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Hi, I’m Catherine.
Mama of three. A Kentucky girl living in California. Here’s what I know: all kids can be great eaters and mealtime must be easy. I create simple, healthy recipes the whole family will love.
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
If there's one dessert everyone loves at a birthday party or celebration it's vanilla cupcakes. You can make these large or even as Mini Vanilla Cupcakes too!
There's nothing as magical as your child's first birthday party. I'm sure that Chloe won't remember much from her big day, but I'll certainly remember every moment.
We decided to do something simple to celebrate -- just a bunch of babies Chloe's age lounging around on blankets, musical instruments scattered about for playing, pink and white balloons hovering in the trees above, bubbles drifting through the air and of course, some delicious weelicious food!
The party was called for late in the afternoon, so I figured light snacks seemed appropriate. Benedictine Sandwiches, Fruit Kabobs, Chewy Granola Balls and finally, these Mini Vanilla Cupcakes.
For the cupcakes, I really wanted something white, light, airy and tiny in size. I literally spent weeks working on the perfect recipe, which also had to be simple enough to be weelicious. I first tried using agave to sweeten them, but that was a big ol' flop. Then I experimented with different combinations of eggs, flours and sugar, but still nothing tasted quite right until I arrived at the balance for this version.
I love making miniature cupcakes for kids' birthday parties, because they're the perfect size for small hands, and even if your little one goes back for seconds (or even thirds), it still won't equal the amount of one regular size cupcake.
Plus, I've tried so many vanilla cupcake recipes over the years and I'm always taken by how overly sweet they are. These came out sweet -- but not too much. Just the perfect amount in my opinion.
When you're looking for an unforgettable cupcake recipe that will only add to the magic of your little one's special day, try these minis and experience maximum deliciousness.
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes (Makes 36 Mini Cupcakes)
Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 15 mins
nut free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Cream Cheese Frosting (makes 1 cup):
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined.
5. Slowly add some of the flour mixture and then some of the milk, alternating until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go.
6. Pour the batter into mini muffin cups (I like to use a mini ice cream scooper) lined with paper or foil liners until 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.
8. Cool and frost.
*Refrigerate cupcakes after frosting
To make the cream cheese frosting:
1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a bowl and beat for 30 seconds on low to medium speed using a hand mixer.
2. Add the confectioner\\'s sugar and vanilla and continue to beat for 1 minute or until frosting is smooth and creamy.
3. Frost the cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make N' Share!
Post a picture of any Weelicious recipe you make on Instagram - I wanna see them! Just tag @weelicious
Post a picture of any Weelicious recipe you make on Instagram - I wanna see them! Just tag @weelicious
90 comments
[...] the cupcakes to be in the shape of stars. I found a GREAT recipe for mini vanilla cupcakes on Weelicious and Wilton sent us a package full of goodies to create the best cupcakes ever. Here’s the [...]
I just added blueberries and chopped strawberries to the batter for a fun 4th of July treat! Love it.
Lovely cupcakes but even without frosting, a bit too sweet for me. Can i have the sugar? Do I need to halve butter? Thx
Do you think the cupcakes would turn out okay if I used sucanat in place of the sugar? Thanks for all you do. We love your recipes.
Unfortunately this is White cupcake so you need the sugar - it will change the cupcake if you add sucanat. You can still use it but it will be different. :/
Also, how long would I cook if I'm making regualar sized cupcakes and not the mini kind? Thanks again!
I would leave them in 5 minutes longer or until a toothpick comes out clean :)
Do you think it would come out ok if I used coconut milk instead of whole milk?
I'm sure it would be fine but coconut milk is a lot thicker than whole milk and you would get the coconut flavor in the cupcakes which is not bad at all. I love coconuts! I would just water down the coconut milk to get it to the right consistency of whole milk and use that :)
[...] Do make these delicious Weelicious Mini-Vanilla Cupcakes. They’re truly and utterly scrumptious. There wasn’t one left by the end of the party [...]
I tried out a different recipe for vanilla cupcakes first, and they were a disaster, so I was rather panicked when I found yours. What a relief when these turned out so beautiful and tasty. Just what I wanted for my daughter's classroom birthday celebration (although I did end up adding a couple extra tablespoons of milk because the batter seemed too thick). Thank you!
The batter may have seemed thick, but you don't need to add any more liquid to make it thinner. The only difference of consistencies is the baking time. Hope it helps! :)
Would you think it would be ok if you used just normal butter instead of unsalted??
Salted butter may make the cupcakes taste slightly salty.
Salted butter is fine, but you just might want to use 1/8 of a tsp instead of 1/4. Hope it helps! :)
Is it possible to substitute eggs in this recipe for something else if I wanted to make this for a child with egg allergies?
Thanks in advance.
