Yogurt Vanilla Cupcakes
These tender, moist vanilla cupcakes are enriched with Greek yogurt, which adds richness, moisture, and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness. Topped with a smooth vanilla buttercream frosting, they're perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or any time you want a reliable, delicious cupcake. The recipe uses the creaming method for a light, fluffy crumb.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Wait
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 12 vanilla cupcakes
Steps
Before you start
- Bring unsalted butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt to room temperature (leave them out for 30–60 minutes if they are cold).
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) about 10–15 minutes before you start mixing the batter.
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners or lightly grease the cups.
- Read through the entire recipe to understand the timing and process.
Prepare oven and panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners, or lightly grease the cups with cooking spray or butter.
- If your tin has empty cups, fill them halfway with water so the filled cups bake evenly.
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Tip: Filling empty muffin cups with water helps distribute heat evenly around the filled cups for consistent baking.
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined with no lumps.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: mixture is light and evenly combined with no visible lumps
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
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Ready when: mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color
Tip: Proper creaming incorporates air into the batter, which helps the cupcakes rise and creates a tender crumb. If your butter is too cold, it won't incorporate air; if too warm, the mixture will be greasy.
Add eggs and vanilla
- Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition until fully combined and no white streaks remain.
- Then add the vanilla extract and beat on low speed until just blended, about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: no streaks of egg visible, mixture is smooth and pale
Tip: Room-temperature eggs blend in smoothly. Cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle or break, resulting in a dense texture.
Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Starting with the flour mixture, alternate adding it with the Greek yogurt to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
- Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, then 1/2 of the yogurt, then another 1/3 of flour, the remaining yogurt, and finally the last 1/3 of flour.
- Mix on low speed just until combined after each addition—stop mixing as soon as you don't see flour streaks.
- Do not overmix.
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Ready when: flour streaks have disappeared and batter is smooth
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cupcakes tough and dense. Stop mixing as soon as the flour is incorporated. A few small lumps are fine.
Fill cupcake liners
- Using a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop or two spoons, divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- This leaves room for the cupcakes to rise without overflowing.
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Ready when: all cups are filled evenly to about two-thirds full
Bake until goldenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 18–20 minutes.
- The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, and the tops are golden brown and spring back when gently touched.
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Ready when: toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched
Tip: Start checking for doneness at 18 minutes; every oven bakes differently. Avoid overbaking or the cupcakes will be dry.
Cool in pan and on rack
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
- Then turn each cupcake out onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely, about 20–25 minutes, before frosting.
- Cooling on a rack ensures air circulates around them and prevents them from sweating.
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Ready when: cupcakes are cool to the touch
Tip: Never frost warm cupcakes—the frosting will melt and slide off. While cupcakes are cooling, you can make the frosting.
Make vanilla frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, beating until combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick to spread or pipe, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition, until you reach your desired consistency.
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Ready when: frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable or pipeable
Tip: If the frosting seems grainy, the butter may not have been soft enough or the powdered sugar too cold. Let it warm to room temperature and beat again for 1–2 minutes.
Frost the cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a frosting tip, or use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread it directly.
- Use about 2 tablespoons of frosting per cupcake, creating a generous swirl or smooth layer.
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Ready when: all cupcakes are evenly frosted
Tip: For a more professional, structured appearance, refrigerate the frosting for 10–15 minutes before piping so it holds its shape better.
Good to know
Tips
- Don't overmix the batter once you add the flour. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense cupcakes. Mix on low speed just until you don't see flour streaks.
- Room-temperature ingredients blend together more smoothly and incorporate air more efficiently, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cupcake with better rise.
- Fill any empty muffin cups halfway with water to ensure the filled cups bake at the same rate with even heat distribution.
- Frosting is best applied to completely cooled cupcakes. Warm frosting on warm cupcakes will melt and slide off.
Make ahead
Cupcakes can be baked 1–2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Vanilla frosting can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; bring to room temperature and re-beat for 1 minute before using. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 3 months wrapped individually; thaw at room temperature before frosting.
Storage & reheating
Unfrosted cupcakes: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days. | Frosted cupcakes: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. | Freezer: Wrap unfrosted cupcakes individually and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before frosting. | Reheating: Warm unfrosted cupcakes gently in a 300°F oven for 5–7 minutes if you prefer them freshly warm, though they are excellent at room temperature.
Substitutions
- Greek yogurt, plain, full-fat → plain full-fat yogurt or sour cream. Use 1 cup (240 ml or 240 g) as a 1:1 replacement. The cupcakes will be slightly less moist and tender but still delicious. Avoid nonfat yogurt, as it won't provide enough fat for proper texture.
- all-purpose flour → cake flour. Use 1 2/3 cups (200 g) cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Cake flour has less protein, producing a more tender, delicate crumb. Sift before measuring.
- vanilla extract, pure → almond extract or lemon extract. Use 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 ml) of either alternative. Almond extract adds a subtle nuttiness, while lemon extract complements the yogurt's tang beautifully.
- unsalted butter → cream cheese frosting. Replace the 1/2 cup butter with 4 oz (115 g) room-temperature cream cheese and reduce powdered sugar to 1.5 cups (180 g). The added tanginess pairs wonderfully with the yogurt cupcakes. Add milk as needed for consistency.
