Print

small batch vanilla cupcakes

A vanilla cupcake with sprinkles and frosting.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

These vanilla cupcakes are easy to make, don't use buttermilk and have a swirl of buttercream frosting with sprinkles on top. Perfect for any birthday or event!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Vanilla Cupcakes:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup melted butter or oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, optional

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk of choice

Instructions

  1. Pour milk and vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, stir and let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare your ingredients.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, egg and vanilla until light and frothy, about one minute.
  3. Add the milk and vinegar to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
  4. Next, add the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Do not over-mix.
  5. Line a 6-cup cupcake tin with paper liners. Use a muffin scoop or two spoons to portion out the batter into 6 equal cupcakes.
  6. Bake on the center rack at 350F for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with little crumbs. Let cool before frosting.
  7. To make buttercream, add powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Use a sifter or whisk to remove any clumps. Add the butter, vanilla and milk. Beat on medium-high and scrape the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure all of the frosting is mixed together. Add another splash of milk if necessary.
  8. Once buttercream is smooth, transfer to a piping bag to decorate the cupcakes. Or use a spoon or spatula to spread on the icing. Top with more rainbow sprinkles (I poured some sprinkles on a plate and gently pressed the tops of my cupcakes into the sprinkles so they would stick to the frosting).

Notes

Mixing milk and apple cider vinegar is a substitute for buttermilk. If you have buttermilk, you may use that instead.

I did have some leftover frosting from this recipe. You can use the excess to add more decoration to the cupcakes or tightly wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the fridge to use for another dessert.

Find it online: https://bakedabundance.com/vanilla-cupcakes/