Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

With a whisk and a bowl, you can easily whip up these delicious vanilla cupcakes.   

vanilla cupcake recipe for 6 cupcakes @createdbydiane

 

There are so many reasons I love this recipe…

  • first is they taste amazing,
  • second, they are super easy to make-which means they can be made at a moments notice.
  • third, and a small batch means they are great anytime, you won’t feel tempted to eat so many if portion control on desserts is an issue (I sure know it can be for me).

No mixer needed, but you can use one of you prefer.

This recipe makes 6 cupcakes. (Double it if you’d like 12)

 

Since this is a small batch there aren’t too many ingredients and it doesn’t take much effort to mix them.

 

Now the whipped cream is another story, you may want to whip it with a whisk attached immersion blender, hand mixer, or stand mixer. Mixing by hand is always an option but yes it takes and few minutes which may seem like forever if you haven’t whipped cream by hand before.

I have an immersion blender that has a whisk attachment I often use when I don’t need an arm workout!

 

Now you can top these cupcakes with any type of frosting you like, I find that whipped cream is just perfect for a light and not too sweet topping, but if you prefer buttercream frosting here is my recipe for buttercream frosting.

-birthday cupcakes vanilla cake whipped cream and sprinkles @createdbydiane

 

Whether you want to celebrate a small or large accomplishment cupcakes are always the answer….

from a job promotion to stellar grades on a report card, birthday or anniversary celebration or just because someone needs a little cheering up this is the perfect recipe.

You can be enjoying these in under an hour. Now that is cause for celebrating!

 

STABILIZED whipped cream www.createdbydiane.com

Be sure to check out my stabilized whipped cream recipe here.

Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

Delicious vanilla cupcakes with a lightly sweetened whipped cream frosting suitable for any occasion.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: cupcakes, Dessert, Frosting
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Whipped Cream Frosting

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • *add a tablespoon of dry milk if not serving soon so the whipped cream does not weep.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°
  • In a bowl whisk sugar with the egg.
  • Add in flour, milk, butter, oil, baking powder, and vanilla until it's all smooth and well blended.
  • Place 3 tablespoons of batter into each of the cupcake liners.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove cupcakes and place on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting

  • Whip heavy cream with sugar, pipe onto cupcakes with a star tip I use a 2D or 1M piping tip and a piping bag.

 

small batch 6 chocolate cupcake and frosting recipe @createdbydiane

Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes (6 cupcakes)

vanilla cupcakes small batch with whipped cream frosting @createdbydiane

 

If you like baking and want to bake better cookies be sure to check out my cookie guide.

small batch vanilla cupcake recipe from @createdbydiane

22 Comments

    1. It’s a matter of opinion, I’ve used both and prefer granulated sugar more often than not, and have never had it be grainy, it takes time to whip and there is plenty of liquid to be sure it’s absorbed. If you prefer confectioners sugar, go right ahead and use it. As far as better… that’s opinion.

  1. This recipe looks easy enough! I was thinking… Do you think 375 for 18-20 minutes is too high? I’m just worried it’ll burn?

    1. I baked many batches of this small batch recipe to get a proper rise on the cupcake and perfect texture. I also use an additional oven thermometer to be sure the oven is at the proper temperature. Baking them at 375 was a perfect result. If your oven runs way hot, then you’ll need to adjust accordingly, I always suggest an oven thermometer they are a few dollars and really tell you what temperature your oven is at vs the oven just being set and you “hoping” it’s correct. At 350 the cupcakes will be flatter and they need to bake longer and they were slightly drier in my test batches.

    1. 375° Fahrenheit, in Celsius, it looks like 190.5 but feel free to google it if you typically use a specific metric conversion as I only know Fahrenheit temperatures. I just used Google to find the answer.

  2. Hi Diane,

    Thank you for the recipe. I decided to use it today for my small cupcake order. I love how easy your recipe was to follow. I noticed you referenced “eggs” in your recipe. I used only 1. I was actually able to make 7 nice cupcakes from your recipe 🙂 1 extra for me. Lol

    Ok..here I go. First attempt was not so great. After 18 minutes in the oven @ 375 degrees they turned out extremely dark not light and pretty as in your cupcake picture 🙁 After they cooled completely, the rims were so hard and dry! I could not sell these to a customer so I decided to try again.

    I lowered my oven to 350 degrees and baked for 20 minutes instead. I was soooooo happy! They turned out much better the second time around. I think I could have gone 18 minutes and they would be even better. They turned out much lighter than the first batch but still not as light as the ones you have pictured. How are yours so light colored?

    Thank you again! I am certain my customer is going to love them.

    1. The color of the cupcakes will depend on a few things, how dark your vanilla is, how dark in color your butter is, what type of pan you use, the oven temperature. I do not use dark baking pans. I use heavy pans, they are nordic ware I believe. I have an extra thermometer I place in my oven and I double-check it before I put my cupcakes in the oven. I also preheat my oven for a while so there isn’t such an up and down in temperature, at least 15 minutes. But it’s not uncommon for my oven to be on for hours if I baking lots of recipes. So be sure you know exactly the temperature of your oven. Start checking your cupcakes about 5 minutes before you think… that will certainly help prevent over baking. I test mine every minute or two (same with cakes) minutes matter when baking. Test with a toothpick in the center and it should just be becoming dry, not “really dry and firm, that will cool to be very dry” The test before the final minute will have some cake stuck on the toothpick, then it’s usually just 1 more minute. If you are selling baked goods I suggest making a batch and bake one or two cupcakes in the center of the pan, in the center of the oven (maybe one rack up from center) and test batches to be absolutely sure. Make it three times with the batch you like most and you’ll have your timing and temperature correct. I made these cupcakes more than 5 times before posting, so oven temp is important, be sure you have an extra thermometer to place in the oven. And also test the oven temperature in various places of your oven if you think it’s off… you’ll have to adjust for that as well. Some ovens have hot spots! I baked all the batches using all the other same items(cupcake liners, baking pan) I immediately place my pans on cooling racks that sit about4 inches above the counter to cool.
      Even cupcake liners can bake up differently. Mostly I think it’s the oven itself. I have an electric oven, I’ve been baking in the oven I have for 18 years, so I know it well. I use glassine baking liners for the cupcakes and I like them far better than just paper liners. And yes it’s only 1 egg (It was a typo me typing 1 eggs, I corrected it thanks for letting me know there was an error)
      If you haven’t seen my cupcakes guide you can find it here, there’s a lot of info in it.
      Hope that is helpful, you’ll have to let me know how they turn out.

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