If you’re anything like me and love a classic flavor with a festive twist, then you’re absolutely going to adore this Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe. These cupcakes are ridiculously soft, perfectly moist, and come topped with the most luscious vanilla buttercream frosting you can imagine. Honestly, the first time I made these, I was hooked — and since then, they’ve been my go-to for any celebration that needs a little extra cheer. Stick around, and I’ll walk you through exactly how to get these cupcakes just right every time!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple but Elevated: The ingredients are everyday pantry staples, but combined in a way that yields bakery-quality cupcakes.
Moist & Fluffy Texture: Thanks to the sour cream and oil blend, these aren’t your dry, plain vanilla cupcakes.
Perfect Vanilla Buttercream: Creamy, smooth, and easy to customize with seasonal sprinkles or food coloring.
Great for All Occasions: Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday, or any celebration, you’ll find these cupcakes delight everyone.

A single cupcake held by a woman's hand shows three main parts: the light golden cupcake base with ridged white paper wrapper at the bottom, a flat white cream layer on top covering the whole surface, and a decorative green frosting wreath around the edge. The green frosting is piped in star-shaped dollops, forming a circular border. This border is decorated with small round sprinkles in shiny gold, silver, light blue, and solid white, along with tiny white rod sprinkles and a few white star-shaped sprinkles. The background is plain white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7 - Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream, vanilla cupcake recipe, holiday cupcake ideas, moist vanilla cupcakes, easy buttercream frosting

Ingredients You’ll Need

What I love about this Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe is how the ingredients work together to create cupcakes that feel both classic and special. Plus, nothing fancy here — just good quality basics that you can find in any grocery store. Pro tip: make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature for the smoothest batter.

Flat lay of a small pile of fine white cake flour, a small mound of granulated sugar, a small heap of baking powder, a tiny heap of baking soda, a pinch of salt crystals, a quarter block of pale yellow salted butter, two whole brown eggs with clean shells, a small white bowl filled with thick creamy sour cream, a small white bowl of light golden vegetable oil, a small white bowl containing amber vanilla extract, a small white bowl with whole milk, a small mound of powdered sugar, a small white bowl holding heavy cream, all arranged with perfect symmetry on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997 - Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream, vanilla cupcake recipe, holiday cupcake ideas, moist vanilla cupcakes, easy buttercream frosting

Cake Flour: Using cake flour instead of all-purpose makes the cupcakes tender and light — trust me, it’s worth the extra step.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the batter perfectly and helps with browning.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to give your cupcakes a nice rise.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
Salted Butter: Adds richness; room temperature is key for creaming.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs whip into the batter better, giving structure and moisture.
Full-fat Sour Cream: Adds moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the cupcakes from tasting bland.
Vegetable Oil: Keeps the crumb tender and moist — I prefer canola oil as a nearly flavorless alternative.
Vanilla Extract: The star flavor — use a good quality one for real vanilla goodness.
Whole Milk: Helps to thin the batter and creates a smooth consistency.
Powdered Sugar: For the buttercream, it creates that silky, spreadable texture.
Heavy Cream: Adds richness and helps achieve the perfect buttercream consistency.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

I’m a big fan of playing around with this recipe to fit whatever mood or occasion I’m baking for. The beauty of this Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe is how easy it is to make it your own—whether you want to add a festive flair or tailor it to dietary needs.

Chocolate Dip: One year, I dipped the cooled cupcakes halfway in melted chocolate and let them set — my family went nuts over that combo!
Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter for a cozy holiday twist.
Vegan Option: You can swap sour cream for coconut yogurt and use dairy-free butter and milk alternatives—just check your leavening to be sure.
Colorful Icing: Add food coloring to your buttercream and sprinkle with festive decor for holidays or birthdays.

How to Make Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Liners

First things first: preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). I like to line two cupcake pans with liners—generally about 16 cupcakes total. You can bake in batches if you only have one pan. This little step helps keep the cupcakes from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.

Step 2: Mix The Dry Ingredients

Grab a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer and whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures everything is evenly distributed and prevents any weird pockets of baking powder later on. When I first tried skipping this step, the texture was uneven — lesson learned!

Step 3: Cream the Butter In

Add your softened butter to the dry mix and beat on medium-low speed for about 3 minutes. You’re aiming for a fine crumb texture, like soft sand. Don’t rush this part—it makes the crumb lovely and tender. Scrape down the sides occasionally to make sure it’s all mixed well.

