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Classic Cupcakes Basic Recipe: Easy Homemade Vanilla Cupcakes

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Classic vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting – a simple, foolproof recipe perfect for beginners and experienced bakers alike.

Ingredients

Scale
For the cupcakes:
 
  • 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
  • 110g/4oz caster sugar
  • 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 110g/4oz self-raising flour
  • 12 tbsp milk
 
For the buttercream icing:
 
  • 140g/5oz butter, softened
  • 280g/10oz icing sugar
  • 12 tbsp milk
  • a few drops food colouring

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs gradually, then stir in vanilla.
  3. Gently fold in flour using a metal spoon, adding milk until batter reaches dropping consistency.
  4. Spoon mixture into cases, filling halfway. Bake 10-15 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. For buttercream, beat butter until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
  7. Add remaining icing sugar with 1 tbsp milk, adding more if needed, until creamy. Add food coloring.
  8. Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes in decorative swirls.

Notes

Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used, portion sizes, and preparation methods.

Nutrition

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