Small Batch: Vanilla Berry Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
These vanilla cupcakes keep things simple in the best way.
They’re soft, buttery, fluffy, and perfect for birthdays, rainy days, weekend baking, or those days when you just want your kitchen to smell warm and sweet. This recipe makes 12 classic vanilla berry cupcakes with just the right amount of frosting from a small batch buttercream recipe.
Golden crumb, rich vanilla berry flavor, and swirls of creamy frosting that taste straight from a bakery. Tiny edible clouds, basically.
Easy Vanilla Berry Cupcakes Recipe
Makes
12 cupcakes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Bake Time
18 to 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Berry Cupcakes
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar (not packed)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk
1/3 cup berry filling or jam (homemade roasted raspberry strawberry filling recipe here)
For the Vanilla Frosting
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 1 ½ tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Pinch of salt
How to Make Vanilla Berry Cupcakes
Step 1: Prep the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Tiny paper jackets ready for duty.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
flour
baking powder
salt
Set aside.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
This step matters. You’re whipping air into the batter like a culinary weather system.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
At this point the batter already smells suspiciously like happiness.
Step 5: Alternate Dry Ingredients and Milk
Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Combine together.
Pour in the milk. Combine together.
Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Add in berry filling or jam and mix until just combined.
Do not overmix unless your goal is cupcakes with the personality of hockey pucks.
Step 6: Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Completely. Frosting warm cupcakes creates buttery avalanches.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Beat the softened butter until creamy and smooth.
Gradually add powdered sugar, then mix in:
vanilla extract
pinch of salt
milk or cream
Beat until fluffy and spreadable.
If the frosting feels too thick, add a splash more milk. Too thin? Add a little powdered sugar. Frosting is forgiving. It understands that life is complicated.
Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes, add sprinkles if you want an extra flair.
Then stand back briefly to admire your tiny vanilla berry kingdom.
Tips for the Best Cupcakes
Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter.
Don’t overfill the cupcake liners.
For extra moist cupcakes, add 1 tablespoon sour cream to the batter.
Clear vanilla extract keeps frosting bright white for bakery-style cupcakes.
How to Store Them
These cupcakes keep well:
2 days at room temperature in an airtight container
Up to 5 days in the refrigerator
You can also freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months.
