White cupcakes are soft, delicate, and surprisingly easy to make from scratch. Moist, tender, and delicate, they're perfect for weddings, events, and birthdays.
I finally found it! A recipe that makes perfect fluffy cupcakes! I have tried decades worth of recipes, only to have my cupcakes be dry, dense, and corn muffin-like every time. I am happy beyond words. Thank you so much for this recipe and for explaining why all my other attempts failed. ★★★★★ - Laura
Recipe summary
Flavor: Sweet and buttery vanilla cake that's topped with sweet whipped buttercream frosting.
Texture: Cake flour creates a light, tender texture with a small crumb.
Quantity: Makes 15 cupcakes.
Versatile cupcake base. Add fruit fillings and your favorite frosting.
Great for: Weddings, anniversaries, birthdays.
Similar to: Strawberry Filled Cupcakes and Confetti Cupcakes
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Cake flour - I do not recommend substituting the cake flour in this recipe. Cake flour gives your cupcakes their tender, small crumb. If you substitute with all-purpose flour, your cupcakes will, in comparison, have a coarser crumb that readers often describe as a 'cornbread' texture.
- Baking powder - This cannot be substituted with baking soda, the two ingredients are not interchangeable.
- Unsalted butter - If you need to substitute with salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Granulated sugar - Adds sweetness to the cupcakes and helps them retain moisture after baking.
- Vanilla extract - Adds flavor to the cupcakes. Could be substituted with other extracts to change the flavor (like maple or lemon).
- Egg whites - Egg whites can not be substituted with whole eggs. Using egg whites in this recipe makes your cupcakes light, fluffy, and white (hence the name). If you want to use whole eggs (with the yolk) to make cupcakes, I suggest trying my vanilla cupcakes recipe. It uses the same ingredients (in slightly different measurements) and is written to use two whole eggs.
- Whole milk - This recipe will technically work with a lower fat milk, like 2%, 1%, or skim, but whole milk will help keep your cupcakes moist from the added fat. For best results, use whole milk.
How to make white cupcakes
- Mix wet ingredients with a hand mixer until creamed and smooth.
- Slowly add dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Portion batter between 15 cupcake liners.
- Bake until the center pops back when pressed. If an indent is left, your cupcakes need more time.
Tips and tricks
Room temperature ingredients - It's important that your egg whites, butter, and milk are room temperature because they incorporate seamlessly into the dough and create an even, smooth batter. Cold ingredients can create a lumpy or dense batter.
Measuring flour properly - I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, especially the flour. If you don't have a scale, use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping directly from a bin using the measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding extra flour to the recipe. This can make cupcakes dry.
Cake flour - Do not substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour. Using all-purpose flour will give your cupcakes a 'cornbread' type texture (per readers who have attempted this substitution).
Don't overmix the batter - Only mix your batter until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing your batter can whip extra air in, causing your cupcakes to rise quickly and then fall in the center when they bake.
Allow cupcakes to cool - Do not unwrap your cupcakes while they're still warm. Your cupcakes will stick to the liners until they are fully cooled throughout. Once cooled, your cupcakes will easily unwrap.
Do not frost warm cupcakes - Buttercream is sensitive to heat and will melt between 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Instead, allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Storage
Cupcakes are best served the same day of baking, but will remain moist for up to 3 days when covered in a sealed container at room temperature.
Cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months. Place cupcakes (frosted or not) on a sheet pan and allow to freeze solid before storing in a tightly sealed container. Bring to room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Frequently asked questions
To bring butter to room temperature quickly, slice it into smaller pieces and set on the counter top for 30 minutes. To bring egg whites to room temperature quickly, place egg whites in a bowl, then place that bowl in a larger bowl of warm (not hot) water for ten minutes. Milk can be microwaved in 10 to 15 second increments, stirring in between, until room temperature. Take care not to melt butter or bring milk to a warm or hot temperature. Hot ingredients can ruin the texture of the batter, causing cupcakes to turn out dense when baked.
