How to Make Basic Cupcakes

These basic vanilla cupcakes are super easy to make and can be whipped up quickly for a snack. They're a good first time cupcake for a baker who is learning the ropes or for younger children in the kitchen. Since they're plain, you can add any type of frosting you like.

Ingredients

⅓ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup milk

Steps

1
Cream together the butter with the sugar until light and moist.
2
Add the vanilla extract and mix it in.

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3
Add the eggs (one at a time) to the batter. Mix it well. (It may look like it's curdling but don't worry.)
4
Add the flour with the baking soda and milk. Mix well until all bits of flour disappear.
5
Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
6
Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
7
Add the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill them half up.
8
Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean your cupcakes are done.
9
Let them cool for a few minutes in the pan then take them out.
10
Serve. Your awesome and delicious cupcakes are done!
- Frost or ice the cupcakes with your choice of flavored frosting/icing.
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Community Q&A

Question

What are the cupcake ingredients?

Community Answer

Flour, sugar, and butter are the basic ingredients; however, you can use milk, water, and eggs.
Question

How would I use the toothpicks?

Rabiah Miller

Community Answer

Just insert the toothpick at a slight angle in the middle of the cupcake; if it comes out clean with no wet mixture on it, the cupcakes are done.
Question

If I want to make chocolate cupcakes, do I just add chocolate chips?

Niah Brown

Community Answer

If you just add chocolate chips to vanilla cupcakes they would just be vanilla cupcakes with chocolate chips. In order to make proper chocolate cupcakes you would have to use Dutch processed or normal cocoa powder to the batter.
Question

What if I used self raising flour? How much should I use?

Community Answer

Use the same amount of flour, but leave out the baking powder, as self raising flour will rise by itself without any other raising agents needed.
Question

Do I need to oil the cupcake pan?

Community Answer

Yes, you should oil the cupcake pan for easier removal.
Question

What should the consistency of the batter look like?

Community Answer

The batter should be similar to the consistency of pancake batter. It will be mostly smooth with some lumps.
Question

What is a cupcake liner?

Ruby

Top Answerer

A cupcake liner is just another word for a cupcake case. It's a liner (often paper) for the cupcake tray that you put the batter into.
Question

Is there such thing as pumpkin cupcakes?

Ruby

Top Answerer

Yes. wikiHow has two articles for making pumpkin cupcakes. See: Make Gingered Pumpkin Cupcakes or Make Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.
Question

How long should I preheat the oven?

Ruby

Top Answerer

Usually it takes about ten minutes to preheat an oven, but it depends on the specific oven. Most ovens will indicate on the display panel when the preheating stage is complete. If you preheat the oven before you start mixing ingredients, it should be hot enough by the time you need to put them in.
Question

What type of flour do I use?

Ruby

Top Answerer

You use all-purpose flour for this recipe. (It's called "plain flour" in the UK.)