Vanilla Cakes or Cupcakes

A Dozen Vanilla Cupcakes with Jam or Jelly filling

In her nineties, my mom watches Mary Berg's cooking show on CTV every day. When I visit her she gives me her commentary on the day's show. This recipe was presented on the February 4, 2026 show as Fool's Gold Cupcakes. The batter is butter-based and traditional, so mom would probably like it, but I know she'd say the grape jelly filling and piped peanut butter-cream cheese frosting would be "too much." I predict she'd say, "These would be better plain." Berg suggests topping the cupcake with a piece of cooked bacon, mom would probably say that's foolish.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• jam or jelly for filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
3. In a mixer, cream together butter and sugar about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add 2 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
6. Stir 2 tsp vanilla into 1/2 cup buttermilk in a measuring cup.
7. With mixer on low, add 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until almost combined.
8. Add half of the buttermilk mixture and mix until almost fully combined.
9. Add another third of flour, mix, add the remaining buttermilk, mix, and then add the remaining flour, mixing until combined.
10. Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter into the cupcake liners.
11. Bake in the preheated oven 17-20 minutes or until risen, golden, and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
12. Remove from oven and set pan aside to cool completely.
13. Use a teaspoon to scoop a little well out of the centre of each cupcake. Fill with 1-1/2 tsp. of strawberry jam or grape jelly then pipe or spread desired frosting on top

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosts 12 cupcakes

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
• 1/4 cup brick-style cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups icing sugar
• pinch of salt

1. All ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Beat the butter, peanut butter, cream cheese and vanilla together in a mixer.
3. Add the icing sugar and mix to combine.

Old-Fashioned Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

The famous Georgia bakeshop, The Back in the Day Bakery, published this recipe in their 2014 cookbook of the same name. The bakery closed in 2023, before I had a chance to visit.

In this recipe they use the method of adding cold butter to dry ingredients devised by Rose Levy Berenbaum, recommended in her classic book The Cake Bible, to prevent over-mixing.

These are dense, "old-fashioned" style cupcakes, not the lighter-textured cakes you get from a recipe using vegetable oil.

This recipe uses both cake flour and all-purpose flour.

The recipe makes 24 cupcakes, which can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days before frosting and eating.

• 1 cup whole (homogenized) milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups cake flour
• 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp fine salt 
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

1. Cut hard butter into half-inch cubes and let sit on counter at room temperature until softened.
2. Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners.
4. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, mix together 1 cup whole milk and 1 tsp vanilla, set aside.
5. Fit stand mixer with paddle attachment or use hand mixer. In large mixer bowl, combine both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt (if using). On low speed, mix 2-3 minutes until thoroughly combined.
6. With mixer on low speed, add cubed butter a few pieces at a time, mixing 2-3 minutes with each addition, until mixture resembles coarse sand.
7. With mixer on medium speed, add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
8. Turn  mixer speed to low and gradually add the milk and vanilla mixture. Mix another 1-2 minutes.
9. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients at the bottom of the bowl so that batter is completely mixed.
10. Use a large ice cream scoop or spoon to fill each baking cup 2/3 full.
11. Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting with Sprinkles

Frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
• 6-7 cups icing (confectioner's) sugar
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• liquid gel food colouring (optional)
• sprinkles

1. Fit paddle attachment in bowl of stand mixer (or use large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer.)
2. Cream butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add 4 cups of icing sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix on low speed until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
4. Gradually add up to 3 cups more sugar, mixing on low speed, until frosting reaches desired light and fluffy consistency, 3-5 minutes.
5. If desired, add a drop or two of food colouring, mixing well, until desired shade is reached. If multiple shades are desired, divide icing into several bowls, then mix in food coloring.
6. To frost cupcakes, use a spatula or a butter knife to spread cupcake tops with swirls of frosting, then top with sprinkles if desired.

Vanilla with Sprinkles Party Cake

Without the sprinkles this makes a good-tasting plain vanilla layer cake but the sprinkles add a "birthday party" touch.

The batter makes a 6" three-layer cake using three 6" round cake pans, OR divide the batter into two 8" round cake pans for a two-layer cake. Baking time was tested using the three  6" pans, so keep an eye on the oven.

Again, this is a denser-textured old-fashioned butter cake using two kinds of flour. The batter will hold the sprinkles without them sinking to the bottom of the cake. Remember to gently fold the sprinkles into the batter at the very end, to keep them from discolouring the batter. Use fresh sprinkles (they can go bad if stored for a long time) and not those hard candy beads that can chip a tooth.

