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    Home » Cupcakes

    Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil

    Published: Mar 17, 2022 · Modified: Jun 24, 2022 by Madeeha Anwar

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These classic vanilla cupcakes with oil are moist, fluffy and very easy to bake. These cupcakes are packed with strong vanilla flavor and light in texture because of the use of oil which keeps them moist for days. You need a few minutes to bake them and frost them with an amazing butter cream frosting which is super easy to make as well. Love cupcakes? Try my Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes.

    seven vanilla cupcakes with oil on a colorful plate, frosted with butter cream and sprinkles on the top.

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • These vanilla cupcakes with oil are easy to assemble in no time.
    • The texture of these cupcakes is moist and super light.
    • These vanilla cupcakes will stay fresh for days because of the use of oil instead of butter.
    • This recipe will work as a base cupcake recipe for many other flavor such as chocolate cupcakes or strawberry cupcakes.
    • You'll need a few simple pantry ingredients to bake these cupcakes.
    • This is a one-bowl recipe.
    Table of Contents
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Adaptable Base Recipe for Variety of Cupcakes
    • Oil VS. Butter
    • Ingredients (Vanilla Cupcakes)
    • Instructions (Vanilla Cupcakes)
    • Ingredients (Butter Cream Frosting)
    • Instructions (Butter Cream Frosting)
    • Equipment
    • Variations
    • Expert Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • How to Store
    • Related
    • Recipe

    Adaptable Base Recipe for Variety of Cupcakes

    The beauty of vanilla is that it can be paired with so many fruits, berries and chocolate and you cannot go wrong with any of the pairing. I would say you keep this vanilla cupcake recipe as a foundation recipe and feel free to build around it with any flavor of your choice.

    There are so many fillings, numerous flavors and different frosting that you can easily use with this base recipe. The perfect way to create several types of cupcakes using and altering just one simple foundation recipe.

    single vanilla cupcake topped with butter cream frosting on a red table cloth.

    Oil VS. Butter

    The basic difference between these cupcakes and traditional cupcakes recipe is the use of vegetable oil instead of butter.

    Oil makes the cupcakes moist and tender keeping them fresh way longer than the butter cupcakes.

    Oil captures the gases that are released by the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) and it also prevents the formation of gluten in the cupcakes, which then results in moist and tender crumb that we love.

    Ingredients (Vanilla Cupcakes)

    Pro Tip # 1 - Room Temperature Ingredients
    Always use room temperature ingredients (unless otherwise specified) for baking. Ingredients such as butter, eggs and other dairy ingredients like milk, sour cream, yogurt form an emulsion by trapping air inside the batter. The trapped air expands in the oven resulting in perfect baked treats.

    ingredients list for vanilla cupcakes with oil.

    Vanilla Cupcakes:

    • Vegetable Oil: will make the cupcakes moist, fluffy and light in texture.
    • Castor Sugar: used to sweeten the cupcakes.
    • All-Purpose Flour: helps with the structure of these cupcakes. Use a digital scale for perfect results.
    • Baking Powder & Baking Soda: create bubbles in the cupcake batter and helps with the rise of the cupcakes.
    • Salt: balances the sweet flavor and further enhances the cupcakes.
    • Vanilla Extract: is the main ingredients of these cupcakes.
    • Whole Milk: the protein and fat content makes the texture rich.
    • Eggs: helps to bind the ingredients together in the batter.

      Butter Cream Frosting:
    • Butter: use high-quality and unsalted butter.
    • Vanilla extract: use high-quality vanilla extract to get the perfect flavor.
    • Salt: balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
    • Icing Sugar
    • Heavy cream or whipping cream

    Pro Tip # 2 - Digital Scale
    Use a digital scale to measure all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients. To measure with cup, fluff up the all-purpose flour container using a spoon, then scoop out the flour with spoon into the measuring cup. Never scoop out of the container. It may result in more flour than required resulting in dense bakes.

    Instructions (Vanilla Cupcakes)

    These are basic process shots for this recipe. For detailed instructions refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    whisk all-purpose flour in a bowl for vanilla cupcakes.