No. Instead, make a frosting that's made with less sugar like ermine frosting or homemade whipped cream. Buttercream frosting is made with two main ingredients: confectioner's sugar and butter. It's popular because it's no-cook and made with few ingredients. Since it's mainly made of sugar, it's very sweet. Using less sugar means you'll mainly taste butter, the other main ingredient.
- Whipped buttercream frosting - fluffier than a traditional buttercream (this recipe is included below).
- Whipped chocolate buttercream frosting - A fluffier chocolate buttercream frosting.
- Cream cheese buttercream frosting - Slightly less sweet and tangy.
- Ermine frosting - A less sweet cooked flour frosting. Perfect for those who don't like the sweet taste of buttercream frosting.
- Homemade whipped cream - Light and much less sweet than buttercream.
For years I've used this simple Wilton cupcake decorating kit (Amazon) to decorate my cupcakes. It comes with four piping tips, bags, and easy to read instructions. I also purchased this additional coupler (Amazon) to make it easy to secure the piping tips and to change out tips halfway through decorating.
I test for doneness by gently pressing onto the top of a cupcake with a finger. If the cupcake pops right back, they're done. If an indent is left, they need more time. You can also use the toothpick method. Insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes back with batter, your cupcakes need more time. If the toothpick comes back with crumbs or nothing at all, they're done. Additionally, if you nudge the pan and your cupcakes are jiggly, they're not done yet.
Yes. I also use this cupcake recipe for my strawberry filled cupcakes. Jams or fruit compotes work great as a cupcake filling.
Yes, with adjustments. When doubled, this recipe makes a two-layer round 8 or 9 inch cake. Follow my recipe for strawberry filled white cake for detailed instructions.
Yes, add ½ cup of rainbow jimmies sprinkles to the batter before portioning into the liners, or follow my recipe for Confetti Cupcakes.
Troubleshooting
Baked goods can turn out dry for a few reasons:
- Baking too long.
- Adding too many dry ingredients.
- Adding too few wet ingredients.
It's important to follow the recipe exactly, including the measurements and exact ingredients listed. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to make sure your cupcakes don't get overbaked in the oven.
This can be caused by humidity in your home or storing cupcakes in a sealed container while they're still warm. This can't really be fixed, but can easily be covered with frosting.
Sinking can happen for many reasons. Overmixing the batter (which adds extra air that's released during baking), underbaking, using expired leavening, using the wrong leavening, or accidentally doubling the leavening can all cause your cupcakes to sink in the middle.
Cupcake can turn out dense from expired leavening, overmixing the wet and dry ingredients (this overworks the gluten), not whipping the butter and sugar long enough, or adding extra wet ingredients (like adding sour cream or applesauce to make cupcakes "extra moist"). If the balance of wet and dry ingredients is off, this can cause a change in texture, preventing your cupcakes from rising properly in the oven.
All cakes, even white cake, will brown on the outside edges due to a chemical reaction that happens when sugar is heated up. This is called a Maillard reaction and is completely normal. The insides will remain white and fluffy and the tops will be covered by frosting.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
White Cupcakes
Ingredients
White Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (168 g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large (105 g) egg whites, room temperature
- ½ cup (114 g) whole milk, room temperature
Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups (454 g) confectioner's sugar
- ⅓ cup (76 g) heavy cream, very cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
White cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (with the oven rack set in the middle of the oven) and line cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk (or sift) together the dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Add butter and granulated sugar to a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about one minute. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated. Then, add egg whites and beat until light and fluffy, about one minute.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the milk, just until each ingredient is incorporated and batter is smooth. Do not overmix.
- Divide batter between 13 cupcake liners (if you only have a 12 cupcake pan, you'll have a small amount of leftover batter), filling each about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for about 15-18 minutes, or until the center of a cupcake pops back when gently pressed down, or a toothpick comes out with crumbs (or clean). If an indent is left, or toothpick comes out with batter, cupcakes need more time.
- Remove pan from oven and transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Whipped buttercream frosting
- In a large bowl, add room temperature butter and beat until creamy, about one minute.
