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Listen friends, I only want the best for you and that includes cake. And that’s why I’ve come up with these super vanilla-y mini vanilla cupcakes! They’re uber tender, moist, and topped with the fluffiest vanilla buttercream. And this recipe makes 60 bite-sized cupcakes so you’ll have plenty for any party, holiday, or moment worth celebrating.

A white platter of mini vanilla cupcakes on a pink backdrop next to a white bowl of sprinkles and glass of milk.

You know that scene from The Office where Kevin is enraged over mini cupcakes? I kind of get where he’s coming from, but also, I definitely team mini.

Here’s the thing. I’ve been baking cupcakes for well over a decade now. I even had a cupcake business to make extra money back when I was in pastry school. And if there’s one thing I know about cupcakes, it’s that most of them will end up half eaten and abandoned, wasting away in their little wrappers.

But the bite size version? Well, they’re just that. One or two bites. So worst case scenario, if someone really wants a whole cupcake, they can just grab a few of these instead.

Like my creamy mini vanilla cheesecakes or these cute little sprinkle cookies, we’re using an ass-ton of vanilla in this recipe. Yes, an ass-ton. Because even though vanilla is considered ‘boring’, it’s actually a super complex flavor. Justice for vanilla!

Anyways, these cupcakes make a great base for any of your favorite fillings or toppings. I love a good classic vanilla buttercream but my coffee buttercream or this fluffy marshmallow buttercream would be so good too!

Vanilla bean paste & extract

White and brown bowls of butter, flour, eggs, sour cream, powdered sugar, oil, sugar, and milk on a tan counter next to bottles of vanilla.

So I tested this recipe with both vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract. For the cupcakes, you really couldn’t taste a difference between paste or extract. All that to say, I would save your pricey paste and stick with extract for the cupcakes. But, the vanilla bean paste is absolutely worth it in the buttercream! Whatever you do, just make sure you’re using a good quality pure vanilla extract.

You will also need all-purpose flour, baking powder, Morton’s Kosher salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, large eggs, sour cream, neutral oil, and whole milk. Plus some powdered sugar for the frosting!

If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, it’s all good. Extract works just as well in the buttercream!

Bake the cupcakes

A silver bowl of creamed butter and sugar on a tan counter.
Cream the butter & sugar until it’s light and fluffy.
A silver bowl of butter, sugar, and eggs on a beige table.
Then, add the eggs one at a time until thoroughly mixed.
A silver bowl of butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream on a beige counter.
Mix in the sour cream, neutral oil, and vanilla extract.
A silver bowl of butter, sugar, eggs, milk, and flour on a tan counter.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, & milk in two batches.
A hand using a scoop to divide vanilla cupcake batter into a mini cupcakes pan.
Next, divide the mixture between 60 mini paper liners.
A pan of mini vanilla cupcakes.
Bake the cupcakes at 350°F (177°C) for 11-12 minutes.

It’s important that you don’t over-mix the batter! Over-mixing can over-develop the gluten which makes the cupcakes dense and dry.

Frost & decorate

A silver bowl of vanilla buttercream with vanilla bean paste on a tan counter.
Beat the butter & powdered sugar. Add the milk, vanilla, & salt.
A silver bowl with fluffy vanilla frosting on a tan table.
Whip the frosting until it’s super light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes.
A hand decorating mini vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream on a white platter next to sprinkles.
Use a piping bag & tip to frost the cooled cupcakes.

The buttercream should be super fluffy, silky, and holding its shape. If it’s still dense after 4-5 minutes, keep whipping for another 2-3 minutes.

A white platter of mini vanilla cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles on a pink background next to a white bowl of sprinkles and a glass of milk.
I like to roll the tops of the cupcakes in sprinkles so they stick!

Ways to decorate

You can truly decorate cupcakes in hundreds (thousands?) of ways, but you are just a bit more limited with tiny ones. There’s just less surface area, ya know? But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a ton of options! I like to keep things simple with sprinkles but here are a few other ideas to try.

