Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (2024)

  • Cakes

If you love vanilla flavor, these are the desserts for you!

By

Sheena Chihak, RD

Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (1)

Sheena Chihak, RD

Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 17 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital.

Learn about BHG's Editorial Process

and

Sarah Martens

Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (2)

Sarah Martens

Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years.

Learn about BHG's Editorial Process

Updated on January 19, 2024

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (3)

Vanilla cakes and cupcakes, including simple plain white cakes and cupcakes, as well as more upscale versions such as a cozy rum-infused variation, make irresistible desserts everyone will love. Plus, we fill you in on darling ways to dress up these classic treats!

Classic Vanilla Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (4)

Forget glitzy sprinkles and elaborate icings. Simplicity is best when it comes to classic vanilla cake. Cover the nostalgic dessert in swirls of pure white frosting made with a special ingredient: sour cream.

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Simple White Cupcakes with Creamy Frosting

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (5)

Simply classic, these tender vanilla cupcakes are ready to be dressed up with a swirl of creamy frosting and your favorite toppers. Make the frosting with a combination of butter and cream cheese.

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Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (6)

The mellow flavor of vanilla partners with rich almond extract and tart cherry juice in these dreamy pink desserts. Hide a maraschino cherry in the center of each cupcake for a sweet surprise.

9 Healthy Cherry Recipes to Add Sweet-Tart Flavor to Your Meals

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Vanilla Sparkling Wine Pound Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (7)

Make tea time sweeter with a slice of this luscious vanilla pound cake. We add a splash of sparkling wine to its special homemade glaze to give the cake some crisp flavor.

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Vanilla Ruffle Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (8)

When it comes to pretty vanilla cakes, ruffles never go out of style. Use a frosting-filled pastry bag to pipe adorable pink ruffles onto this plain Jane cake. Watch our step-by-step video for tips and tricks on how to decorate!

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Vanilla Cake with Buttercream, Berries, and Jam

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For an elegant dessert, place fresh berries and swirls of buttercream frosting between stacks of soft vanilla cake. Don't forget to drizzle on strawberry jam for extra fruity flavor.

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Italian Cream Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (10)

Flaky coconut, crunchy pecans, and smooth spoonfuls of cream cheese frosting take this simple vanilla cake from bland to beautiful. The Italian-inspired cake makes a delicious addition to any party or special occasion.

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Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (11)

Vanilla infuses these mouthwatering cupcakes with its inviting flavor and aroma. Toasted coconut adds a subtle touch of color and flavor as a garnish.

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Japanese Christmas Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (12)

While this dessert is commonly made during the month of December, it's delicious vanilla cake recipe to try any time. Layers of tender sponge cake, vanilla cream, and strawberries make this a total showstopper. To complement the vanilla flavor, the baked cake layers are brushed with an orange liqueur mixture.

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Million Dollar Pound Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (13)

Our readers have called this cake "yummy" and "a go-to recipe." We love the moist cake topped with whipped cream and berries. For even more vanilla flavor, soak your berries in a little vanilla bean paste and sugar before topping the pound cake.

Our Best Million Dollar Recipes Are Rich and Decadent

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French Yogurt Cake with Apricot-Cherry Compote

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (14)

Here, vanilla yogurt is the secret to adding flavor and moisture to this simple cake. If you can't find French-style yogurt in the grocery store, Greek yogurt makes a great substitute. Once baked and cooled, top the finished cake with a homemade apricot-cherry compote and more vanilla yogurt.

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Vanilla Bean Cake with Pecan Praline Glaze

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (15)

Two full vanilla beans in the batter ensure this cake recipe is full of flavor. It's great on its own but a drizzle of pecan praline glaze takes it over the top. We recommend letting the praline set before slicing and serving.

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Malted Vanilla Cake

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (16)

Rather than vanilla extract, our Test Kitchen recommends using vanilla bean paste in this layer cake recipe. Make the homemade malted vanilla frosting with more vanilla, butter, evaporated milk, and malted milk powder.

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Our 13 Best Vanilla Cake and Cupcake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good cupcakes? ›

Top Tips for Baking Better Cupcakes
  • Read the Recipe. Read the recipe all the way through first. ...
  • Check Oven Temperature. ...
  • Check the Dates. ...
  • Substitute with Caution. ...
  • Use the Right Temperature. ...
  • Take Time to Sift. ...
  • Measure with Care. ...
  • Cream the Ingredients.