- Add confectioner's sugar and slowly mix until ingredients are fully combined. Then, whip at high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
- Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and whip for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add additional heavy cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Pipe or spread frosting with a knife onto cupcakes and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Video
Notes
- Warm climates: Buttercream frosting will begin to melt between 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. If your location is nearing this temperature, I recommend refrigerating your baked goods until an hour before you're ready to serve them. Refrigerating your frosted baked goods will not hurt them, but you will want to give them some time to come to room temperature before serving.
- Flour: Do not substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour - readers have reported that this gives cupcakes a 'cornbread' type texture.
- Egg whites: Do not substitute egg whites with whole eggs. To make cupcakes with whole eggs, try my vanilla cupcakes recipe instead.
- Storage: Store cupcakes at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- More tips: Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cake, based on reader comments and questions!
Hi Tammy, did you substitute or reduce any of the wet ingredients (butter, sugar, egg whites, milk)? If none of the ingredients were changed, it sounds like they may have been overbaked. Next time, I'd suggest checking for doneness a minute or two early.
Wonderful recipe! They came out perfectly fluffy. This is definitely one that is going in my recipe binder. Thanks!
I have made these and they are the best cupcakes I have ever tasted. I've always made them so I can keep them at room temperature. I am making them with a filling this time so I will have to refrigerate them. My question is how can I keep them moist and not have a dry texture. Please help because I love them so much
Hi Amanda, I'm glad to hear you enjoy the recipe! The filling and frosting will help keep the cake part moist, and a day or so in the refrigerator won't dry them out. I'd recommend storing them in a tightly sealing container and allowing them to come to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.
Do I need to drop the temp down if I'm using a dark pan?
Yes, you'll want to reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and keep an eye on them in the oven, the timing will likely get a little longer.
What about turning it into chocolate cupcakes? Recommended cocoa amount?
I have not tested adding cocoa powder to this recipe, so I can't say for sure if simply adding cocoa powder would work (without making the cupcakes too dry or changing the chemistry). However, I do have a chocolate cupcake recipe that you can find here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/easy-homemade-chocolate-cupcakes/
These look amazing - I’m about to try making this for a kid’s party! Would adding sprinkles be ok? How much would you recommend and when should it be added?
Hi Andy, anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup of rainbow sprinkles can be stirred into the batter just before portioning into your cupcake liners.
Hi Heather!
I was just trialing this recipe to be done with the jam centers, but for some reason it came out a little dense and smelt/tasted rather eggy? Using fresh free range eggwhites from my chickens, measured out by grams as I'm here in the UK.
I followed the recipe exactly, but halved it and i'm not sure what could've happened. Is there any typical reason they'd come out tasting/smelling eggy? Did I perhaps overmix when the egg whites went in?
I was sooo hoping this was my new go-to vanilla sponge!
Any thoughts would be helpful - thank you!
Hi Sally, dense cake is usually a sign that there are too many wet ingredients (or expired leavening). Since they tasted eggy, I'd guess maybe too many egg whites were added. One egg white can vary between 30-40 grams depending on the size of the egg, and our measurements assume each egg white is 35 grams (right in the middle). You could try decreasing the egg whites to 30 grams for each egg white. So 90 grams total, or 45 grams if halving the recipe.
As far as the eggy smell, I did a little searching and sometimes it can depend on the particular batch of eggs used. Older eggs can have a stronger egg smell. A few things that can help include beating the eggs before adding them to the batter, and then beating again until all of the wet ingredients are fluffy and fully incorporated. You could also add a little extra vanilla extract to amp up the vanilla flavor and mask any eggy flavor.
Thanks so much for the quick response Heather, it's much appreciated!
I did a bit of googling myself as I haven't noticed this before (but also haven't used cake flour before either). A few sources said I may not have actually whipped up the eggs enough (which can leave that smell/taste) - so like you mention, I may whip them up before incorporating with the butter and sugar, hopefully that may be a bit more foolproof haha.
They still tasted great with the jam centers and vanilla buttercream, but will be giving them another go tomorrow to get it just perfect.
Thanks so much for this recipe and the added advice! 🙂
I loved the taste of the recipe however when I tried baking cupcakes with it, it overfilled onto the edges of the pan. I measured everything correctly and did everything it told me too including not overfilling the cupcake liners. How did this happen?
