Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Sweet without being cloying, these even taste good without frosting!
Texture: Ultra moist and fluffy.
Ease: Very easy!
Pros: Classic go-to cupcake recipe for so many occasions.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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These Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes are the most crowd-pleasing cupcakes ever!
Recently I set out on what turned out to be a very tedious and often frustrating baking adventure.
I had made my Yellow Layer Cake recipe into cupcakes but didn’t love how they turned out. They were too fine-crumbed for how I prefer cupcakes. I want my cupcakes to be a bit looser and ultra-moist.
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You see, cupcakes don’t need quite the structure a layer cake demands to hold steady. They just need enough to support a generous amount of frosting.
I thought it would be easy enough to tweak my layer cake recipe for cupcakes, but that was not the case.
It took over 8 experimental batches to get this Yellow Cupcakes recipe just right. I was SWIMMING in failed cupcakes. When. Finally. After weeks. My team and I finally nailed the recipe!
I wanted to create Yellow Cupcakes that were as moist and tender as the box mix cupcakes but without the cloying artificial flavor. The result? Yellow cupcakes that actually taste good on their own but are phenomenal with my Best Ever Chocolate American Buttercream recipe or my Best Buttercream Frosting.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes
How to Make MOIST Cupcakes:
- Measure your flour correctly: I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh flour. If you don’t have one, use the “spoon and level” method to measure with measuring cups. This helps to prevent dry or crumbly yellow cupcakes because it’s so easy to compact too much flour into your measuring cups.
- Don’t reduce the sugar: Sugar does SO much more than simply sweetening these cupcakes. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking cupcakes here.
- Additional rich ingredients: The egg and egg yolk add richness and moisture, and the buttermilk also tenderizes and adds flavor (more on that below). Oil also assists in this – more on that just below.
Using Butter and Oil in This Cupcake Recipe?
One of the keys to Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes is a little bit of oil! Because oil is an unsaturated fat (liquid at room temperature), it helps provide the sensation of moisture on the palate. We also cream sugar and butter, which allows air to whip into the batter for a light texture. Using butter also provides unparalleled rich flavor.
The Secret Ingredient to Ultra-Moist Cupcakes: Buttermilk!
- The goal for this Yellow Cupcake recipe was something super tender and moist, and buttermilk was the clear winner for both texture and taste!
- Real buttermilk in this recipe makes a WORLD of difference (often sold as ‘low fat’ in the grocery store).
- Buttermilk substitutions simply don’t work as well.
- I’ve tested variations of this recipe with whole milk, as well as sour cream. The whole milk doesn’t provide as much flavor. The sour cream provided tons of flavor but made for a tighter, finer crumb.
- You can see my extensive testing on buttermilk substitutions in my Buttermilk 101 article.
What is the Best Baking Pan for Cupcakes?
I like the Wilton Recipe Right Muffin Pans for baking cupcakes. Avoid using anything with a dark or gold-colored lining as this can result in browning or burning the bottoms and edges of the cupcakes.
Note that every brand of muffin / cupcake pan will have cavities of slightly different diameters and volumes. Some pans have smaller cavities than others. Always fill yours with batter 2/3 to 3/4 full and not more.
How to Prevent Cupcake Liners from Sticking
Oftentimes this is due to the brand of liners either being cheap or overly decorative. This is my favorite brand of cupcake liner, available on Amazon. If this is a common problem for you, check out my article on how to prevent cupcake liners from sticking here.
How to Prevent Cupcakes from Sinking
- Overmixing, expired baking powder, opening the oven door too much, or underbaking can all cause cupcakes to sink in the center.
- Overfilling your cupcake pan cavities can also cause sinking. Fill 2/3 to 3/4 full. You may end up with more than a dozen cupcakes since every brand and style of cupcake pan has a slightly different cavity volume.