Step 4: Whisk Together the Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk your eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until nice and smooth. This little combo is my secret to moist cupcakes that don’t feel heavy or greasy.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry, Then Add Milk

Pour your egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mix. Beat on medium speed for just about 30 seconds—don’t overmix here or your cupcakes might get dense. Then, reduce the speed to low and slowly add in your whole milk until the batter is just combined. It’ll be quite liquidy, but that’s exactly how it should be for fluffy cupcakes.

Step 6: Bake to Perfect

Fill your cupcake liners so they’re just a bit over halfway full—anything less and they may turn out flat, and too much will cause them to overflow. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. After baking, move your pans to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Step 7: Whip Up the Vanilla Buttercream

Beat softened butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. Then add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Start on low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly everywhere, mix for a minute, scrape the bowl, and then whip on medium for another 2 minutes. If your buttercream is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar; if it’s too thick, a touch more cream does the trick. I’ve found this adjustment step is key to getting that perfect spreadable but pipeable consistency.

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Pro Tips for Making Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe

Room Temperature Ingredients: I once skipped letting my eggs and butter warm up and ended up with a lumpy batter—warming them beforehand makes mixing smoother and cupcakes lighter.
Don’t Overmix: Mixing just until ingredients come together keeps your cupcakes tender, not rubbery.
Use Cake Flour: This one changed everything for me; cake flour creates the soft texture that all good vanilla cupcakes need.
Adjust Buttercream Consistency: Don’t be afraid to play with powdered sugar and cream amounts until your buttercream spreads and pipes perfectly—this trick saved many of my first batches!

How to Serve Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe

Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe - Serving

Garnishes

I love topping these cupcakes with colorful sprinkles—especially seasonal ones like red and green for Christmas or pastel shades for spring. Sometimes, I’ll add a small edible glitter or a few chopped nuts for texture. You’ll find that a simple garnish really completes the look and adds a little surprise crunch.

Side Dishes

These cupcakes are delightful on their own but pair beautifully with hot chocolate, spiced tea, or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream if you want to get fancy. For holiday parties, I like having fruit platters or simple vanilla pudding alongside to keep things light.

Creative Ways to Present

Once, for a family Christmas, I arranged the cupcakes in a wreath shape on a large platter and used fresh mint leaves and cranberries as decoration around them—everyone loved how festive it looked and it made the table feel extra special. You can also try cupcake stands or individual clear boxes tied with a ribbon for gifting.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftovers (and honestly, who doesn’t!), store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. I’ve found they stay moist for up to 3 days. Before frosting, I like to let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to soften.

Freezing

I’ve had great success freezing unfrosted cupcakes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transferring them to a freezer-safe bag once solid. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before frosting. The buttercream also freezes well if stored in an airtight container, just give it a quick whip before serving.

Reheating

To freshen up refrigerated cupcakes, heat them for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave—it’s crazy how just a little warming brings back that fresh-baked softness. Don’t overdo it though, or you might melt the frosting!

FAQs

Can I make these cupcakes gluten-free?

Absolutely! You can substitute the cake flour with a gluten-free flour blend that’s designed for baking. Just be sure to check if it includes xanthan gum or add some yourself to help with texture. You might notice a slightly different crumb, but the flavor will still shine through.
What’s the best way to get the buttercream smooth and lump-free?

Using room temperature butter is key, as it whips up nicer and creates a fluffy base. Also, sift your powdered sugar before adding it; this prevents lumps. Beat the mixture sufficiently—usually 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed—and scrape the bowl often for an even whip.
Can I prepare the cupcakes and buttercream ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake the cupcakes a day or two ahead and store them in an airtight container. Make the buttercream up to 3 days in advance, keeping it covered tightly in the fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature before using and re-whip if necessary.
Why does my cupcake batter look runnier than usual?

This batter is supposed to be on the runnier side because of the milk and oil combination, which helps keep the cupcakes moist. Don’t worry; this is normal for this particular recipe!

Final Thoughts

I truly hope you give this Festive Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Recipe a try—it’s become such a staple in my kitchen for celebrations big and small. The ease of the recipe combined with the gorgeous results really makes me feel like a baking pro, even on busy days. Plus, sharing these soft, sweet cupcakes with friends and family always fills the room (and hearts) with joy. So grab your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and have fun baking these little festive treats that everyone will rave about!