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A moist and tender basic vanilla cupcake made extra flavorful with vanilla bean infused cream. Topped off with vanilla bean buttercream, these cupcakes are vanilla heaven!
It does not get more classic than a vanilla bean cupcake. Pure, unadulterated vanilla flavor, with a creamy vanilla bean buttercream to match… It’s just heavenly, and you’re going to love every little crumb of these cupcakes!
This recipe comes to you from a day I completely immersed myself in writing my cookbook. On Good Friday, I had the day off of work, but I was up at 4:30am making all kinds of puppy chows, preparing to photograph all of them in the later afternoon sunshine.
At 8am, my husband emerged from the bedroom and couldn’t believe his eyes (or his nose) when I had the kitchen completely torn apart, cereal and powdered sugar everywhere, chocolate on every pan and spatula I own… It was a mess.
He convinced me to take a break and go to the gym with him. I’m so glad I did, because it gave me some time to devise a plan of attack for my photoshoots and also figure out how I was going to clean up my puppy chow-ed kitchen and whip up some cupcakes for a birthday celebration later that night.
My BIL’s girlfriend Hannah turned 21 on Good Friday, and she invited us out to dinner with her family (Matt declined because THIS), so I offered to make some cupcakes. When I asked her what flavor she would like, she requested vanilla bean.
Her exact words: “I’m so vanilla for loving vanilla.” No, Hannah, you are not. Not one bit!
There is something so amazing about straight up vanilla. You can only get so much vanilla flavor from extract (even homemade), and using fresh vanilla beans is so worth the effort to get those beans out of the pod. You’ll need 2 beans for each batch of this recipe: 1 for the cupcakes and 1 for the frosting.
First, let’s talk about where to get your beans.
My favorite place to buy beans is beanilla.com, and I prefer the Madgascar beans. I also prefer grade A beans because they are prettier, but there is nothing wrong with grade B, and you will get exactly the same flavor using them.
You can also buy vanilla beans at most grocery stores (in the baking aisle with the spices), but if you think you’ll use a lot of them, the best bang for your buck is in bulk!
These cupcakes are essentially the same batter as my mini cookies and cream cupcakes, just with a few tweaks. In that recipe, I say you can use any milk (I used almond), but in these very vanilla cupcakes, I decided to go with cream.
Please, please, please… Use cream. It brings such an amazing texture to these cupcakes, and totally adds to the creaminess of the overall crumb. You could also use half-and-half to achieve this creamy texture.
You’re going to use this cream + one whole vanilla bean to make vanilla infused cream. Split your vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds with the knife, and throw everything (including the pod) into a small saucepan with your cream.
You’ll heat this just until it starts steaming, remove it from heat, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
During this time, the cream will take on this incredible flavor and aroma, prepping to get vanilla flavor all up in your cupcake batter. You will add a little bit of vanilla extract as well, but this vanilla infused cream is the bread and butter of the flavor.
After 30 minutes, fish out the pods with a fork or tongs, and your cream is ready to go.
You’ll need one more vanilla bean for your buttercream, which is the same vanilla buttercream I use in this chocolate cake and in these cookies & cream cupcakes. Again, slice the pod in half, scrape the beans right into your buttercream, and discard the pod.
Easy peasy.
Use a piping bag without a tip, fitted with a 1M tip, or simply a large zip top bag with the end snipped off to make a very vanilla buttercream swirl right on top of your decadent cupcake.
You’re going to love these moist and tender cupcakes that are absolutely jam-packed with vanilla flavor. The creamy vanilla bean buttercream cloud that sits on top is the perfect counterpart, and I’m sure you’re going to agree… There’s nothing “vanilla” about these vanilla bean cupcakes!
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients
CUPCAKES
- ¾ cup cream or half-and-half*
- 1 whole vanilla bean split and de-seeded
- 1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup yogurt plain, vanilla, Greek, or regular, any fat content; you may also use sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup milk or cream
- 1 whole vanilla bean split and de-seeded
- salt to taste
Instructions
CUPCAKES
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan. Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds, and put everything into the saucepan with your cream.
- Heat over low heat until cream just starts to steam. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, remove the pods with a fork or tongs. Cream is now ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave and allow to cool a bit. Whisk in the sugar, egg, yogurt, infused cream, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until no lumps remain.
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full with batter. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. Add salt to taste.
- Frost the cupcakes using a piping bag or a large zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Cupcakes will stay fresh covered at room temperature up to 3 days. Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Notes
Apparently, I’ve been on a cupcake kick lately…
Amy says
There is nothing vanilla about appreciating a vanilla cupcake! I love your steeping technique to get the most vanilla flavour out of your beans! I need to get my hands on some to try out your technique 🙂 I hope the writing/testing/gymming is going well! And thank goodness for husbands/boyfriends who know that we need to step away from the kitchen sometimes, no matter how messy it is!
Lynn says
Haha, that’s exactly right! They have to be able to convince us to leave despite it being a mess, yes??
Melissa says
When you say cream for the frosting, is it heavy cream or half and half? Thanks!
Lynn says
Hi, Melissa! Either would be fine. Whatever you use for the cupcakes you can use for the frosting.
Angie says
Omg sounds delish!!! Is it okay to use vanilla bean paste in replacement of vanilla bean pod?