• 1 cup + 3 Tbsp (150 grams) all-purpose white flour
• 1 cup + 3 Tbsp (150 grams) cake flour
• 2-1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (use imitation clear vanilla extract for a pure white cake)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup homogenized (whole) milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup rainbow candy sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 6-inch round cake pans or 2 8-inch round cake pans.
2. Sift together flours, baking powder, salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and sour cream. Set aside.
4. In a large mixer bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
5. Add the sugar, then mix at medium speed until the butter mixture is light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes more.
6. While incorporating ingredients, always stop to scrape down the mixer bowl when needed.
7. With mixer at medium-low, add vanilla.
8. Crack eggs into a bowl one at a time, discard shells, then add one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding and mixing the next. 
9. Turn the mixer to low and add a third of the flour mixture, then half of the sour cream and milk mixture. Add another third of the flour, then the rest of the sour cream and milk. Mix in the rest of the flour mixture until combined. Do not over-mix.
10. Stop the mixer and by hand with a spatula, gently fold the batter, incorporating any unmixed ingredients from the sides and bottom of the bowl, and folding in the rainbow sprinkles.
11. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Bake 26-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
12. Cool cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning cakes out of their pans and continuing to cool on wire racks until completely cool before frosting with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream.
13. To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake board or cake plate. Using a straight spatula or frosting spreader/icing knife, spread about 3/4 cup of buttercream on top. Top with the next layer of cake and repeat with the third layer if using.
14. Make a "crumb coat" by spreading a thin layer of buttercream on the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes or until the cake is chilled enough to smoothly frost the rest of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
15. Make a "hem" of sprinkles around the bottom of the cake by spooning sprinkles around the base and gently pressing them into the icing with the back of a spoon or spatula.
16. If desired, tint any left-over icing and use to pipe a border or flowers at the edge of the top of the cake.

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream

The flavour is best if you use vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract, but for a pure white icing use imitation clear vanilla flavoring. The texture will be better if you use heavy cream, but you can use milk.

• 1-1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4-5 cups icing (confectioners') sugar
• 3-5 Tbsp heavy (whipping) cream (or milk)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or imitation clear vanilla extract)
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

1. With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter on medium-low speed 1 minute or until smooth and creamy.
2. Using low speed, and stopping to scrape the bowl as needed, gradually add 4 cups of icing sugar, the cream and the vanilla until blended.
3. At medium-high speed, beat 3-5 minutes until light and airy. Add additional sugar or cream if needed. It should be spreadable but thick enough not to ooze out from between cake layers and  to use in a piping bag.

Vanilla Cake or Two Dozen Cupcakes

This recipe from the March 2022 Woman's Day magazine uses plain all-purpose white flour.

Makes 2 dozen (24) cupcakes or two 8-inch cake layers.

You could use 3 6-inch  round cake pans for a tall cake, but baking time is not provided for this.

An 8-inch layer cake can be cut into 12 slices to serve 12.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• extra butter for greasing pans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1-3/4 cups white granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups homogenized (whole) milk, at room temperature

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
3. For cake, butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment, dust sides with flour.
4. In bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
5. Using electric mixer, in large bowl beat together butter and sugar to combine.
6. Increase speed to medium-high.
7. Beat until light and fluffy, 3-5  minutes.
8. Reduce speed to medium.
9. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating each until well mixed in before adding next egg.
10. Beat in vanilla.
11. Reduce speed to low.
12. Add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with milk.
13. Beat just until flour is well mixed in.
14. Divide batter evenly among the two prepared cake pans.
15. For cupcakes, fill each liner with about 1/4 cup batter.
16. Bake cake layers 25-35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean.
17. Bake cupcakes about 20-25 minutes.
18. Let cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.
19. Remove from pans and cool completely before frosting.

Extra-Large Vanilla Celebration Cake

Makes 1 10x2" round cake layer AND 1 8-inch round cake layer.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare pans (grease, flour, line with parchment paper).

• Make 2 batches of the Vanilla cake recipe above.

1. Pour 6 cups batter in the 10 inch pan.
2. Pour 4 cups batter in the 8 inch pan.
3. (Use any remaining batter for cupcakes.)
4. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven until golden and toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, 25-35 minutes.
5. Transfer cakes to wire racks.
6. Let cool 15 minutes.
7. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely on racks.
8. Frost 10" layer.
9. Top with 8" layer and frost and decorate as desired