    1. Take a bowl and add all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside.

    eggs and vanilla added to oil and sugar mixture for vanilla cupcakes.

    2. Cream the vegetable oil and sugar together. Then add eggs and vanilla extract.

    beating the wet ingredients for vanilla cupcakes with an egg beater.

    3. Beat the wet ingredients until incorporated.

    prepared batter for vanilla cupcakes with oil in a medium sized bowl.

    4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The batter will be runny.

    baked vanilla cupcakes with oil in a muffin tray on a blue table.

    5. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill in the cake liners ⅔ and bake at preheated oven at 350 F for 18 – 22 minutes until a wooden stick inserted comes out clean without any liquid.

    6. Let the cupcakes cool completely before applying butter cream frosting on it.

    Ingredients (Butter Cream Frosting)

    ingredients for the butter cream frosting.

    Instructions (Butter Cream Frosting)

    beating the butter and vanilla in a large bowl for butter cream frosting.

    1. Beat the butter and add vanilla and salt. Beat again.

    icing sugar added to the beaten butter in the bowl for buttercream frosting.

    2. Add in the icing sugar.

    butter cream in its final state in the mixing bowl.

    3. Beat until you get the desired consistency of the butter cream icing.

    butter frosting in the piping bag laying on the blue table.

    4. Use your desired tip (I used Wilton 1 M) to ice the cupcakes.

    Equipment

    • Muffin tray.
    • Rubber spatula.
    • Cupcake liners.
    • Ice-cream scoop.
    • Piping bag.
    • Piping tip.
    • Mixing bowls.
    • Electric mixer.

    Variations

    • Chocolate Ganache & Chocolate Chips: Chocolate will perfectly compliment these cupcakes. Use my chocolate ganache recipe to decorate the cupcakes and sprinkle chocolate chips over it.
    • Berries: Pair the cupcakes with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. Frost the cupcakes and add the fruit of your choice on the top of the butter cream frosting.
    • Lemon: If you like tangy lemon-ish flavor, add lemon zest (one teaspoon) in the cupcake batter.
    • Orange: Add one teaspoon orange zest to give these cupcakes zesty orange flavor.
    • Cardamom: Add one teaspoon cardamom powder to the batter to give it a cardamom flavor.
    • Sprinkles: Decorate the cupcakes with colorful sprinkles as I did in this recipe.
    three vanilla cupcakes with oil on a white serving plate on a red table cloth.

    Expert Tips

    • Thin Batter: The consistency of these cupcakes is very thin. Do not panic about it and that's how the batter should be. It will rise properly in the oven.
    • Oven Temperature: Make sure that the oven temperature is 350 F. It is important because every oven is different and the internal temperature of the oven can vary largely. To ensure the temperature is 350 F, use an oven thermometer. If the temperature is not set properly, the cupcakes will sink and you will not get the little dome in the center that is desired for the cupcakes.
    • Do Not Open the Oven Door: It can be tempting to open the oven door while the cupcakes are baking. But it may result in sinking cupcakes as the oven temperature will go down because of the door opening and the outside air coming inside the oven.
    • No Overfilling of Cupcake Liners: Do no overfill the cupcake liners. Use an ice-cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners two-third of the cupcake liners leaving the space on the top so that the cupcakes can rise properly.
    • Fresh Baking Powder/Baking Soda: Make sure the baking powder and baking soda are not expired. They should be fresh or the cupcakes may not rise properly and sink.
    ten vanilla cupcakes with oil placed on the table over red table cloth.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I replace butter instead of oil in this recipe?

    I would not recommend so and I would keep the recipe as is to get the best results. But if you do not have oil on hand, replace it with equal amount of butter.

    Can I use olive oil instead of the vegetable oil?

    Do not use olive oil for this recipe because olive oil has a distinctive taste and will give these cupcakes a nuttier and fruity taste which can overpower other flavors in the recipe. You may also use any other flavorless oil such as canola, corn, sunflower or grape-seed oil.

    Can I make these cupcakes without frosting?