Unfortunately no because it is the binder and helps make them fluffy. :(
Hi there!
I was wondering if Almond milk would work in this recipe?
You could really use any type of milk you wanted, the density may be a little lower with milks containing lower fat. Hope it helps.
For the frosting can i use arrowroot and agave instead of powder sugar? If so, how much of each you think?
Made these twice now & are a big hit with kids & adults. Thank you!!
Could you use this batter for a two layer 6-inch cake? If so, how much batter to use? And what would be the cooking time? I want to make a little cake all her own for my baby girl's birthday, but still want it to be weelicious!
Thanks!
Heather
This recipe is far to small for a six inch cake. You could always try and double the recipe, but whenever I double a recipe when baking, something usually goes wrong. So I would find a different recipe. Hope that helps! :)
Best cupcakes ever!! Light, fluffy, and delicious!
Out of all the mini vanilla cupcake recipes I made, this one DEFINATELY tops them all!
I live in Colorado above 5000 ft. What changes should I make for high altitude?
I just made these today, wow! Super delicious! Thank you!
Would heavy cream make it too rich? I don't have any whole milk on hand. Thanks!
Can I use raw sugar? How much?
Can I use raw sugar?
Could you make the cake chocolate by adding cocoa? If so, what amount would you estimate? I'm looking forward to making these for my son's 2nd Birthday!
I made full size cupcakes and they were great just after baking, however the next day they were very dense and somewhat hard. Any ideas for what went wrong? Did I overbake them?
My mom and I were looking for a recipe to make for my nephew's first birthday and we decided to test these. We frosted them with homemade buttercream frosting ( a family favorite) and everone loved them, so this will be the birthday treat for his party! My mom says this is the best from scratch vanilla cake recipe she's tried in a long time and I agree. The cupcakes were so light- especially right out of the oven! Thanks for a great recipe!
These cupcakes rock! This is definitely going to be my go-to recipe for mini-vanilla cupcakes when I need to whip up a batch for the little ones. They came out light and delicious and the recipe is so basic. I also got exactly 36 out of it!
I doubled the cream cheese frosting recipe (and tinted it pink!) since I was making these for 4 year-olds and wanted to make sure there was a good dollop for each. I ended up with about 1/3 cup left over, but wouldn't have had enough unless I doubled.
Thanks so much!!!
[...] Mini Lemon Cupcakes (Makes 54 Mini Cupcakes) – adapted from Weelicious’s Mini Vanilla Cupcakes [...]
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[...]Mini Vanilla Cupcakes | Weelicious ™ - Fast, Easy & Fresh Homemade Home Made Baby Food Babyfood Recipes, Toddler Food and recipes for the entire family![...]...
can these cupcakes be frozen? If so can they be frozen with the frosting? Thanks so much
Yes! Freeze unfrosted! Place the cupcakes on a baking sheet in the freezer until they are frozen through, about 1 hour, then move to a freezer bag or other freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Me and my best friend made these for my mom and dad! They loved them but I was wondering if you knew a good buttercream frosting resipie?!? :D
What is the best egg substitute for this recipe?
People seem to like flax as the best egg replacer. 1 tablespoon ground flax seed plus 3 tablespoons water equals 1 egg!
[...] A. prepare 8 your favorite cupcake. I followed this recipe [...]
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Hi! Going to try these cupcakes for my sons birthday. Does anyone know how many regular cupcakes this will make, and would they still taste good if I made them the night before.
Thanks.
I am wondering the same thing! Help!
Could I use this recipe as a base for strawberry cupcakes? Do you recommend chopping the strawberries or puree? How much? Thanks!
Yes, that would be delicious! I would add 1-2 cups chopped strawberries!
have you ever tried with whole wheat flour? I have white wheat flour and would love to substitute for the AP
I haven't tested this recipe with whole wheat. It will give the cupcakes a different texture, but I always think experimenting is worth it!
Do you think that I could successfully halve this recipe?
Yes, this recipe is easily halved or doubled!
i just made this tonight, followed the recipe exactly. its for my son's 3rd bday party at his school tomorrow so i made about 50-60 mini cupcakes. my husband couldnt stop eating them! a bit too sweet for my personal taste. but my husband said they were the best cupcakes...better than store bought.
[...] A. prepare 8 your favorite cupcake. I followed this recipe [...]
Catherine,
Do you think I could make this recipe into a round cake? Should I make any adjustments doing so?
Thank you,
Alyssa
Yes this is easily adaptable to a cake! Just add about 10 minutes onto the cooking time!
What size pan would you used if you wanted to double the recipe?
Do you have a chocolate cake recipe?
This recipe should fit into a 9 x 11 pan! If you're going to double it then I would use two of those! Here is my chocolate cake recipe: http://b12.ba4.myftpupload.com/2009/05/18/dark-chocolate-cupcakes/
[...] Mini Vanilla Cupcakes [...]
how many cupcakes does this recipe make?
