Vanilla cupcakes are a classic treat anyone will enjoy! These are fluffy and moist, and with a dollop of buttercream and sprinkles, they turn into the perfect birthday cupcake. They're also very easy to make, so definitely give them a go.
cupcakes
Total
52 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
22 min
Cool
15 min
Contains
gluten
Swap out
soy
Free from
peanut
tree nut
sesame
App Exclusive Recipe
You can view this recipe in the Pick Up Limes mobile app. Become a member and enjoy over 1400 recipes and personalized nutrition.
The batter seemed to be a bit watery, but that might of been because I used Gluten Free flour, tasted really nice the day after
PUL Team - March 31, 2025, 3:26 p.m.
Hi there, Sarah, gluten-free flour isn't always a 1-for-1 sub with all-purpose flour, and can absorb liquid differently than AP flour, so that's likely why! If you still want to try with GF flour, you could try adding a touch more flour next time or letting the batter sit for a few minutes to thicken if experimenting. We've added gluten-free cupcakes to our list of future recipes to consider โจ
Mairin Nic an Iomaire - March 22, 2025, 3:57 p.m.
Will this recipe work with GF flour?
PUL Team - March 22, 2025, 11:44 p.m.
Hey Mairin, we haven't tried so can't say with certainty. Gluten-free flour mixes generally work better than using just one gluten-free flour though, such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour blend. Let us know if you experiment with the recipe ๐ค
Andrea - Nov. 1, 2024, 9:22 p.m.
Those cups look lovely! But please, please, please make more sugar-free recipes for us sugar-free people out there, it would be much appreciated! Thank you :)
PUL Team - Nov. 2, 2024, 3:17 a.m.
Hey Andrea, thanks for the kind words and request. Noted!
In the meantime, in case it helps, you could add some automatic recipe filters on the app if you haven't already. To do so, go into the "Me" tab > select dietary preferences > and then exclude desired ingredients, such as sugar ๐ค
Lia - Aug. 7, 2024, 10:29 a.m.
What an absolute delight! Easy to make and fluffy texture for days! ๐คฉ Iโm curious to know the amount of calories in one cupcake without the frosting. Any indication, @PUL team? Thank you ๐๐ผ
PUL Team - Aug. 8, 2024, 6:17 a.m.
Hey Lia! It means a lot that the cupcakes were enjoyed ๐ there are around 195 calories per cupcake excluding the frosting.
Lia - Aug. 10, 2024, 9:44 p.m.
Thank you so much for your reply ๐๐ผ
Martunia - March 3, 2024, 8:17 p.m.
I made these cupcakes for my birthday party today. The cake part was a delicious classic vanilla flavor, super moist and satisfying, but neither my guests nor I were too crazy about the meringue frosting. Too tangy from the vinegar.
PUL Team - March 5, 2024, 1:27 a.m.
Wishing you the happiest birthday, Martunia! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with the frosting. We appreciate the feedback to help us improve, we've reduced the amount of vinegar to help with the taste. ๐
Alexis Bushnell - Feb. 4, 2024, 11:05 p.m.
These are delicious! I switched the applesauce out for flax eggs because I didn't have the former and they came out perfect. Really tasty and fluffy.
Jana - Nov. 26, 2023, 4:56 p.m.
I made these yesterday and they turned out great. They were super fluffy and deilicious ๐
Jana - Aug. 18, 2024, 1:28 p.m.
These cupcakes are becoming my go-to for every occasion. I absolutely love how thez turn out, even when using the batter for a cake instead of for cupcakes, I was never disappointed ๐ I made the meringue buttercream twice so far. The first time it was perfect and delicious, the second time it fell together. That was my fault though, since I used vegan margarine instead of vegan butter ๐
Lieke - Nov. 23, 2023, 6:18 p.m.
I donโt know what went wrong, but these failed on me big time. In the oven they raised like crazy, but stayed super wobbly. After 25 mins I took them out of the oven. They collapsed. They also didnโt taste good, they had a weird taste to them.
I followed the recipe exactly as written. I didnโt open the oven in the meantime. I didnโt overmix the mixture. What could have gone wrong?
PUL Team - Nov. 23, 2023, 7:26 p.m.
Hey there, Lieke, we're sad to hear that the cupcakes didn't turn out! I wonder if it was related to the leavening agent or oven temperature. Too much leavening agent (baking powder or baking soda) can cause the batter to rise too quickly and then collapse. It can also contribute to a weird (often salty or metallic) taste. Is there any chance you use tablespoons of baking powder instead of teaspoons?
If the temperature in the oven is too high, the outside of the baked goods may set too quickly, causing the structure to collapse as well. If your oven tends to be hotter, turning the temperature down a tad may avoid this. We hope this helps for now, and do let us know if you give the cupcakes another try ๐ค
YUCaโs Japanese Cooking - Nov. 16, 2023, 2:33 a.m.
I baked this cupcake with my 4-year-old daughter and we both loved it! We didn't put the vegan buttercream on top because we didn't have enough ingredients, but the cake itself was already at an impressive level and easy to bake with a child!
Katerina - Sept. 3, 2023, 11:11 a.m.
Hi, where can I find the vegan frosting? Im in NL.
PUL Team - Sept. 5, 2023, 2:26 a.m.
Hey Katerina, we use our own recipe for Vegan Meringue Buttercream Frosting on these! ๐ค
Silvia Natal - Sept. 1, 2023, 11:28 p.m.
So easy to make und you have mostly everything in the kitchen! A quick make and taste so good
Kavita - Aug. 6, 2023, 9:16 p.m.
Light, moist and spongy! My baby girl loves to eat the cake more than the icing!
Rocio Vallejo - July 5, 2023, 9:45 p.m.
Amazing cupcakes !! Soft and fluffy
Jennifer B - April 11, 2023, 4:30 p.m.
Made these for a party, and everyone loved them! I added a little lime juice for extra flavor.
What others say
The batter seemed to be a bit watery, but that might of been because I used Gluten Free flour, tasted really nice the day after
Will this recipe work with GF flour?
Those cups look lovely! But please, please, please make more sugar-free recipes for us sugar-free people out there, it would be much appreciated!
Thank you :)
What an absolute delight! Easy to make and fluffy texture for days! ๐คฉ Iโm curious to know the amount of calories in one cupcake without the frosting. Any indication, @PUL team? Thank you ๐๐ผ
I made these cupcakes for my birthday party today. The cake part was a delicious classic vanilla flavor, super moist and satisfying, but neither my guests nor I were too crazy about the meringue frosting. Too tangy from the vinegar.
These are delicious! I switched the applesauce out for flax eggs because I didn't have the former and they came out perfect. Really tasty and fluffy.
I made these yesterday and they turned out great. They were super fluffy and deilicious ๐
I donโt know what went wrong, but these failed on me big time. In the oven they raised like crazy, but stayed super wobbly. After 25 mins I took them out of the oven. They collapsed. They also didnโt taste good, they had a weird taste to them.
I followed the recipe exactly as written. I didnโt open the oven in the meantime. I didnโt overmix the mixture. What could have gone wrong?
I baked this cupcake with my 4-year-old daughter and we both loved it! We didn't put the vegan buttercream on top because we didn't have enough ingredients, but the cake itself was already at an impressive level and easy to bake with a child!
Hi, where can I find the vegan frosting? Im in NL.
So easy to make und you have mostly everything in the kitchen! A quick make and taste so good
Light, moist and spongy! My baby girl loves to eat the cake more than the icing!
Amazing cupcakes !! Soft and fluffy
Made these for a party, and everyone loved them!
I added a little lime juice for extra flavor.