Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Never Think About What to Make for Dinner for the Next Two Months with My Lazy Cooking Bundle

You'll love these amazing, quick vanilla cupcakes -- they taste gourmet because they're made with instant vanilla pudding resulting in a rich and creamy texture.

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5 from 2 votes

The secret to finding the best vanilla cupcake recipe is going beyond the standard box mix to create something deliciously moist. These cupcakes are soft and fluffy, thanks to the creamy combination of cake mix, sour cream, and instant vanilla pudding. Plus they are topped with a thick, easy, 3-ingredient frosting that makes them taste like they are straight from the bakery.

Need more than one batch? Why not mix it up and bring along our tasty Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes or the fun tropical Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes?

Vanilla Cupcakes ingredients

You will need

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3.5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup milk

For the frosting:

• 6 sticks room temperature butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• food coloring

How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes

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

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

STEP THREE: Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

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

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

Easy Homemade Frosting from Scratch

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
2. Turn on low and mix until all the powdered sugar is mixed into the butter.
3. Turn on high and whip for 30 seconds until the frosting is light and fluffy.
4. Frost cupcakes, and top with sprinkles if desired.

Pro Tip: If you want a bakery perfect swirl of frosting on top, use a pastry bag or a fill a ziploc bag with frosting, snip the corner off, and use it as a piping bag, going in little circles to create a swirled design.

Just a few simple ingredients—like instant pudding and sour cream—are enough to transfer a regular white cake box mix into a truly scrumptious and moist vanilla cupcake. The easy homemade frosting makes this vanilla cupcake recipe extra yummy too!

More dessert recipes you’ll love

• Banana Pudding Pie
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
• Blueberry Hand Pies
• Oreo Pie
• Icebox Cake
• Cool Whip Pie

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

You'll love these amazing, quick vanilla cupcakes — they taste gourmet because they're made with instant vanilla pudding resulting in a rich and creamy texture.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 248kcal

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3.5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 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.

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: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg

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