- If you’re 3,000 feet or more above sea level, you’ll most likely need to reduce the baking powder in this recipe to avoid the cupcakes sinking or collapsing in the center. Start by cutting the amount of baking powder to 1 teaspoon if at 3,000 feet, and 3/4 teaspoon if at 5,000 feet or higher. This may require some experimentation depending on your specific microclimate.
- Learn more about How to Prevent Cakes & Cupcakes From Sinking here.
How to Decorate Cupcakes
To match the Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes you see in these photos, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large plain open tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with pastel rainbow sprinkles. You can also use an open star tip, like the Wilton 1M tip.
How to Serve Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes in Warm Weather
If you plan on serving Yellow Cupcakes outside in a warm, humid, or sunny environment, store in the fridge just until you set up for the party. By the time everyone is ready for cupcakes, it should be the perfect temperature without running the risk of melting.
How to Make Yellow Cupcakes Ahead of Time
Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes can be baked a day ahead of time. Note that the tops of the cupcakes will become slightly sticky the longer they’re stored but the frosting mostly camouflages this.
The buttercream on its own can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 1 month. If frozen, let defrost in the fridge overnight. Let come to room temperature and re-whip in the stand mixer until light and fluffy again.
How to Store Ultra-Moist Yellow Cupcakes
Frosted Yellow Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Buttercream Recipes You’ll Love:
- The BEST Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- Best American Buttercream Frosting
- Classic Swiss Meringue Buttercream
More Birthday Recipes:
- Best Birthday Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Best Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Yellow Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at cool room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup (119 grams) buttermilk, at cool room temperature
- 1
Batch of Best Chocolate American Buttercream
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the oil and beat for another minute, or until smooth. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla one at a time, beating very well between additions until combined.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk in three alternating additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be fairly thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake cavities, filling each about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Don't overfill – you may need to bake up to 15 cupcakes if using a pan with smaller cavities. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are springy to the touch. Let cool for 20 minutes in tin before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Frost the cupcakes:
- Use an offset spatula to frost each cupcake. Alternatively, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
These yellow cupcakes are delicious and make the most beautiful batter. I followed the directions to a T (weighing ingredients, following every step precisely), but my cupcakes still came out sunken in the middle. I live at at 4,000 elevation and so decreased the amount of baking powder according to the recommended amount (1 tsp). I trust all of Tessa’s recipes, so I’m sure it was something on my end.
hmm…the first thing I’d check is to make sure your leaveners are fresh (read my article here). I’d be cautious next time about overmixing your batter as well as possibly overfilling your liners (maybe try 2/3 full next time). Do you have an oven thermometer? If so, I’d check to see if your oven is running high-that can cause your cupcakes to rise rapidly but the middle won’t be baked, causing them to sink. I’m glad they still tasted delicious, but hopefully next time we can solve the sunken middle issue!
Thank you for the feedback! I filled them 2/3 full, and I didn’t feel like I overmixed them. I will check the leaveners, and probably should invest in an oven thermometer. Thank you!
The flavor was sweet but not reminiscent of a yellow cake recipe. Additionally, the texture just fell apart even after cooling and was extremely crumbly.
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear your cupcakes didn’t turn out! Normally crumbly cupcakes are due to too much flour. Do you use a digital scale to measure your ingredients to ensure accuracy? Did you substitute any ingredients?
I love baking but I sometimes have a hard time with cakes and cupcakes. Most of the time my cakes come out dense. Not this recipe though! I loved this recipe. Great flavor and they turned out light and fluffy. Tessa definitely knows what she’s talking abbot when it comes to baking.
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Bailey! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed your yellow cupcakes!
These are INCREDIBLE!! So full of flavor and truly the perfect yellow cupcake. Make SURE to not overfill your liners as that was a problem of mine! I also had too warm of butter the first time, but once fixed the second time I made these, they turned out perfectly 🙂
Also… that chocolate buttercream it is TO DIE FOR, yummy!!
