Mini Vanilla Cupcakes

These two-bite Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with buttercream frosting are sweet, simple, and such a joy to share. I always say small treats make the biggest smiles — and these cupcakes are proof of that. They’re the kind of dessert that disappears faster than you expect at birthday parties, baby showers, or just a casual Sunday coffee get-together.

Why I Love These Little Cupcakes

There’s something about mini desserts that makes them impossible to resist. I’ll be honest — I always tell myself, “I’ll just have one,” but somehow three more sneak onto my plate before I realize it. I first baked mini cupcakes years ago for a friend’s housewarming, and they were gone before the cake on the table even had its candles lit.

What I love about this recipe is how approachable it is. The cupcakes come out moist and fluffy, the buttercream is creamy without being cloying, and because they’re mini, they feel light enough to enjoy more than one. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile — change up the frosting color, add sprinkles, or top with candy, and suddenly they fit right into any celebration.

Ingredients You’ll Need

One thing I’ve learned after plenty of batches — the ingredients matter more than we realize. Here’s what goes into mine:

• All-purpose flour – I like using a high-quality flour for a more consistent crumb.

• Baking powder & salt – the team that makes cupcakes rise and taste balanced.

• Sugar & butter – classic duo for sweetness and flavor. Room-temperature butter is key — it blends better and traps air, making the cupcakes light.

• Eggs & vanilla extract – vanilla is the soul of this recipe, so use one you truly enjoy smelling straight from the bottle.

• Heavy cream (or whole milk) – I prefer cream because it adds a subtle richness, but milk works fine.

For the frosting: powdered sugar, butter, heavy cream (again, richer than milk), and vanilla extract. If you want that snow-white bakery-style frosting, clear vanilla is a neat trick, though I usually stick with pure vanilla for the deeper flavor.

How I Make Them

I always set the butter out about an hour before I bake. That one small step changes everything. Cold butter just doesn’t whip the same, and I’ve learned the hard way — once, my cupcakes baked up dense because I rushed it.

Here’s how I pull them together:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a mini cupcake pan.

2. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl.

3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in eggs and vanilla.

4. Alternate adding the dry mix and cream until smooth.

5. Fill liners about two-thirds full — I use a small cookie scoop for this, makes it neat and quick.

6. Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking with a toothpick.

For the frosting, I whip everything until silky smooth. If I’m in the mood for fun, I’ll divide the frosting into bowls and color each one differently — it looks like a rainbow tray when you pipe them.

How Long Do Mini Cupcakes Take to Bake?

Mini cupcakes usually finish in 12 to 15 minutes at 350°F. They’re smaller, so they don’t need much time at all. The trick is to keep an eye on them from the 10-minute mark — every oven runs differently. I once had a batch bake faster because I was using a dark non-stick pan, so now I set a timer and peek early.

My Little Tips

• Use a cookie scoop to fill liners — it keeps the cupcakes uniform in size.

• If you want to turn this into regular cupcakes, the same batter works; just bake a few minutes longer.

• Don’t be afraid of food coloring — a few drops of gel can turn these into holiday cupcakes, school colors, or even pastel springtime treats.

• For frosting, I usually pipe them with a star tip, but on busy days, I’ve just spread it with a knife, and they’re still adorable.

Serving Ideas

These cupcakes are perfect on their own, but I love using them as part of a bigger dessert spread. For birthdays, I’ll top half with colorful sprinkles and leave the others plain white for a cleaner look. At baby showers, I’ve tinted the frosting pale pink and blue. And during Christmas, I’ve swirled red and green frosting together in the piping bag — such a festive touch without extra work.

Storing and Freezing

If we’re lucky enough to have leftovers (rare at my house), I keep them covered at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, they go in the fridge for up to a week.

Unfrosted cupcakes freeze beautifully — I wrap them tightly in plastic and freeze for a few months. Then when I need a quick dessert, I thaw, frost, and they taste just as fresh. Buttercream also freezes well in a sealed container; just thaw in the fridge and give it a good whip before piping.

Yield: 36

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes

Print

Sweet, fluffy, and perfectly bite-sized — these mini vanilla cupcakes are the kind of treat that disappears fast at any gathering.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup heavy cream (or whole milk)

For the Vanilla Buttercream

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream (or whole milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a mini muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Gradually add the dry mixture, alternating with the cream, until the batter is smooth and combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the liners, filling each about halfway to two-thirds full. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, beat together powdered sugar, butter, 2 tablespoons of cream, and vanilla. Start on low speed, then increase to medium until smooth and creamy, adding the extra cream if needed.
6. Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes, and decorate with sprinkles or candy if you like.

Notes

• Add food coloring to the batter or frosting for a festive twist.
  
• For standard-size cupcakes, increase the bake time by a few minutes.
  
• Store unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days, or frosted/unfrosted in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield

36

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 162Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 35mgSodium 40mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 0gSugar 17gProtein 1g

TastyFitnessRecipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although tastyfitnessrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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Common Questions

How do you keep mini cupcakes moist?
The heavy cream helps, but the real trick is not overbaking. As soon as that toothpick comes out clean, pull them from the oven.

Can I frost them ahead of time?
Yes, I often frost them the night before a party and keep them in a covered container. Just pop them in the fridge if it’s warm in your kitchen.

Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, a good cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend usually works. I’ve tested it with one and had good results.

Try other Cupcake recipes:

• Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes
• Margarita Cupcakes
• Lemonade Cupcakes