One Bowl Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Oil

Light, airy vanilla cupcakes with a spongy texture and perfect vanilla bean flavor. This one bowl fluffy vanilla cupcake recipe with oil is perfect when you don’t have an electric mixer! Instead of creaming butter with a mixer of by hand, easily mix this oil-based batter up in minutes. Perfect for birthday parties or gatherings, top with your favorite buttercream and sprinkles of choice!

Highlights of these classic vanilla cupcakes:

• Fluffy cupcakes with a tender crumb
• Vanilla buttercream frosting is rich & creamy
• A family-friendly recipe, perfect or beginners
• Easiest way to make cupcakes
• Simple ingredients, no butter or mixer needed
• Cupcake batter comes together quickly and easily
• Buttercream is easy to make and keeps in the fridge so you can make in advance
• Top with chocolate curls or sprinkles for a festive look
• Goes great with any kind of frosting

You know when you want to make cupcakes but you don’t have softened butter or a hand mixer. You contemplate creaming the butter by hand or ‘softening’ the butter in the microwave. Skip all of that and make this easy, oil-based cupcake batter! The batter comes together in minutes and results in light, airy vanilla cupcakes!

Grocery Store List & Substitutions:

• Vegetable oil, can substitute olive oil or canola oil
• Large whole room temperature eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Granulated sugar
• Milk, can substitute heavy cream, half and half or a non-dairy milk like oat milk or almond milk
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Kosher salt
• Powdered sugar
• Unsalted butter, softened
• Sprinkles if desired

This is my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe when I need to whip up a dessert quick! Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for extra vanilla flavor. Top cupcakes with buttercream frosting, chocolate frosting, or cream cheese frosting.

Variations & Serving Ideas:

• Use holiday themed cupcake liners and sprinkles
• Hollow out the center of a cupcake and fill with fruit or chocolate fillings
• Dye frosting for different occasions

Tools I used for this vanilla cupcake recipe:

• Rubber Spatula – a must for any home baker! Perfect for scrapping batter out of the mixing bowl.
• Non-stick Muffin Tin – just one of those pans you need!
• White Paper Liners – a good basic muffin or cupcake liner to have on hand
• Portion Scoops – my go to for scooping batter cleanly into muffin tins

First Steps:

• Combine oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla
• Mix well
• Add in milk
• Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth

If you like these One Bowl Fluffy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Oil, try these other easy cake recipes..

Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Cinnamon Snacking Cake with Maple Frosting

Chocolate Snacking Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream

This batch of vanilla cupcakes will be a group favorite!

Can I make my vanilla cupcakes ahead of time?

Yes, these cupcakes can be made in advance. Simple allow them to cool completely and store in and airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days in advance if needed. It can help to brush the cupcakes with simple syrup to get them extra moist.

What makes these vanilla cupcakes moist?

These cupcakes turn out moist, light, and airy, due to no overmixing and the addition of milk. It can also help to start baking with less time and add more time as needed.

Do I have to use cupcake liners?

No, you do not have to. If you do not want to use liners, make sure you are using a non-stick pan and grease well with butter or cooking oil.

Final Steps:

• Pour batter into a lined cupcake tin
• Bake until set
• Let cool completely

Instructions for the oil-based vanilla cupcakes:

For the cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, line a 12-cup cupcake pan. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.  
• In a large mixing bowl combine the oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Whisk to combine until light and creamy. Slowly mix in milk.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mix well until completely combined. Use a portion scoop or large cookie scoop to fill each cupcake liner 2/3rd’s full. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. 

For the vanilla buttercream frosting:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric hand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix thoroughly each time. Mix in the vanilla extract and the heavy cream, 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with a piping bag with a frosting tip or butterknife

Notes:

*Additional vanilla flavor can be added with vanilla bean paste.

Save this good cupcake recipe for the next time you need a last minute dessert.

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to see it! Take a picture and post to Instagram with the tag @theheartylife and the hashtag #theheartylife – You can also leave me a question or comment below! If you’ve tried this recipe, feel free to give it a star rating on the recipe above.