I’m so happy to hear you tried these again, Emily, and that they turned out perfectly after your corrections 🙂
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear your cupcakes sunk! Did they sink while they were still in the oven or after you checked them for doneness and took them out? Sunken cupcakes can happen for quite a few reasons: baking at high altitude, expired leavening agents, over mixing the batter, overfilling your liners (this has been a popular one in our FB group, 2/3 full has worked well!) or also if your oven is running high, that can cause your cupcakes to rise rapidly but the middle won’t be baked, causing them to sink…I want to make sure that you didn’t substitute any ingredients as well. Please let me know if I can help troubleshoot more. I also want to let you know that reviews are published, we just have to moderate them due to spam.
I made these 2x in a matter of 3 days! First batch were a trial to see if the family gave them the thumbs up. They did so then I doubled the recipe to make for my daughters grade celebration! The taste is similar but loads better than a classic yellow box cake with the added bonus of being homemade! My only issue was after they cooled, they all sank. This did not really matter as taste was not affected and I piped frosting on top but I do wonder why? This is my new #1 cupcake recipe!
I’m so happy to hear they were such a hit!! Did they sink at all while they were still in the oven or only after you checked them for doneness and took them out? Sunken cupcakes can happen for quite a few reasons: baking at high altitude, expired leavening agents, over mixing the batter, overfilling your liners (try about 2/3 full next time) or also if your oven is running high, that can cause your cupcakes to rise rapidly but the middle won’t be baked, causing them to sink. Did you substitute any ingredients? Also, do you use a scale to measure your ingredients? I know my batch sunk when I was working on the amount of all-purpose flour to be used and had too much!
I appreciate you taking the time to reply! They had a nice slight dome shape when I took them out but when they cooled, shrunk and sunk! Sounds funny!
– I weighed all my ingredients
– Did not make any substitutions
– not at night altitude
– nothing was expired
– cakes were half filled (smaller cupcake liners in-between a mini and American full-size called English “fairy cake”
– BUT now I’m thinking that I’m in England with a fan only oven so that could be it!?
And I may have over mixed them, so I’ll be aware to not over-mix next time.
Regardless, I’m a keen amateur baker who has been looking for the best home made cupcake recipe for many years and my kids and husband have all said this is it!!!
Thanks again!
I’d pay attention to the over mixing next time, but I’m thinking your oven may be the issue as well! I don’t recommend using a convection setting for delicate foods or anything that raises tall like a muffin or cake-it will make it develop an a-symmetrical shape due to the windy environment. I’d recommend checking out my Oven 101 article, it includes the adjustment you’ll need to make when using a recipe that doesn’t call for the convection setting. Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes the next time you make them, good luck! 🙂
Can I reduce the sugar level from 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar to 150aig??
Lowering the sugar will alter the outcome of the cupcakes as even the slightest change to an ingredient has been proven to make a difference in my testing. I will say that these aren’t super sweet cupcakes, and they’re incredibly fluffy and moist. I’d personally recommend trying them out as written, and then alter if you need to once you’ve tried them. Let me know how it goes if you change anything! 🙂
What kind of cupcake liner and pan do you use? Mine usually turn out greasy and I’m not sure why, thanks!
I list my favorites with links in the pink box above the recipe 🙂
HI!
Ive just made these with my daughter and they were fantastic! She couldnt wait for the frosting and just ate the cupcakes when they were still warm….. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing!
So happy to hear this recipe was a hit!! It’s definitely hard waiting for them to cool:)
These cupcakes look delicious. Do you think chocolate ganache will go with it?
Also, what is the difference between yellow cake and white/vanilla cake?
Is this recipe okay to double for I need more than 12 cupcakes
Absolutely!
What temperature would “cool room temperature” be?
Cool room temperature is about 67° 🙂
Looks great! Is there a recipe for the frosting or is there a frosting that you would recommend?
Yes! There’s a link right in the ingredients list for my Best Chocolate American Buttercream 🙂