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.  

Vanilla Cupcakes Ingredients

• White cake mix
• Instant vanilla pudding
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Vegetable oil
• Milk
• Butter
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla

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.

How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes

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

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

THIRD STEP: Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

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

FIFTH STEP: Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

SIXTH STEP: While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.

SEVENTH STEP: 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.

EIGHTH STEP: Frost cupcakes, and top with sprinkles.

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

5 from 40 votes

Author: Shauna

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

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 24

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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

Instructions

 

• 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.

Video

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.

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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