• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Celebrating Sweets
  • All Recipes
  • Dessert
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Cake & Cupcakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts
    • Pies & Tarts
  • Drinks & Cocktails
  • Main Dishes
  • Breakfast
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Fall Favorites
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Drinks & Cocktails
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
×
Home » Cake & Cupcakes » Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

Published: May 30, 2023 by Allison · 554 Comments

  • Share
  • Email
Jump to Recipe

This small batch cupcake recipe makes 5 delicious vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream frosting. For those times that you’re craving a cupcake, you need a quick dessert, or you’re baking for just a few people – this is the recipe to have on hand.

Five cupcakes, made from scratch, ready in minutes. It doesn’t get much better!

Small batch vanilla cupcakes topped with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles.
Jump to:
  • These cupcakes are
  • Small batch cupcake recipe overview
  • Recipe tips
  • Serving and storage
  • More small batch recipes
  • Recipe

These cupcakes are

Quick and easy: Only about 15 minutes of hands on time. No special equipment or techniques needed.

Soft and moist: These cupcakes have a fantastic texture. They bake up soft, moist, and flavorful.

Packed with vanilla: A generous amount of vanilla extract in the cake batter as well as in the frosting gives these cupcakes a classic flavor.

Perfect for small gatherings: If you’re low on ingredients, or only need cupcakes for a handful of people, this is the perfect recipe.

Vanilla cupcake topped with white frosting and sprinkles cut in half.

Small batch cupcake recipe overview

*Full recipe below in recipe card*

Whisk egg and sugar until well combined.

Egg and sugar in a glass bowl.

Add melted butter and vanilla extract.

Small batch vanilla cupcake batter in a glass bowl with a small whisk.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) with the milk.

Small batch vanilla cupcake batter in a glass bowl with a small whisk.

Whisk until fully combined but be careful not to overmix. Transfer the batter into 5 lined muffin cups and bake.

Vanilla cupcake batter in a muffin pan.

Cool completely before topping with frosting.

Closeup of a vanilla cupcake topped with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles.

Recipe tips

  • Make sure your ingredients are measured properly. When making a small batch recipe this is especially important.
  • Don’t overmix the cupcake batter, this can make the cupcakes heavy and dense.
  • Try not to open the oven during bake time. For even baking and a nice rise, it’s best not to move the pan around too much.
  • Prefer a different frosting? You can make a half batch of Strawberry Buttercream or you can add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a of splash of milk to the vanilla frosting recipe to turn it into chocolate frosting.

Serving and storage

Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.

SUBSCRIBE to our free NEWSLETTER – LIKE us on FACEBOOK – Follow on INSTAGRAM

More small batch recipes

  • Chocolate cupcake topped with white frosting and chocolate shavings.
    Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Closeup of a brownie next to a knife
    Small Batch Brownies
  • Closeup of chocolate chip cookies with melty chocolate chips.
    Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Two slices of chocolate cake on a white plate.
    Small Chocolate Cake Recipe

Recipe

Small batch vanilla cupcakes topped with white frosting and sprinkles.

Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

A simple and delicious batch of 5 vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream frosting.
4.67 from 215 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 318kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • ½ cup (60g) all purpose flour, see note
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ¼ cup milk, preferably whole or 2% milk

Vanilla frosting:

  • 5 tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1¼ cups (156g) powdered sugar, plus more if needed
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon milk, plus more if needed

Instructions

Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Place 5 liners in a muffin pan.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour (see note), baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the egg and sugar for about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract and melted butter and whisk until well combined.
  •  Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Add the milk, and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until combined (being careful not to overmix).
  • Divide the batter evenly between 5 muffin cups (each cup will be between ⅔ and ¾ full). Bake for 14-16 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

  • Beat powdered sugar and butter until smooth. Add vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of milk. Beat on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. If the frosting appears too thick, add a little milk, if it appears too thin add a little more powdered sugar.
  • Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag and pastry tip; I use an open star tip. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

Video

Notes

Proper flour measuring: Weigh the flour (preferred) or whisk the flour to lighten it, scoop a heaping portion and level it off with a knife.
Serving and storage: Store frosted cupcakes tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or at cool room temperature for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Recipe and photos updated May 2023: The cupcake portion is the same (with added weight measurements), the frosting makes a slightly larger portion.
Cupcakes adapted from How Sweet It Is

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 83mg | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
« Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Shortcake Recipe »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Aidan

    September 13, 2023 at 1:11 pm

    4 stars
    The texture was different from a normal cupcake; I’m not sure how to describe it. Just not very cakey. I think they’d turn out with that cakey, fluffy texture if you beat the eggs and sugar longer, instead of just whisking for 30 seconds. And it the cupcakes were not very sweet on their own, so be sure to use a frosting. But they were quick, easy, and delicious. I made them to bring a friend when she was feeling blue, and she loved them. I’ll keep the recipe for the next time I need something made up fast.

    Reply
  2. Tabitha

    September 16, 2023 at 12:23 pm

    5 stars
    I love them I did them without milk because I can’t have it and they turned out so good I love the frosty and they are super easy to make.
    LOVE LOVE LOVE

    Reply
    • Allison

      September 21, 2023 at 10:23 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

      Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

About

aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

Dessert Recipes

Half birthday cake with white frosting and colored sprinkles.

Half Birthday Cake – Homemade Funfetti Cake

Slice of eclair cake on a white plate.

Eclair Cake

Stack of M&M Cookie Bars

M&M Cookie Bars

Slice of almond cake on a grey plate topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar,

Almond Cake

Oatmeal raisin cookies on a wooden plate.

Healthy Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Stack of three cereal bars topped with chocolate

Special K Bars (Scotcheroos)

More Dessert Recipes...

Popular Recipes:

Chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream in a white ramekin

Chocolate Mousse

Cookies topped with white chocolate, butterscotch, and chocolate chips.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

Closeup of an M&M cookie topped with chocolate chips and M&M's.

Soft and Chewy M&M Cookies

Loaf of banana nut bread cut open on a piece of parchment paper.

Banana Nut Bread

Baked french toast on a plate

Cinnamon Vanilla Baked French Toast

Stack of three peanut butter bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

More Popular Recipes...

Logo for country living, food network, buzzfeed, msn, delish, good housekeeping

FREE BAKING GUIDE

Tips & Tricks for the Home Baker

Thank you!

Check your email to confirm your subscription.

.

Footer

Connect With Me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright 2013-2023 Celebrating Sweets

All images and content are copyright protected. Please contact me for permission to use my original images. If you want to republish a recipe, please re-write it in your own words, or link back to my post for the recipe.