How old is the oldest cupcake? ›

Amelia Simmons invented the cupcake in 1796 when he wrote a recipe called “a light cake to bake in small cups” in her book named “American Cookery”.

How many cupcakes does it take to make the number 50? ›

You will need 54 cupcakes total for the number 50. Please refer to the number template below to see how many cupcakes you will need for number(s). FOR THE VANILLA CUPCAKES: 6 cups all-purpose flour.

Why are cupcakes called 1234? ›

In later years, when the use of volume measurements was firmly established in American home kitchens, these recipes became known as 1234 cakes or quarter cakes, so called because they are made up of four ingredients: one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs.

How do you keep cupcakes moist and fluffy? ›

"If you've baked them to eat right away, we recommend storing cupcakes at room temperature," says LaMontagne. "But if they're for tomorrow, freezing them will retain their moisture much better than leaving them on a countertop overnight."

What not to do when baking cupcakes? ›

10 Common Mistakes That You May Be Making When Baking Cupcakes
  1. You use the wrong kind of flour. ...
  2. You use expired ingredients. ...
  3. You don't measure your ingredients with precision. ...
  4. You bake the cupcakes for too long! ...
  5. You don't cream the butter and sugar properly. ...
  6. You use cold eggs and butter. ...
  7. You frost your cupcakes too soon.

What does "cupcake" mean for a girl? ›

Older Slang. a sexually attractive young woman. a beloved girl or woman.

What country is known for cupcakes? ›

It will come as no surprise to you that the cupcake was first made in America. Cake itself has been around in some form since ancient times but the first references to 'a cake to be baked in small cups' rather than as a layer cake was in Amelia Simmons' 'American Cookery' book in 1796.

What did cupcakes used to be called? ›

Cupcakes, also called Number cakes, referred to a new style of cake which they made by measuring out the ingredients by volume, rather than weight. The easy-to-remember recipe required one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs.

How many cupcakes do I need for 200 guest wedding? ›

For a wedding in which there will be an appetizer, meal, cupcakes and other desserts, you should plan on 1.25 cupcakes per guest. However if you are offering more than one flavor of cupcake you should plan for 1.5 cupcakes per guest as a few people will likely try other flavors.

What kind of cake feeds 50 people? ›

Choose the right size of cake: Generally, a 6" cake serves about 12 people, an 8" cake serves about 24 people, a 10" cake serves about 36 people, and a 12" cake serves about 50 people.

What is the oldest cupcake? ›

The idea behind making tiny cakes was elaborated in 'American Cookery', a 1796 cookbook by Amelia Simmons. However, the word 'cupcake' itself did not come about until 1828, when celebrated author and cooking expert Eliza Leslie published her cookbook 'Receipts', which included the recipe for the first cupcake.

What were hostess cupcakes called? ›

The Hostess CupCake was first sold on May 10, 1919. According to author Andrew F. Smith, it was the first commercially produced cupcake, originally produced by the Taggart Bakery as the Chocolate Cup Cake.

Who ate the most cupcakes? ›

Thirteen people competed in the Second Annual World Cupcake Eating Championship Saturday at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo. Combined, this group ate nearly 700 cupcakes. The winner was Pat “Deepdish” Bertoletti from Chicago. He ate 72 cupcakes in under six minutes, setting a world record.

What's the most important ingredient in a cupcake? ›

Flour is the main ingredient of the batter and provides the base for the cupcake. Butter or oil provides flavor, tenderizes the batter and helps provide volume.

Are cupcakes better with milk or water? ›

Most box cake recipes will tell you to add water to the mix. Instead, try adding milk using the same proportions. This will make the cake richer and creamier because it ups the fat content. You can even use buttermilk here for a pleasant tang.

How to stop cupcakes from doming? ›

Check the temperature once your oven is preheated—if it's much higher, check your oven's manual to calibrate it so that 350 degrees actually means 350 degrees. Patterson also suggests simply lowering the temperature by 10 degrees if you notice your cakes significantly doming all the time.

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