Dessert

Classic Cupcakes

Name: Classic Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1¾ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; ½ cup sour cream, room temperature; ¼ cup whole milk; 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting); 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)

The canonical home baker's cupcake: a simple, reliable vanilla cake with a tender crumb and rich vanilla buttercream. These are the cupcakes people expect when they search the name—not a trick recipe, not a trendy flavour, just perfect every time.

381calper serving 3gprotein 51gcarbs 18gfat 15min prep 18min cook 12serves

✓ Macros from a nutrition database · per serving · developed by The Delicious Kitchen with AI assistance, not independently kitchen-tested · how we calculate this

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Cupcakes — common questions

Can I make these ahead?

Bake the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead; store unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost them up to 4 hours before serving and keep them cool. Frosted cupcakes are best eaten the same day.

What if I don't have sour cream?

Substitute plain Greek yogurt (same amount), or make a quick substitute: whisk together ¼ cup milk and ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit for 2 minutes until slightly curdled, then use as normal sour cream.

Why are my cupcakes sunken in the middle?

Oven temperature is too high, or they baked too long. Use an oven thermometer to verify 350°F exactly, and check them at 16 minutes—pull them when a toothpick shows just a few moist crumbs, not a wet batter or dry crumb.

Can I freeze cupcakes?

Freeze unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour, then frost. Do not freeze frosted cupcakes; the frosting texture breaks down.

How do I make the frosting less sweet?

Use salted butter for the frosting (reduces the perception of sweetness), or replace ¼ cup of the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixed in.

Can I use cake mix instead?

Yes; follow the package directions for cupcakes (typically 1 box mix, 3 eggs, ⅓ cup oil, and 1⅓ cups water), then frost with the same homemade buttercream. The result will be reliable but less tender than a from-scratch cupcake.