EASY Vanilla Cupcakes

These easy vanilla cupcakes are simple to make with a boxed cake mix and instant vanilla pudding which makes them moist and fluffy with a creamy, tender texture!

I love making boxed cake mix recipes that taste like they’re from scratch! Rainbow cupcakes and lemon raspberry cupcakes are two other recipes that use cake mix.

Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

These easy vanilla cupcakes are adapted from my best chocolate cupcakes. They are so easy to make and require only 5 simple ingredients. They taste like they’re homemade vanilla cupcakes from scratch, however they’re made by doctoring up a box of cake mix.

This is my go-to easy vanilla cupcake recipe when I need something quick and simple for birthday parties or bake sales. The secret to making them extra delicious is by mixing instant vanilla pudding and sour cream into the batter. They make the cupcakes super moist and tender.

Vanilla Cake Mix Cupcakes Ingredients

Amounts included in printable recipe below.

• Cake mix: This recipe starts with a box of your favorite white or yellow cake mix. You can also make your own homemade vanilla cake mix recipe if preferred.
• Pudding mix: Next comes the instant vanilla pudding (the dry mix). No need to make the actual pudding…you’ll just stir the dry mix into the batter.
• Eggs: Add in 4 large eggs (the amount needed on the box may be different, however stick with this number instead).
• Oil: This recipe calls for canola oil to help keep it moist. Use the amount needed in this recipe vs. what’s included on the box.
• Sour cream: This is one of the secret ingredients (along with the pudding mix) that makes the cupcakes super soft and moist.
• White chocolate chips: These are optional, although I love the extra boost of flavor they add.

How to Make Easy Vanilla Cupcakes

Stir together the cake mix and dry vanilla pudding in a large bowl. If adding in chocolate chips, stir them in now. Next mix in the eggs, canola oil and water. Then stir in the sour cream until smooth.

Pour the batter into 2 muffin pans lined with cupcake liners. Make sure each liner is about 3/4 the way full with batter.

Bake at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting and Decorating Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes are so easy to customize. You can color the frosting or decorate them with colored sprinkles if you’d like. Below are some of my favorite frostings to use.

• Chocolate buttercream: This is a classic and one of my favorites to use.
• Strawberry frosting: I love using a berry frosting in the Spring or summertime. This strawberry buttercream or strawberry cream cheese frosting are my favorites.
• Buttercream: A classic buttercream is always delicious. I love to use this base if I’m going to be adding food coloring to the frosting.
• Vanilla frosting: A classic frosting that compliments the vanilla flavor in the dessert. Top with M&M’s to make M&M cupcakes for an extra festive dessert!
• Cream cheese frosting: The cream cheese adds a delicious rich flavor. If using this recipe to frost cupcakes, I usually add about 1-2 more cups of powdered sugar so that it holds it’s shape.

Baking Tips

• If adding white chocolate chips, mix them in with the dry cake mix and vanilla pudding. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
• Use a large cookie scoop to fill the muffin pan. If you don’t have one, make sure to only fill the liners 2/3 the way full.
• Use a toothpick to check if the center is done. Try not to open the oven too many times, as the heat will escape and could cause the cupcakes to deflate.
• Follow my tips on how to frost the perfect cupcakes.

More Cupcake Recipes

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