Vanilla Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes are irresistible and delicious. Moist, creamy, and fluffly, made with instant vanilla pudding.

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Super moist and fluffy, everyone will love these easy vanilla cupcakes. So cute, and the perfect serving size for one, cupcakes are one of the easiest desserts to make. Just don't forget the buttercream frosting because a cupcake isn't a cupcake without frosting.

MORE RECIPES: Vanilla Crazy Cake | Vanilla Trifle | Chocolate Chip Vanilla Pudding Cookies

Everyone loves cupcakes, and this quick and easy vanilla cupcake recipe is perfect for birthday parties, baby showers, or any other happy occasion. Simple and bursting with vanilla flavor no one will ever suspect that these cupcakes started with a cake mix.

Doctored cake mix recipes are ideal for beginners as well as more experienced bakers, and the fact that these cupcakes start with a box mix means they come out perfect every single time. Plus, these fluffy cupcakes can be made in less time than baking completely from scratch, and who doesn’t want delicious cupcakes in less time?

Whipping up the three-ingredient buttercream frosting from scratch helps to give the entire cupcake a delicious homemade flavor. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can't get cupcakes with a light, fluffy texture from a boxed mix.  

What you'll need to make this

• 1 box of white cake mix
• 1 (3.5-ounce) box of instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup of vegetable oil
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 cup of sour cream

For The Frosting:

• 1½ cups of room temperature butter
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

Two ingredients make these vanilla cupcakes super moist, instant vanilla pudding and sour cream. The addition of pudding to a recipe is a great way to make any baked good, from cakes to cookies, stay soft. Adding sour cream to the cupcakes lends a little bit of tang to the flavor, similar to using buttermilk in a recipe.

It’s so easy, and delicious, to even further personalize your cupcakes. You could add in sprinkles to make funfetti cupcakes or chop up a candy bar and incorporate those pieces into each cupcake.  

When you are filling your cupcake liners, make sure not to overfill. Only fill the liners just over halfway full to keep them from overflowing once they are baked, and no one wants a lopsided cupcake. After your cupcakes have completely cooled, top them with a dollop of vanilla buttercream and they will be gone in no time.

FIRST STEP: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix and the vanilla pudding.

SECOND STEP: In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream.

THIRD STEP: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

FOURTH STEP: Divide the cupcake batter among 24 cupcake liners in your cupcake pan. Fill each cupcake liner halfway with the batter.

FIFTH STEP: Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. While they are cooling, make the frosting.

SIXTH STEP: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using a hand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.

SEVENTH STEP: Turn on low speed and mix until all the powdered sugar is incorporated into the butter.

If you want to add color to the frosting, add a few drops of your chosen color.

EIGHTH STEP: Turn on high and whip for 30 seconds until the frosting is light and fluffy.

NINTH STEP: Frost the cooled cupcakes and top them with sprinkles if desired.

Cooking Tips 

A trigger-release ice cream scoop makes portioning the cupcake batter easier. Only fill cupcake liners halfway full or they will overflow and cause a muffin top.

Bake cupcakes until the tops are springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cupcakes are prone to easily drying out, so don’t leave them out on the cooling rack longer than necessary. Once cupcakes are cool, make sure to store them correctly.

To change the color of the frosting, simply add a drop or two of food coloring to a bowl of frosting and stir to combine.

Storing this Recipe

IN THE FRIDGE:  It’s best to store unfrosted cupcakes and frosting separately. Plan to frost cupcakes with frosting the same day that you serve them. Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Frosting can also be kept in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and stir until smooth.

IN THE FREEZER: Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw, still covered, on the counter or overnight in the fridge.

Vanilla Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes are irresistible and delicious. Moist, creamy, and fluffly, made with instant vanilla pudding.

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5 from 46 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Calories 157 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3.5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk

Frosting

• 6 sticks (room temperature butter)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

 

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake mix and vanilla pudding.
• In a separate bowl mix together eggs, oil, milk and sour cream.
• Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
• Divide batter among 24 cupcake liners. Fill each cupcake liner half way with batter.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Turn on low and mix until all the powdered sugar is mixed into the butter. Turn on high and whip for 30 seconds until the frosting is light and fluffy.
• Frost cupcakes, and top with sprinkles.

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Notes

• To change the color of the frosting, simply add a drop or two of food coloring to a bowl of frosting and stir to combine. 
• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to keep your batter an even consistency.
• Using an ice cream scoop is a great way to measure your cupcake batter into the paper liners and the easiest way to minimize the mess.
• If you want a bakery perfect swirl of frosting on top, use a pastry bag or fill a Ziploc bag with frosting, snip the corner off, and use it as a piping bag, going in little circles to create a swirled design.

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg

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