Double Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

I’m taking a quick break from our Fall Baking Series (don’t worry, more on the way) to post this versatile recipe for Double Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. These cupcakes can fit into the fall season, but they aren’t limited to any single time of year. Just like our popular Blueberry Muffin Recipe (that uses frozen blueberries), they work great in ANY season. It’s likely to become one of your coveted family favorites, just like it has been for us.

I have a confession, but many of you already know my secret… I love vanilla. This simple recipe is a true vanilla lover’s dream. The cupcakes are even topped with our popular Vanilla Bean Frosting, which works great on any cupcake recipe. Don’t forget, I include a video for all of our new recipes, and it is included below. Alright, let’s get baking!

Double Vanilla Cupcakes | Full Video Recipe

I spend all the time recording these video recipes because it is fun and valuable. You can watch them to help follow the written recipe below, and I can go back and watch them as well! Visibly seeing everything makes the cupcakes more tangible. You can also see all the steps in action to help you decide if you want to follow the recipe “as is” or make changes. For this double vanilla cupcakes video, you’ll see exactly how the cupcake batter looks, view all the cupcake and frosting techniques, and view multiple angles of the finished cupcakes. You’ll also be able to hear my one-of-a-kind quick goose facts, and you definitely don’t want to miss that!

I always recommend watching the video while following along with the written recipe below. Now it’s time to hit play and lets bake these cupcakes!

Finished the video? Vanilla lovers like you should check out which vanilla beans are best for making extract! It is one of our specialty products, but we like to teach you how to make it as well!

Double Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting | Full Recipe

This recipe makes 1 dozen (12 cupcakes). You can easily double or triple this recipe for larger family gatherings. This is a relatively simple and straightforward recipe. I also include ways to customize the cupcakes in other ways. I like to change it up a bit each time, and lately I’ve been adding my homemade vanilla bean paste to everything. More on that in the ingredients section below.

Looking to make your own ingredients? Learn everything you need to know about Homemade Vanilla Extract made with Brandy. Many techniques exist, learn why we prefer this simple method using this specific liquor.

Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Vanilla Bean, scraped
• ½ cup Milk

Vanilla Frosting Ingredients

• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• ¼ cup (½ stick) Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 dash Salt
• 2 ¼ cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 tbsp Milk

The Vanilla Paste Option…

You can substitute homemade vanilla paste for vanilla extract to boost the vanilla goodness even higher! The substitution is 1:1 so instead of vanilla extract, the cupcakes require 2 tsp vanilla paste, and the frosting requires an additional 1 tsp of vanilla paste. Learn How to make Vanilla Bean Paste on our recipe. It’s one of our most popular recipes.

Vanilla Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare your cupcake baking pan with cupcake paper liners. Consider spraying the inside of the liners with cooking oil (this will help remove the cupcakes after baking).
2. Grab a medium/large mixing bowl and add in flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a handheld or stand mixer until light and fluffy. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in the 2 eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
5. Add in the vanilla extract and mix very well.
6. Gradually add in the dry flour mixture (from Step #2), alternating with the milk, and mix until well combined.
7. Add the cupcake batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Fill each one approximately 2/3 of the way full.
8. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
9. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes before adding the vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. Even if the frosting doesn’t look perfect, they WILL taste great!

Vanilla Frosting Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and scraped vanilla bean until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in vanilla extract and salt, mixing well. 
3. Blend in powdered sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated, adding milk as needed to keep the frosting smooth and fluffy.  
4. You can use this frosting immediately, or it (or any leftovers) can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
5. Use the frosting to top the cupcakes. I (obviously) am far from good at this, so you can check out better frosting techniques if necessary. Even if the frosting doesn’t look perfect, the cupcakes WILL taste great!

You did it! Now it is time to enjoy your cupcakes, just be ready for the wonderful vanilla flavor! You can also add sprinkles or other toppings to these cupcakes to customize and fit your needs. Have fun and don’t forget to save this recipe for future use!

Another Sweet Vanilla Recipe…

Now that you’ve finished our vanilla cupcake recipe, we have another vanilla infused dessert! You should definitely check out our Vanilla Raspberry Cheesecake recipe. We’ve already established that you are a vanilla lover, and this recipe pairs the smooth vanilla flavor with the unique fruitiness of raspberries. I actually include options for the standard 9″ cheesecake size and the smaller 6″ size, and I’ve baked both. This recipe also includes a detailed video for you to follow along, so I hope to see you there… just click the image above to check it out!