Vanilla lovers have got to try these vanilla bean cupcakes with vanilla bean buttercream! These vanilla bean cupcakes are made with vanilla bean paste (duh), and then a combination of oil, butter, and sour cream to make these cupcakes super soft, moist and plushy. They're topped with a silky vanilla bean American buttercream and rainbow sprinkles. These cupcakes are seriously better than a box mix, plus you only need 11 ingredients to make them!
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Look, I know some people don't think vanilla is a flavor and it's 'plain' but I am here to prove them WRONG. Vanilla is one of the most exotic spices, but because we're so used to that artificial vanilla flavor (no shade to funfetti), we forget how wonderful vanilla beans can be!
These vanilla bean cupcakes are packed with vanilla bean paste, which gives us that great vanilla flavor without the expense of buying whole vanilla beans. They're super soft and plush, thanks to cake flour, butter, oil, and sour cream.
I sprinkled over rainbow sprinkles, but I think you could swap out rainbow sprinkles for Valentine's Day sprinkles, Halloween sprinkles, Easter sprinkles - literally whatever your heart desires!
If you want more simple cupcake recipes, then I love my chocolate coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting, raspberry almond cupcakes, or my simple mint chocolate cupcakes.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Super soft & moist, thanks to butter, oil, and sour cream.
- Filled vanilla flavor because of the vanilla bean paste.
- Super simple to make!
- Perfect for holidays, bake sales, birthdays, whenever you want a lil' sweet treat.
- 11 simple ingredients.
Grab your ingredients
- Butter: we'll need unsalted butter for both the cupcakes and the frosting. Make sure you take it out of the fridge an hour or two ahead of time so it softens up.
- Flour: I've tested this recipe with both cake flour and all-purpose flour.
- Oil: use a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. This is going to make the cupcakes SUPER soft and fluffy.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: kind of a must have for vanilla bean cupcakes!
- Sour Cream: I love adding sour cream to my cupcakes to give them a slight tang, plus the extra fat in sour cream makes the cupcakes moist.
Cake Flour versus All-Purpose Flour
Want to know the difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour? Protein! Cake flour has lower protein, between 7-9%, while regular all-purpose flour has around 10-15% protein content.
Lower protein = less gluten = super soft, fluffy cupcakes.
If you're in Europe, specifically the UK, you might find cake flour in the grocery store but make sure to check the ingredients. Cake flour in the UK usually has baking soda or baking powder already added to it (also known as self-rising flour) and that is not what we want here!
If you can't find cake flour, then just use regular all-purpose flour. I've tested this recipe with both types of flours and they both work great!
Let's make cupcakes!
Here are some photos to help you out if you're a visual learner, but the full written recipe is down below.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Step 2: In a stand mixer, beat the butter with the oil and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste.
- Step 3: Mix in the sour cream. Then add the dry ingredients on low speed. Finally, pour in the milk.
- Step 4: Pour the cupcake batter into the liners so they're three-quarters full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire cooling rack.
- Step 5: Beat the butter with the confectioner's sugar on low speed until combined. Increase the speed and mix until light and fluffy. Add the remaining frosting ingredients and mix until combined.
- Step 6: Frost your cupcakes and enjoy! I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to decorate these cupcakes.
Storage & Make Ahead
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the cupcakes come to room temperature before enjoying.
To make ahead, make the cupcakes and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Frost when ready to serve.
Made This Recipe?
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream
Equipment
- 2 cupcake pans
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup (113 grams) whole milk
- ¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream room temperature
Vanilla Bean Frosting
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius. Place 14 cupcake liners in 2 cupcake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.1 ½ cups (180 grams) cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the butter, oil and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.2 large eggs, 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla bean paste
- Mix in the sour cream.¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combine, then slowly pour in the milk.½ cup (113 grams) whole milk
- Using a spoon or a medium cookie scoop, scoop out the cupcake batter into the liners. You want them to be about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and letting them cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, combine the room temperature butter with the confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste on low speed.2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- If the frosting isn't as creamy as you would like, add in the milk and beat on medium speed until spreadable. You might not need all of it!¼ cup milk
- Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!
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