  • Top the cupcakes with sprinkles that match the theme of your party.
  • Sprinkle the frosting with Oreo crumbs, chocolate curls, or white chocolate shavings.
  • Tint the frosting with food coloring – pink or green is so cute!
  • Use pre-made toppers (paper or fondant) if you want to keep things extra easy.

Tips for storing & freezing

  • Store – place the cupcakes in an airtight container and keep them at room temp for up to 5 days. They stay soft for a surprisingly long time!
  • Freeze – I like to freeze cupcakes unfrosted, but if they’re already frosted, it’s no big deal. Just place the cupcakes in a single layer in a freezer-safe container. Cover with a layer of parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months.
A cupcake with a bite taken out of it on a white platter next to rows of mini vanilla cupcakes, a glass of milk, and a white bowl of sprinkles with a pink backdrop.

It’s super important to measure ingredients with a scale so they come out amazing 100% of the time! If you don’t have a scale, here’s how to measure the flour. Start by fluffing the flour with a whisk. Spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup until it’s overflowing, and level it off without packing the flour in.

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The Best Mini Vanilla Cupcakes

Yield: 60 mini cupcakes
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Listen friends, I only want the best for you and that includes cake. And that's why I've come up with these super vanilla-y mini vanilla cupcakes! They're uber tender, moist, easy-to-bake, and they're topped with the fluffiest vanilla buttercream. And this recipe makes 60 bite-sized cupcakes so you'll have plenty for any party, holiday, or moment worth celebrating.
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Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • 210 grams all-purpose flour  (1 3/4 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 114 grams unsalted butter,  softened (1/2 cup)
  • 200 grams granulated sugar  (1 cup)
  • 2 large eggs,  room temperature
  • 60 grams full-fat sour cream  (1/4 cup)
  • 60 grams neutral oil  (1/4 cup)
  • 30 milliliters pure vanilla extract (2 Tablespoons)
  • 120 milliliters whole milk (1/2 cup)

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 228 grams unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
  • 480 grams powdered sugar, sifted (4 cups)
  • Pinch of Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
  • 30 milliliters whole milk, plus more as needed (2 Tablespoons)
  • Sprinkles, for decoration (optional)

Equipment

Instructions 

Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a mini cupcake pan with paper liners. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well-combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time until well-mixed. Then, stir in the sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract.
  • Pour half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, followed by half of the milk. Mix on low just until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk, stirring just until the batter comes together. Don't over-mix or the cupcakes will come out dense!
  • Using a #60 scoop, divide the batter evenly between 60 cupcake liners. They'll be about 2/3-3/4 of the way full. (You will need to work in batches if you only have 1 mini cupcake pan). Bake the cupcakes for 11-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cupcakes are ready when an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs on it.
  • Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the pan cool completely before you bake the rest of the cupcakes.

Vanilla Buttercream

  • Add the butter and half of the powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whip attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar until it's smooth. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, beating the mixture until it's well-combined. The frosting will be thick.
  • Add the salt, vanilla bean paste or extract, and whole milk. Whip the frosting on medium-high speed until it's very fluffy, 3-4 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed.
  • Fit a piping bag with a decorative tip. Then, spoon the vanilla buttercream into the bag until it's about halfway full. Pipe the cooled cupcakes with the vanilla buttercream and top with sprinkles, if desired. Serve the cupcakes immediately or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

Notes

For amazing cupcakes every time, measure your ingredients with a kitchen scale! If you don’t have one, you can use measuring cups, but make sure you’re measuring the flour the right way. First, fluff the flour with a whisk. Spoon the fluffed flour into the measuring cup until it’s overflowing and level it off without packing the flour in.
Use good quality butter and vanilla in this recipe, it makes a big difference!
I like vanilla bean paste in the buttercream for a pop of vanilla flavor. But if you don’t have any, vanilla extract works great too!
 
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1mini cupcake, Calories: 113kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 0.9g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 44mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 11g, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 0.4mg
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