Quick Dessert

Vanilla cupcakes

Name: Vanilla cupcake recipe
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 335g self-raising flour; 165g caster sugar; 150g salted butter, melted, cooled; 180ml milk; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 2 tsp vanilla bean paste; 250g unsalted butter, softened; 360g icing sugar mixture; Assorted food colourings (see notes)

Rate now

Jump to recipe

by Kim Coverdale

DELICIOUS. FOOD EDITOR

Jul 04, 2023

Last-minute bake sales are not a problem when you have this quick and easy recipe. This is your go-to vanilla cake recipe for either cupcakes or a classic vanilla cake, which you can dress up with whichever coloured buttercream icing you fancy. You'll need a 12-hole (⅓-cup-capacity) muffin pan and a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm fluted nozzle (or see recipe notes).

2 1/4 cups (335g) self-raising flour
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
150g salted butter, melted, cooled
3/4 cup (180ml) milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Buttercream

250g unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (360g) icing sugar mixture
Assorted food colourings (see notes)

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a 12-hole (⅓-cup-capacity) muffin pan with paper cases (or see recipe notes).
2.

Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well. Whisk butter, milk, eggs and vanilla in a large jug until smooth. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Spoon mixture evenly among paper cases.
3.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and firm to touch. Stand in pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
4.

For the buttercream, using an stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in icing sugar until well combined and icing sugar has dissolved. Tint icing with desired food colouring (if using more than one colouring, divide icing into as many bowls as you have colours).
5.

Spoon icing into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm fluted nozzle (see notes). Pipe icing onto cupcakes. Serve.

Rate now

Recipe Notes

We went with a mix of pink and natural icing, but feel free to use whatever colours you like. You can also spread the icing onto the cupcakes with a small spatula, if you prefer. Cupcakes will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can also bake this as a cake in a 20cm round cake pan (greased and lined with baking paper) in a preheated 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven for 40-45 minutes, until cooked when a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.