    Yes – absolutely. You can enjoy them without frosting as well.

    Why did my cupcakes sink?

    The oven temperature might be slightly different than 350 F that is required for these cupcakes. Ensure the temperature by using an oven thermometer.

    I do not have a piping bag or tip, how can I frost the cupcakes?

    You may use a ziploc bag and cut the tip and try to frost the cupcakes. You may also put the frosting using the offset spatula or a spoon. However, the results will be different than using a proper piping tip and bag.

    How to Store

    • These cupcakes will stay good for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
    • Do not keep the cupcakes in the refrigerator as they get dry quickly in the refrigerator.
    • To freeze the cupcakes, wrap each cupcake with plastic wrap and add a layer of foil. You can stash it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Do not freeze the cupcakes with frosting or they will be soggy once out of the freezer and thawed.

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    Recipe

    seven vanilla cupcakes with oil on a colorful plate, frosted with butter cream and sprinkles on the top.

    Classic Vanilla Cupcakes with Oil

    Madeeha Anwar
    These classic vanilla cupcakes with butter cream frosting are moist, fluffy and very easy to bake. These cupcakes are packed with strong vanilla flavor and light in texture because of the use of oil which will keep them moist for days. You'll only need a few minutes to bake them and the frosting is super easy as well. Love cupcakes? Try my Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes.
    3.97 from 33 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Cakes
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14 cupcakes
    Calories 273 kcal

    Equipment

    • Muffin tray
    • Electric Mixer
    • Mixing bowls
    • Digital Scale
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons
    • Piping bag
    • Piping tip

    Ingredients
      

    Vanilla Cupcakes

    • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (150 g)
    • 1 cup castor sugar (200 g)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 g)
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.25 g)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml) room temperature
    • ½ cup milk (full fat) (100 ml) room temperature
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil (54 ml)
    • 2 eggs (50 - 55 grams each) room temperature

    Butter Cream Frosting

    • ½ cup unsalted butter (113 g) room temperature
    • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (7.5 ml)
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups powdered/icing sugar (260 g)

    Instructions
     

    Vanilla Cupcakes

    • Preheat the oven at 350 F. Set the 12-muffin tin with cup cake liners and set aside.
    • Take a large bowl and cream oil and sugar together. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract and mix for 2 minutes until well-incorporated.
    • Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in the wet ingredients.
    • Using an ice-cream scoop, fill in the cupcake liners about ⅔ to ¾ leaving the space on the top.
    • Place the muffin tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 18 - 22 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Butter Cream Frosting

    • Take a large bowl and beat the butter until creamy.
    • Add in the vanilla extract and salt. Beat again.
    • Add the icing sugar and heavy cream and beat until combined well.

    Notes

    Thin Batter: The consistency of these cupcakes is very thin. Do not panic about it and that's how the batter should be. It will rise properly in the oven.
    Oven Temperature: Make sure that the oven temperature is 350 F. It is important because every oven is different and the internal temperature of the oven can vary largely. To ensure the temperature is 350 F, use an oven thermometer. If the temperature is not set properly, the cupcakes will sink and you will not get the little dome in the center that is desired for the cupcakes.
    Do Not Open the Oven Door: It can be tempting to open the oven door while the cupcakes are baking. But it may result in sinking cupcakes as the oven temperature will go down because of the door opening and the outside air coming inside the oven.
    No Overfilling of Cupcake Liners: Do no overfill the cupcake liners. Use an ice-cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners two-third of the cupcake liners leaving the space on the top so that the cupcakes can rise properly
    Fresh Baking Powder/Baking Soda: Make sure the baking powder and baking soda are not expired. They should be fresh or the cupcakes may not rise properly and sink.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keyword easy vanilla cupcakes, fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe, one bowl vanilla cupcake recipe with oil, vanilla cupcake recipe
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Linda Andrews

      May 22, 2022 at 9:29 pm

      I love baking and cooking i have been baking and cooking since i was 10 years old my mother show me how to cook at a young age I am glad she did.

      Reply

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