Buttery homemade vanilla cupcakes with a texture reminiscent of a pound cake are the perfect pair for your favorite frosting!

Tender vanilla cupcakes with plenty of buttery goodness are a perfect building block for an out of this world dessert. This recipe is perfect for 12 scrumptious cupcakes and are sure to go beautifully with your favorite frosting.
I know I am a couple of years behind the trend, but I think this is going to be a year of cupcakes at our house. We have really been enjoying them.
We are hooked on making pull-apart cupcake cakes. It started with the lamb cupcake pull-apart cake last year, then the grinch cupcake pull-apart cake and the carrot pull-apart cake earlier this spring.

They are one of those desserts that are deceptively easy to put together but make a big impact when they are served. For me they come together more quickly than a layer cake and with less pressure to be perfectly smooth.
Even when not served as a pull-apart cake, cupcakes have a lot of built in benefits. For one, they are easy to serve.
There are no utensils required, just pick one up and go. Plus it’s easy to determine the serving size as it’s not dependent on how generous the cake cutter is!

Not to mention cupcakes are naturally cute. You don’t have to know any fancy techniques to get a nice looking cupcake.
Even a quick smear of frosting and a smattering of sprinkles makes for a nice presentation. If you have a star tip and piping bag, all the better!
When I saw this recipe for cupcakes over on Miz Helen’s, I knew I had to give them a try. I have a fabulous recipe for semi-homemade white cupcakes, but was on the search for a from scratch vanilla cupcake.

This particular recipe gives you nice rounded tops that are perfect for decorating. The neutral flavor will go great with any frosting you can dream of.
I made a fabulous strawberry buttercream for these and will be sharing the recipe later this week. It almost tasted like a strawberry milkshake on top of a cupcake. It just might be my new favorite frosting!
You may also like topping them with silky smooth fudge frosting or sweetened condensed milk buttercream. Otherwise they would be great with Italian meringue buttercream or maybe peach frosting!
What is your all time favorite cake and frosting combination?

Butter Recipe Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners.
- Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup butter
- Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated.2 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt until lump free and airy.1½ cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in the half and half and remaining dry ingredients, again mixing until just combined.¾ cup half and half
- Scoop into lined cupcake tins (using a large cookie scoop makes this job easy!)
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly touched with a finger.
- Cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition

Cendy
Friday 4th of August 2023
I made these and they came out DELICIOUS! Now I’m wondering if I can make this into a cake?
Carlee
Saturday 5th of August 2023
I am so glad you liked them! I don't see why it wouldn't work as a cake. I think I would try it in a 9" cake pan and bake it for like 23-25 minutes. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Lori
Monday 19th of September 2022
I’d love to know where you purchase those paper liners!
Carlee
Monday 19th of September 2022
I couldn't find any with that same design, but here is a link to a solid pink version on Amazon
Carlee
Saturday 8th of June 2019
Thanks for the recipe!
Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies
Tuesday 14th of May 2019
These are calling my name!!
Carlee
Saturday 8th of June 2019
They were so good!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
Monday 6th of May 2019
Buttery cakes are my favorite! I need to try these ASAP!
Carlee
Wednesday 8th of May 2019
You really should!