ▢ 14 g vanilla extract, I used paste for the specks
• ▢ 14 g vanilla bean paste

Frosting options

• ▢ 1 batch vanilla frosting
• ▢ 1 batch Ermine Frosting
• ▢ 1 batch chocolate buttercream
• ▢ 1 batch cream cheese frosting
• ▢ 1 batch strawberry buttercream

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Instructions

Soft Vanilla Cupcakes

• Preparing your oven – Preheat your oven to 170C / 340F (fan off), 150C / 300F (fan on). I like baking with the fan on for an even rise. Position your rack in the middle of the oven. Line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
• Combine dry ingredients – In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs and sugar – Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl (glass or metal), and use an electric hand mixer to beat until frothy, about 1 minute. A stand mixer with a whisk attachment also works. With the mixer on medium-high speed, add the sugar a spoonful at a time. It’ll take about a minute. Once all the sugar is added, keep beating on medium-high speed for 6 minutes until the mixture is pale, thickened, and tripled in size.
• Add dry ingredients to egg mixture – Add half the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Repeat with the rest. The batter will be thick. Avoid overmixing the batter, small lumps are fine, they’ll disappear in the next step.
• Heat milk and butter – Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it reaches about 60C/140F or small bubbles form around the edges. Do not let it boil. Alternatively, you can also do this in a heatproof jug in the microwave. Mine takes about 90 seconds for the butter to melt.
• Add hot milk – Add half the hot milk mixture, along with the oil and both vanillas. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the rest of the milk mixture and mix again until smooth. The batter will be thin and pour in a steady ribbon.
• Divide the batter – Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners filling them about 3/4 of the way. Tap the cupcake tin on the counter a couple times to release any air bubbles in the batter for a nice flat even rise.
• Bake – Bake on the middle rack for 17-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cupcakes will be lightly golden around the edges and spring back when gently touched. If they sink and don’t spring back, bake for a couple more minutes.
• Cooling the cupcakes – As soon as they come out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack, and let them cool completely at room temperature.

Frosting

• While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, you can prepare the frosting. My favorite frosting for these cupcakes is Ermine Frosting. It has a lush vanilla flavor, almost like pastry cream.
• To finish decorating – add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip and pipe swirls on top of each cupcake.

Notes

Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar is ideal for these cupcakes as it dissolves into the eggs quickly which will prevent overmixing. Alternatively, you can use granulated sugar or even pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until it’s finer.

Frosting – my favorite frosting to use with these cupcakes is my Ermine Frosting recipe which tastes to lush with vanilla flavor. Almost like Pastry Cream. But they also pair well with my Swiss Meringue Buttercream, Classic Vanilla Buttercream and my Cream Cheese Frosting. My Fresh Strawberry Buttercream is a delicious flavor combo with this cake too!

Mixing the batter – it’s important to follow the speeds given in the recipe when it comes to mixing. Especially after the flour is added as it prevents overmixing which can cause your cake to be tough. Make sure you scrape down the bowl after each mix to ensure any ingredients that are hiding at the bottom are properly mixed in. It’ll ensure a nice uniform batter that rises in the oven properly.

Mixers You Can Use – Using an electric mixer to make the cupcake batter is going to make it an easier process and also gives you the best results, especially when whipping the eggs and sugar. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

Storage – Wrap the cooled cupcakes in plastic wrap and store at room temp for 3 days. The fully frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days. Thaw to room temperature before serving.

How to freeze – Wrap each cupcake tightly in plastic, then place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely at room temperature before unwrapping and using as normal.

Cupcake liners and tin I use – I like using white cupcake liners for this recipe for a classic look. For full details on measurements for the liners and cupcake tin I use, check out my tools and equipment post

Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per cupcake. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 20g

Calories : 93kcal

Carbonhydrates: 14g

Protein: 2g

Fat: 3g

Saturated Fat: 2g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat : 1g

Trans Fat : 0.1g

Cholesterol: 26mg

Sodium: 100mg

Potassium : 27mg

Fiber: 0.2g

Sugar : 7g

Vitamin A: 112IU

Calcium: 31mg

Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition Disclosure

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