Hi Lexi, it's hard to say without being in the kitchen with you as to what went wrong. Did the cupcakes rise up and overflow, then sink down? Or did it look like too much batter was in each cup? It could have been a leavening issue - I've had cupcakes overflow and then sink in the middle when I accidentally added too much leavening. Or possibly too much air was whipped into the batter, so they rise quickly and then sink down. If the cupcakes just appeared to be too big, it could be the pan size is slightly different - I can't think of what else would cause this issue. Maybe another reader has had a similar issue and can offer advice!
This is the recipe you’re looking for if you love a delicate & flavorful white cake! It’s perfect!
Made the cupcakes for my boss’s birthday. They were a huge hit with everyone!
2nd time I made it, I divided the batter between two, 8 inch rounds. Baked them for ~16-18 min. Paired it with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries!
My new ‘go-to’ for family gatherings & potlucks!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! ❤️
Would this recipe fit into a 9" square cake pan and if so how long would I cook it for? Thank you.
Hi Linda, I have not tested this recipe in a 9x9 square pan. However, I suspect this should be about the correct amount of batter for that pan size. I bake 9 inch round cakes for about 26-30 minutes, so I'd think a square pan would take a similar amount of time.
Can I bake this in a 9 inch loaf pan?
I have not tested this recipe in a loaf pan, so I can't say for sure how it would turn out.
Tried this recipe followed all the instruction and it turned out beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Good morning! Can I use buttermilk opposed to whole milk in this recipe?
Buttermilk would change the chemistry of the recipe (it is more acidic than whole milk), so you'd also need to adjust the leavening agents to get the correct balance. Here are a few recipes for cupcakes using buttermilk that might work for you:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/white-cupcakes
https://aclassictwist.com/vanilla-bean-buttermilk-cupcakes/
https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/vanilla-cupcake-recipe/
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! I HAVE FOUND THE BEST VANILLA CUPCAKE RECIPE I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR! One question though, I want to try this in chocolate, so how much cocoa powder should I put in?
Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I have not tested adding cocoa powder to this recipe, so I can't say for sure if simply adding cocoa powder would work (without making the cupcakes too dry or changing the chemistry). However, I do have a chocolate cupcake recipe that you can find here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/easy-homemade-chocolate-cupcakes/
I finally found it! A recipe that makes perfect fluffy cupcakes! I have tried decades worth of recipes, only to have my cupcakes be dry, dense, and corn muffin-like every time. I am happy beyond words. Thank you so much for this recipe and for explaining why all my other attempts failed.
Hi Heather,
Can you use whole eggs? How many would you use? Would that change the flavor much?
I would not recommend substituting egg whites with whole eggs - this would change the structure of the cake and make it heavy and wet, rather than light and fluffy. I do have a vanilla cupcake recipe that uses whole eggs that might work better for you: https://thetoastykitchen.com/homemade-classic-yellow-cupcakes/
So I’m using a twelve cupcake tin, how long would that be via cooking time?
I wouldn't recommend splitting the batter between 12 tins instead of 15, I'd just fill them about 2/3 of the way full, discard the remaining batter (or make a second batch of 3 later), and bake for the directed amount of time in the recipe card.
Bonjour je souhaiterais réaliser votre recette serait il possible d avoir le poids des ingrédients svp e' grammes car je ne sait pas quel taille utilisez pour la tasse
Bonjour, si vous cliquez sur "métrique" sous la liste des ingrédients, les ingrédients seront affichés en grammes.
Hello! Can I use non-fat milk or evaporated milk for this recipe?
I highly recommend using whole milk instead of non-fat milk in baking because the fat content makes your cake tender and moist. Using non-fat milk can cause your cake to turn out dry. I haven't tried using evaporated milk, but found this article online where testing was done and results were inconsistent: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5860-substituting-with-evaporated-milk
Long story short - your batter will likely bake up into a cake using other types of milk, but the texture, structure, and moisture will change.
