These mini vanilla cupcakes might be the cutest cupcakes ever! Soft, moist and fluffy tiny cupcakes that can be topped with your favorite frosting! These cupcakes are perfect for birthday parties and baby showers.
Is there anything cuter than a mini vanilla cupcake? These mini cupcakes are based off of my chocolate and vanilla cupcake recipe but made tiny. I've paired it with a chocolate whipped cream frosting, but you can use any frosting you like!
Because this recipe makes so many mini cupcakes, it's the perfect recipe to whip up for birthday parties, family celebrations, bake sales, or any occasion! Who can say no to mini desserts?? These mini vanilla cupcakes are the perfect bite-sized treat.
If you love vanilla recipes, check out my vanilla cake with strawberry filling and small batch vanilla cupcakes! Or, if you want the chocolate version of these cupcakes try my mini chocolate cupcakes!
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Why you'll love these mini cupcakes!
- Soft & Moist: These mini vanilla cupcakes have both butter and oil in them. The butter gives them all the flavor while the oil keeps them soft and moist.
- Simple Ingredients: I'm using simple ingredients that I'm sure you already have in your pantry! Nothing fancy or wild here.
- Customizable: You can easily customize these cupcakes by switching out the extract and using different frostings.
Ingredients Needed
- Flour: I'm using all purpose flour in this cupcake recipe.
- Buttermilk: this is going to make the cupcakes super moist! You can use full fat yogurt or sour cream instead if that's what you have on hand.
- Unsalted Butter: I always use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the recipe. I also always use European style butter which is much richer and creamier!
- Oil: use a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil or sunflower oil. You don't want anything with a strong taste!
- Vanilla Extract: try to use a good quality vanilla extract.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350ºFahrenheit and line a mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream the butter with the oil and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix the cupcake batter with a rubber spatula to make sure there are no streaks of flour left.
Step 4: Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Fill each one until they're ¾ of the way full. Bake for 9-12 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Kitchen Scale: I always recommend using a kitchen scale since it is the most accurate way to bake. It is so easy to add too much flour to your cupcakes, giving you dry cupcakes.
- Filling the Liners: Only fill up the cupcake liners so they're ¾ of the way full. If you overfill them then they'll overflow in the oven!
- Extracts: Swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract, lemon extract or add some lemon zest to customize your cupcakes.
- Room Temperature: Make sure the eggs, buttermilk and butter are at room temperature before you get started. It'll lead to a smoother texture and those ingredients will be easier to incorporate into the cupcake batter.
- Decorating: I used a piping bag and a Wilton piping tip to frost these cupcakes and added rainbow sprinkles!
Recipe FAQs
This mini cupcake recipe makes 30 miniature cupcakes!
You can use the same recipe, but bake in a regular cupcake pan for 20-24 minutes. This makes 12 regular cupcakes.
I used this pan from Wilton.
Frostings to use with these mini vanilla cupcakes!
- Chocolate whipped cream frosting - this is the frosting shown in the images!
- Whipped chocolate ganache - a super rich and intense chocolate frosting.
- Oreo frosting - get that cookies and cream vibe with this Oreo frosting.
- Biscoff frosting - perfect for the cookie butter lover in your life!
Storage
Keep the mini vanilla cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Freeze the unfrosted cupcakes in a ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature.
Try these cupcake recipes next!
If you've made this recipe, make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! I love seeing when you make my recipes, so tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see! You can also follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Recipe
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
Equipment
- mini cupcake pan
Ingredients
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
- 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 ⅛ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoons skimmed milk powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius and line a mini cupcake pan with liners.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with hand mixer, beat the butter with the oil and sugar until fluffy. It takes about 2-3 minutes.2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, ¾ cup white sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.2 large eggs
- Mix in the vanilla extract.1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.1 ⅛ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.½ cup buttermilk
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling them ¾ of the way.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9-12 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, whisk the heavy cream with the skimmed milk powder, powdered sugar and cocoa powder until you have stiff peaks. Be careful not to overmix as it can easily curdle!2 cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons skimmed milk powder, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Use the frosting to frost your cupcakes!
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