36 mini cupcakes! Or about 12 regular sized cupcakes!
[...] When making cupcakes for a child’s first birthday party, you want to give them something they can hold in their small hands, so what better than mini-vanilla cupcakes. Tiny tots love them and can eat them without feeding too much mess on to their faces. A child’s first birthday party is a very important and memorable occasion, especially for parents! These mini-vanilla cupcakes are ideal for small children to manage and add to the enjoyment of making their special day a magical one. Source Weelicious [...]
[...] When making cupcakes for a child’s first birthday party, you want to give them something they can hold in their small hands, so what better than mini-vanilla cupcakes. Tiny tots love them and can eat them without feeding too much mess on to their faces. A child’s first birthday party is a very important and memorable occasion, especially for parents! These mini-vanilla cupcakes are ideal for small children to manage and add to the enjoyment of making their special day a magical one. Source Weelicious [...]
Do I have to use little cupcake liners? I only have big ones, but I don't have a 12 cupped pan. I have a 36 mini muffin pan.
You can grease your pan well instead of using cupcake liners if you don't have them!
This is a fantastic recipe! With a 17 month old running around I don't have time for complicated recipes - I had everything I needed already in the house! Made these as a thank you for daycare so perfect for toddlers and adults. I added a touch more milk as the batter seemed a bit thick but otherwise both cupcake and icing recipes were easy and delicious - thanks so much! :)
I'm looking for a sugar free cream cheese frosting recipe. Any ideas on how to make a really good sugar free cream cheese frosting?
Try it with Truvia. Truvia tastes good and smells good. They also have a baking version, which has a tiny bit of sugar in it for texture.
Any suggestions for how to naturally color the frosting? I want to make these for my daughter's 3rd birthday party this weekend but she wants pink frosting. I saw you used rasberries for some other pink cookies you made. What would work with this frosting?? Thank you as always!!
Raspberries or their juice would work! Blueberry juice will make a bright purpley color, and beet puree works to turn things pink, too!
Also, do you have another frosting recipe that doesn't call for cream cheese? My daughter doesn't like cream cheese. This would be the same frosting that I want to color naturally, pink that I posted about below.
Thanks!
These are the perfect cupcake for kids! I also made them for my daughter's first birthday party. They were enjoyed by both the kids and adults. I used a bit of beet juice to make the icing pink. Turned out perfect. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
My daughter will be turning 3 in a month, and I'm planning to make these. I have made them every year so far, and everyone loves them! I do add some finely grated zucchini for a little hidden veggie. You should have seen my nephews' faces last year when I told them what I had added (I didn't tell them until after they had their cupcakes.) It was priceless! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
I made this in a 9x9 pan yesterday for my daughter's birthday (with chocolate frosting, because that's what she wanted). The cake was delicious!
I am making these today for my son's 3rd bday party tomorrow morning. Do I refrigerate them before or after frosting? Or should I leave them out? I am just not sure if I'll have time to frost them tomorrow...
Refrigerate the unfrosted cupcakes and the frosting separately. Then frost before the party!
I tried making these tonight. And they just crumbled in your hand when you picked them up (I didn't use liners because usually don't have to). A Pretty big disappointment :(
Oh MY!!! this is so beautiful, happy and deiuliocs looking!!! I saw Someone post about a cake like this once (forgot who it was),, I love it and would love to make one,,, better yet= Eat One or 10 :)xoEdyta
Is there an easy way to make the frosting strawberry flavored? Could i defrost frozen strawberries and just add them to the mix before i beat it?
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Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
hi! i'm looking at this recipe and wondering what to do with the greek yogurt and also not sure what the measurement is. <br> greek yogurt
Cream Cheese Frosting (makes 1 cup) greek yogurt
thanks so much!
What are we supposed to do with the greek yogurt?
What are we supposed to do with the greek yogurt?
Hi! I've made these cupcakes before for my son's birthday and he absolutely loved them. I would like to make these for my daughter's first birthday, but there are no instructions or amount for the greek yogurt. Is it necessary? I don't remember using it before.
Hi! I've made these cupcakes before for my son's birthday and he absolutely loved them. I would like to make these for my daughter's first birthday, but there are no instructions or amount for the greek yogurt. Is it necessary? I don't remember using it before.
How much Greek yogurt when when is it used?
What does “<br> greek yogurt” mean? Are we adding Greek yogurt or cream cheese and how much of each? Thanks and sorry if someone already asked below, I couldn’t find!
what does <br> mean. Is it a brand of greek yogurt?
what does <br> mean. Is it a brand of greek yogurt?
I made these and they are soooo good. Now I'm wondering if I can do it as a cake?