Hi Heather, I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with your cupcakes! It's hard to say what happened without being in the kitchen with you, but these are the most common reasons why cupcakes would turn out dry:
- Substituting any ingredients, especially the fats or sugar - these ingredients make your cupcakes moist.
- Accidentally adding too much flour. Scooping with a measuring cup directly from a bin of flour (especially flour that has been sitting for a while and has compacted in the bin) can add up to 25% extra flour by compacting it into the cup. I suggest weighing flour using a kitchen scale, or scooping the flour with a spoon to fill your measuring cup.
- Ovens can sometimes run hotter than others, causing your cupcakes to overbake using the baking times I've listed above. If this is your first time using this recipe, I'd suggest watching the cupcakes starting 5 minutes earlier than the times listed, just in case your oven does run hot.
Can this be make with cup for cup gluten free flour?
Hi Debra, I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I can't say for sure if it would work or not. If you decide to give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Hi Heather:
Thank you for your reply. I am going to try it with a cup for cup measure since I have to be gluten free. I will let you know how it turns out.
Thank you!
HI Heather. I made these cupcakes with King Arthur Gluten Free flour. Cup for cup measure. Other than being slightly salty , I think it might have been the flour and I might need to adjust the recipe to omit the salt next time.they came out perfect!
So glad to hear, thank you for reporting back Debra!
Cupcakes came out too buttery, almost like cornbread. Hmmm.
Hi Medrano, did you substitute any ingredients in the recipe?
I will be baking these a day in advance. Should I replace the butter with oil since they will be stored in the fridge overnight?
Hi Steph, I haven't tried this particular recipe using oil, so I can't say for sure how that would turn out. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Hi! Excellent recipe! I’ve made these a few times now and they’re always SO fluffy & light! Is it possible to make a chocolate sponge using the same recipe, rather than just using a different chocolate sponge recipe (sub in some cocoa for flour)? They’re just so fluffy I wanted to try and stick with this recipe. Thanks!
Hi Laura! I haven't tried adding cocoa to this recipe, so I can't be sure how it would turn out. Cocoa would change the acidity of the recipe, so I think the leavening agents would need to be adjusted and the flour reduced slightly.
I do have a chocolate cupcake recipe on the site, but it uses some different ingredients: https://thetoastykitchen.com/easy-homemade-chocolate-cupcakes/
This is truly one of the absolute BEST cupcakes I have ever had or made!!!!
I made them for a friends birthday yesterday and could not believe how delicious!
So I made another batch this morning too be sure I want dreaming.😋
Thank you very much!
Happy New Year 🥳
Hello 🙂 , was wondering what kind of milk you use 2% or whole?
Hi Kayla, I've made this recipe with whole milk and 2% and both work just fine!
Hello,
I made these but must have done something wrong. They turned out delicious but very dense. Help me. What did I do wrong?
Hi Merrilee, there are several factors that could cause your cupcakes to turn out dense. Is your baking powder possibly expired? Creaming together the butter and sugar also creates an emulsion that when baked, helps your cupcakes rise - possibly they weren't creamed together long enough? Did you use cake flour? All-purpose flour will make a less tender cupcake too. It's hard to say without being there what went wrong, but I hope this helps!
Made these with my 3 1/2 yr old granddaughter and they were amazing. Had so much fun piping on the icing: hers were squiggles but she was so proud. Cannot wait to try your other recipes!
Ms. Heather, I'm 61 years old, This is the BEST TASTING CUPCAKE EVER!!!!, HOWEVER WOULD YOU PLEASE HELP ME, I TRIED USING THE RECIPE SERVING BAR TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CUPCAKES I NEEDED, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A BATCH OF THREE DOZEN (36) WOULD I ROUND UP OR DOWN. WHAT WOULD 3.6 CUP CAKE FLOUR, 4.8 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER, 1.2 CUP BUTTER, 3.6 TEASPOONS EXTRACT, 2.4 CUPS SUGAR, 7.2 LARGE EGGS, 1.2 CUP MILK. PLEEASSSE!!!! HELP ME WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEM FOR THE WEEKEN, SPECIAL LITTLE GIRL BIRTHDAY!!!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE.