Lynn says
Hi Angie! I don’t see why not, although I’ve never used it, so I’m unfamiliar with how much to use. I’d imagine there’s a conversion factor on the tube? Perhaps how much equals one pod? Let me know what you find out!
Angie says
It came out great! Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Olivia says
How does this come out if making a 6Inch cake?
Lynn says
Hi Olivia– I’m not quite sure what you’re asking…
Jen says
After everything is mixed together should the batter be pourable or is it more dense?
Lynn says
It’s a little in the middle– I use an ice cream scoop to scoop out the batter and it doesn’t pour out but it doesn’t flop out either.
Kandi says
Can i add dye to color these blue for a blue velvet?
Lynn says
Hi Kandi– I’m sure that you could!
Jennifer says
I see you mentioned how many mini cupcakes it would make, but what about regular size cupcakes? How many and bake for how long? Thank you!
Lynn says
Hi Jennifer– the recipe is actually for 14 standard size cupcakes. The note about mini cupcakes is in the bottom of the recipe for alternative sizes!
Appy says
I’m about to make this but as a cake. What all ingredients go into the vanilla bean mixture in the sauce pan? It just says cream & vanilla bean and then put everything. What’s everything? I want to make this right. Please and thanks for your help!
Lynn says
Hi, Appy– everything is the pods and the seeds. The next instruction will tell you to remove the pods, so you’ll be left with cream that has vanilla seeds in it. Hope that helps. Enjoy!
Sil says
Hello made the cake and baked it for 30 min it was raw in the middle and hard around the sides. I’m so dissapointed I didn’r stick with the cup.cakes. The flavor is fantastic!
Lynn says
Hi! I’m sorry that happened. My advice would have been to keep baking the cake until it was done, as my suggestion for bake time is just a guideline and everyone’s oven is different. If it never baked the whole way, I would say you might have messed something up in the recipe, because I’ve never had a problem turning this into a cake!
Anne says
I tried a trial run of these cupcakes and they are exquisite!! Probably the best I’ve ever had. The only problem I encountered is that I’m supposed to take them to my husband’s office picnic and when the frosting hits the outdoor scorching temps, it will melt into a disastrous mess! How can I tweak the recipe so the frosting doesn’t melt and run off the cupcake?
I also would love to know how you decorated the cupcakes you have pictured❤️
Desperately seeking solution
Lynn says
Hi, Anne! How hot are we talking? I’ve taken frosting out into pretty warm temps, and it’s been fine for awhile. And for the cupcakes shown, I just used a piping bag and snipped the top off. No tip!
Lynn says
Apologies if you didn’t see this response. My email response plugin was not working properly!
Anne says
Thanks for the response. I will give the piping a try. The temps are ranging in the mid-90’s. I may place them in the refrigerator for a little while before we go so the frosting sets a bit.
wrcircumlectio2 says
great flavor but came out very dense, more like a muffin
D says
Hi! I have made these many times and they are always a hit, but I always get hung up in one particular spot… In the recipe you say to mix the wet and dry ingredients with a spatula until no lumps remain, but I always chicken out and use a whisk because it seems like the lumps just won’t disappear without it! However, I know the whisk might result in greater gluten production and make the cupcake more tough. Could you provide some clarity here?
And a second question: have you ever tried them with cake flour?
Thanks!
Lynn says
Hey, D! I mostly mean until there are no pockets of flour. Making every single lump disappear is next to impossible, but folding slowly and making big motions ensures even distribution of the ingredients. And no, I have not used cake flour to make these cupcakes.
D says
Ah I see! So is it okay for the batter to have lumps when you pour it into the tins? It won’t bake into like weird pockets or anything like that will it?
Lynn says
Not usually. Small lumps usually dissipate in the oven, so it’s just a matter of making sure big pockets of flour are gone.
Jennifer says
This is by far my favorite recipe to make! One question, for the frosting, do you heat the cream with the vanilla bean as well? I’m thinking about combining the amount for both the cake and frosting, heating it, then splitting it up to the required measurements afterward? Of course, waiting for it to completely cool for the frosting, but I think infusing that cream with the vanilla bean really makes these cupcakes amazing!
Lynn says
Thanks, Jennifer! So I don’t heat the cream for the frosting. I just combine everything without heat. It can’t hurt and it would probably taste amazing so let me know if you try it out!
Julie Brindley says
I am excited to try this recipe! I am planning to double the recipe for 28 cupcakes. Have you done so and was it successful? I know that sometimes the leavening agents need altering when doubling. Thanks!
Lynn says
Hey, Julie! Great questions. This recipe should be fine to double, just be careful to mix gently.
Kirsten says
I have to say…this cake is the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had! I made these cupcakes months ago, and I’ve been thinking so much about them ever since I’m going to use this recipe to make one of my small wedding cakes. Thank you for sharing it!
Lynn says
Haha, I love this so much! Thanks for letting me know, Kirsten!
Kirsten says
Would the recipe for the frosting cover a 2-layer, 6 inch cake as it’s written or should it be doubled? Thanks.
Lynn says
The recipe should stand fine as is, but if you want a lot of extra for piping or like a thicker filling, I would do 1.5x the recipe!