Copycat Sweet Tooth Fairy’s VaNIElla Squared Cupcake
on Jul 18, 2014, Updated Aug 22, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Once you try these Vanilla Cupcakes you’ll never want to use another recipe ever again! The cupcakes are soft, moist, and fluffy and the frosting is rich and sweet. With how easy they are to make, you won’t be able to stop making these delicious cupcakes!
These moist vanilla cupcakes are not your ordinary cupcake. The cupcakes themselves are soft, moist, and perfectly chewy while the light and fluffy buttercream adds just the right amount of sweetness. You might feel a little intimidated by the ingredient list for these cupcakes, but they could not be easier to make!
Inspired by the Sweet Tooth Fairy’s VaNIELLa cupcake recipe, this recipe really takes a classic dessert to the next level. One of my favorite parts of this recipe is the combination of coconut and almond extract in frosting. Together they add a rich, distinct sweetness to the cupcakes.
I’m a lover of all things cupcake. Try these yummy treats too: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes, Cherry Chip Cupcakes and Pumpkin Cupcakes with Whipped Cinnamon Icing.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The cupcakes and frosting compliment each other perfectly.
- They are easy to bake.
- These cupcakes are great for late night snacking or large family gatherings.
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour—All-purpose.
- Baking Powder and Soda—To help the cupcakes rise.
- Sugar—You will use a combination of granulated and powdered sugars.
- Butter—Unsalted and melted.
- Egg Whites—Using egg whites instead of the entire egg helps make the cupcakes light and spongy.
- Greek Yogurt—Make sure it is plain, not vanilla.
- Whole Milk—To help add moisture to the cupcakes.
- Vanilla Extract—Gives the cupcakes their distinct flavor.
- Heavy Cream—Serves as the base of your frosting.
- Coconut Extract—Adds a little bit of fresh sweetness to the frosting.
- Almond Extract—Helps round out the flavor of the frosting.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Vanilla Cupcakes
Step #1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Step #2. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the egg whites, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract. Combine with the flour mixture.
Step #3. Fill your cupcake liners evenly with the cupcake batter.
Step #4. Beat the butter until fluffy. Add cream, vanilla, coconut extract, salt, and 2.5 cups powdered sugar. Whip for 3-5 minutes. Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached.
Step #5. Bake cupcakes until the tops begin to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Step #6. Place in an icing bag and pipe onto the cool cupcakes.
Recipe FAQs
Using a combination of Greek yogurt and milk is the key to a moist cupcake. These ingredients will work together to give the cupcakes moisture and prevent them from drying out as they bake. Once your cupcakes finish baking, you can help them stay fresh for longer by storing them in an airtight container.
While it is not completely necessary, spraying your liners down with some nonstick cooking spray can help you get every last bit of cupcake out of the liner. I always recommend baking your cupcakes without cooking spray and then if they are sticking too much you can spray them next time. That way you don’t risk altering the flavor of the cupcakes at all.
As long as you keep your cupcakes covered with plastic wrap or move them to an airtight container, you can store them on the counter for up to 4 days. After that they will start to dry out a little bit.
Expert Tips
- If your frosting is too thick then you can add 1-2 extra tablespoons of heavy cream. If it is on the thinner side, add ¼ – ½ cup of extra powdered sugar and continue whipping.
- Even though it can take 3-5 minutes, don’t skip the whipping of the butter step for the frosting. Beating the butter helps it to be light enough to combine smoothly with the powdered sugar.
- I like to make sure the eggs, milk, and yogurt are room temperature. If they are too cold then it can cause your batter to be a little clumpy and cause the cupcakes to be a little dense.
- If you do not have plain Greek yogurt then you can use sour cream instead.
More Cupcake Recipes To Consider
Cupcakes
Cherry Chip Cupcakes
Frosting Recipes
Light and Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Cupcakes
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Sweet Tooth Fairy’s VaNIElla Squared Cupcake Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3/4 cup 2% or whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to combine them. In a separate medium bowl add the melted butter and the sugar. Stir to combine (will be gritty). Add the egg whites, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir until just incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 lined cups. Bake for around 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let the cupcakes rest for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Allow to cool before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Add the butter to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until the butter is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, Add cream, extracts, salt, and 2.5 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix on low until combined and then increase speed to medium and whip for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the icing 1/2 to a 1/4 cup at a time to until you reach the desired consistency.
- The constancy of the icing is important if you are going to pile it high on a cupcake. It should be a medium consistency. If you mix the batch of icing with a metal teaspoon (the kind you use for dinner) it should stand up straight in the middle of the bowl when it is in the icing. So, you should be able to stir it with a spoon by hand but it should also be sturdy enough to hold the spoon up. If the icing is too thick, add a little cream. If it needs to be a little thicker add a 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and whip to combine until it’s sturdy enough.
- Place in an icing bag and pipe on the cool cupcakes with tip 2A
Can you make these a day ahead? If so how do you store them?
Yep, they’ll be fine on the counter, frosted, for a day!
This is my favorite vanilla cupcake recipe. I love how dense and moist they are (in a good way)–they aren’t so dry like regular cake mix cupcakes can be. Made them for my two-year-old’s birthday on Saturday and they were perfect.
Love the feedback! Thank you! That’s just what I like about them too, they don’t crumble into nothing which is a great thing for a cupcake. Happy Birthday to your little one!
Looks like a yummy recipe. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect vanilla cupcake. Might have to try this recipe.
When do you add the salt when mixing the icing?
I add it when I’m making the butter fluffy! Sorry, I’ll note that!
These look divine! Can you substitute vanilla extract for the coconut? I don’t have any coconut extract. 🙂 My fav cake/frosting is the classic – chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, baby! 😉
You sure can sub that but finding that coconut might be worth it! This is the only recipe I use it in, but it’s sooooo good!
yum and yum! I can’t wait to try these cupcakes–I even have all the ingredients! I love it when that happens 🙂
Those look delicious. I loved hearing Stephanie’s story at the Women’s Forum too.
Isn’t she amazing!
White on white cupcakes are my FAVORITE!!
I just think it’s awesome you brought her some. I would’ve had such a hard time doing that… but I bet she loved it!
I am not a big cake person but I do LOVE the Sweet Tooth Fairy’s raspberry lemonade cupcake, it is to die for!