Hi Carol, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! I'd recommend making enough batter for 40 cupcakes, then either discarding the leftover batter or making a few extra just in case. This way, your ingredients (like egg whites) will have even measurements. I also noticed that the servings are only going to 30 in the recipe card - I will work on fixing that. Here are the measurements for 40 cupcakes:
4 cups cake flour
5 1/3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/3 teaspoons salt
1 1/3 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 large egg whites (room temperature)
1 1/3 cups milk (room temperature)
THANKS A MILLION!!!!!, WILL CONTINUE TO CHECK FOR THE UPDATED SERVING AMOUNT, THIS IS WHAT I COULD ALSO USE WHEN MAKING SOMETHING SWEET FOR A BIZZARE OR FUND RAISER!!!!, IT WOULD REALLY HELP AND MAKE THINGS EASIER!!!!!
You're welcome! I've updated the adjustable servings in the recipe card - it should now show as a field where you can type in any quantity you like.
Can you make this into mini cupcakes?
I haven't tried it myself, but it should work! Mini cupcakes are made with 1/3 the batter, so this recipe will make 45 mini cupcakes. I'd try baking them for about 9-11 minutes. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Thank you so much for the quick reply!
Disappointed in that the recipe only made 11 cupcakes (filled 3/4 way up the liner). They taste great though! I followed the recipe exactly, but the batter only whipped up to be a very small amount. Now I have to go make another batch.
I can't wait to try it out
Yum! Looking forward to trying it... like, now!
What size scoop is used in the video? Thank you.
Hi Tony, I used a large cookie scoop in the video, which is 3 tablespoons.
Do i need to sift the dry ingredients?
Hi Lee-Ann, yes, you will sift your ingredients in step two.
It is very very good ,thank you .
Hi Heather!
Looks like a great recipe and was hoping to make rainbow cupcakes for pride. That being said I have two questions. 1. Is this a good recipe to add food colouring to? Gel colouring of course. 2. Can you use carton egg whites instead of egg whites from fresh eggs?
Thanks!
Yes, this is a great recipe to add gel dye, and yes you can use egg whites from a carton! One egg white should be about 2 tablespoons of liquid egg whites.
Amazing! Thanks for the reply!
Hi Heather. Just wanted to thank you for the great recipe. I added baking cocoa as well. The taste and the texture was perfect. Thanks again.
Wait so do the egg whites have to be whipped up before I put them in? Or I just add them from the shell? Sorry, just once I used a recipe that had to have the egg whites whipped up but I didn't do it. Just being cautious 🙂
ALso I LOVE your blog. Keep up the great work!
Hi Anna, the egg whites can go directly into the bowl and do not need to be whipped first. I'm so glad you enjoy the site! 🙂
Hi Charity, I'm sorry hear that your cupcakes didn't turn out. Yes, all of the photos on the website are my personal photos of each recipe. There is also a video posted of the recipe (which is also my own). It's hard to say without being in the kitchen with you as to what went wrong.
Creaming together the butter and sugar shouldn't take long, maybe one minute with a hand mixer. I used regular white granulated sugar and brown vanilla extract (but clear vanilla extract would also work and shouldn't affect the texture of the cupcakes). I use Swans Down cake flour.
Did you use eggs or egg whites for this recipe? Using whole eggs (instead of just the whites) would make the cupcakes yellow instead of white, and also change the texture. The cupcakes will brown very lightly on the tops but shouldn't be yellow throughout.
Thank you! Looking forward to having these for Easter dessert! 🙂
If I were to use this recipe for a 9x13 pan would I need to double the recipe?
Hi Nicole! Yes, you'd want to double this recipe to bake in a 9x13 pan. I have a post for vanilla sheet cake that may help (it's not this exact recipe, but can be followed to turn this recipe into a sheet cake as well): https://thetoastykitchen.com/vanilla-sheet-cake/
Love it my family loved it easy to make
Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe Lily!
Is the butter salted or unsalted?
And in the cake mix recipe, is the vanilla, vanilla extract like in the buttercream recipe?
Thank you!
Butter is unsalted - if you only have salted butter, I would omit the salt in the recipe.
Vanilla is vanilla extract. I will update that in the recipe card!
Thank you so much! Making these today!
Can we freeze these
Hi Jacqui, yes cupcakes can be frozen. I'd suggest allowing them to cool completely, wrap them in plastic, then store in an airtight freezer bag or container. Cakes and cupcakes are usually best within a month after freezing, but if stored well, could last up to three months in the freezer.
If you'd like to freeze frosted cupcakes, I'd suggest placing them, uncovered, in the freezer for an hour. Then, gently wrap in plastic and store in a tightly sealed container.
These tasted amazing!! I also used your buttercream recipe and it too, was amazing!! However I did something wrong and my cupcakes didn't crown very well, they actually look like flat pancakes on top. I know it is something I did, can you tell me what I should do differently next time?! 🙁
Hi Melisa, I'm glad to hear that you love the cupcakes! A few things can affect the rising of your cupcakes. Your baking powder could be expired. If you over-mix the batter, sometimes this can cause the cupcakes to sink in the middle as they bake. Or, opening the oven door while your cupcakes are baking can cause them to rise less. It's hard to say without being in the kitchen with you, but these are a few things off the top of my head!
Heather,
Thank you so much for the quick response! I bet I over mixed the batter. My baking soda was brand new and I didn’t open the door. I had a feeling I over mixed as I was doing it. So I bet you that was it. Next time I’ll be more aware while mixing! Thanks again! 😁
Not sure if you will see this but the recipe calls for Baking POWDER, NOT Baking SODA. Maybe that was your issue.
I accidentally grabbed the baking soda instead of powder didn’t realize til I mixed it in! 🙁 ended up sinking when I took them out! People said they were great but I was so disappointed I messed up!
Heather, you were right. This was the perfect recipe to modify.
For the cake, I used lavender sugar instead of regular sugar and about .5 tsp of lavender
For the buttercream, I added lemon zest from one large lemon.
Thanks for getting me to the perfect lavender and lemon combination!
Hi Lisa, glad to hear you enjoyed the cupcakes!
hii thk u so much its so delicious my kids love it
thk u 😘😘😘
The cupcakes stuck to the liners I used, and the tops are sticky. I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong, if anything. Any ideas? Can I save them or do I need to start over?
Hi Sarah! Sometimes cupcakes will be sticky on top if they're cooling in a humid environment, or if they're stored in a container before they've cooled all the way through, which causes condensation to collect on top. Could this be the case?
If you're frosting the cupcakes, I wouldn't worry much about the sticky tops, and just frost over them.
I've had cupcakes stick to the liners if they were still slightly warm in the middle, when I didn't let them cool all the way through before unwrapping. Once they cool all the way, they should shrink a little, making them easier to pull away from the liners.
Can I use all purpose flour… I can’t stand the taste of cake flour. If so would I add other ingredients or change the amount of flour.. if so what to?
Hi Makaila, yes, you can replace the cake flour with all-purpose flour in equal amounts. Your cupcakes will have a coarser texture that readers have described as a 'cornbread' type texture, in comparison to using cake flour, which makes a tender, smaller crumb.
Can I make a double batch?
Hi Jessica, yes this recipe can be doubled to make 30 cupcakes! If you hover over the servings in the recipe card, a bar will pop up allowing you to adjust the serving size and will update the ingredients with the correct amounts.
Does this taste like a normal cupcake mix or does it have a different taste
Hi Sonia, to be honest I've never compared it to a boxed cupcake mix, but they probably taste similar. The biggest difference would probably be the texture, these cupcakes will have a smaller crumb, and will be more tender and moist.
Can you make this into a cake instead of cupcakes?
Hi Marcy, the recipe as written for 15 cupcakes will also make a 3 tiered 6 inch cake. The baking time would be about 18-20 minutes for the 6 inch cake pans. I also have a layer cake recipe using this same cake as the base here: https://thetoastykitchen.com/strawberry-filled-white-cake/
He can I turn this recipe into a 2 layer 8 inch cake?
Hi Laura, yes this recipe written as is should make a 2 layer 8 inch round cake!
I love a classic white cake! Thanks for sharing!