Mini Cupcakes
Published April 6, 2024
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Homemade Mini Cupcakes – A bite size decadent dessert that includes a fluffy, tender, sweet vanilla cake with a rich buttercream swirled atop. They’re one of the cutest treats you can make!
Mini Vanilla Cupcakes
These sweet mini cupcakes are sure to put a smile on anyones face. And not only are the fun to serve and eat but they are also enjoyable to make as well, it’s fun to prepare little foods for a change.
You’ll find these are a dessert that fitting for so many occasions including birthday celebrations, holiday parties, weekend get togethers, or even just a simple weekend baking project with the kids.
They have a satisfying, light, buttery crumb, a welcomed sweet vanilla flavor, and the silky buttercream polishes them off perfectly.
If you need more you can easily double the recipe. Which I may recommend anyway and then you can freeze half the batch for a later time because anytime is a great time for mini cupcakes!
Mini Cupcake Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: If you want an even more delicate crumb you can use cake flour.
- Baking powder: This is used to help the cupcake rise. I recommend using aluminum free baking powder for a non-metallic taste.
- Salt: Salt really helps balance out the sweetness of the cupcake and keeps it from tasting flat.
- Unsalted butter: Fat add richness to the cupcake and moisture. It also softens the crumb texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar is a key ingredient in sweetening the cupcake.
- Milk: I like to use whole or 2% milk for the recipe.
- Egg: The egg helps to bind ingredients together and assists in rising.
- Vanilla extract: A traditional ingredient in cupcakes and other baked goods that adds notes of sweet and welcomed natural flavor.
- Milk: This is used for the moisture for the cupcake.
- Powdered sugar: A very fine sugar also known as confectioners sugar that builds the foundation of the frosting and sweetens it.
- Heavy cream: This adds a richness to the frosting while thinning and adding whipped volume once it’s blended in and aerated.
Mini Cupcake Baking Equipment Used
How to Make Mini Cupcake Batter
Down below you will find the full recipe with a complete explanation of instructions. Here is a brief overview of the steps.
- Heat oven and prepare a mini muffin pan with paper liners.
- Whisk dry ingredients together.
- Separately whip butter with sugar until pale.
- Mix in egg and vanilla extract to sugar mixture.
- Blend in half of the flour mixture, then milk, then remaining half of the flour mixture.
- Fill prepared cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
- Bake until set.
How Long to Bake Mini Cupcakes
- Mini cupcakes generally take about 9 to 13 minutes to bake in a preheated 350 degree oven.
- For this recipe they will likely only need about 9 to 10 minutes.
How to Make the Frosting
- This buttercream frosting is very simple and it can be made in a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer to whip.
- To make it you’ll simple blend all of the the frosting ingredients together on low speed until they are combined.
- Then increase to a high speed and whip for about 4 to 5 minutes until it’s very light and fluffy to give it that melt in your mouth consistency.
Other Frosting Flavors to Try
If you want to change things up you could also try one of these three flavors atop these cupcakes in place of vanilla frosting:
Helpful Tips
- Why room temp. ingredients: Room temperature ingredients such as eggs, milk and butter are recommended so the cupcake batter ingredients to combine together better.
- Measuring tip: Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients if possible for the most accuracy.
- Creaming tip: Be sure to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy as this is what will incorporate tiny air bubbles into the cupcakes and help them rise higher.
- Reduce sugar: For a less sweet frosting consider a Swiss meringue, Ermine frosting or even a whipped cream topping.
Storage
- Cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container.
- They’ll keep at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Cupcake Recipes to Try
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes
- Lemon Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Vanilla Cupcakes (similar recipe to these but standard size)
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Mini Cupcakes
A bite size decadent dessert that includes a fluffy, tender, sweet vanilla cake topped with a rich buttercream swirled atop. They're one of the cutest treats you can make!
Servings: 24 mini cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup (108g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp (71g) unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
- 6 Tbsp (77g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, brought to room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk, brought to room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24 well mini muffin pan (or two 12 well) with paper liners.
- For the cupcakes: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or with a stand mixer and paddle attachment) cream together 5 Tbsp butter with the granulated sugar until combined on a lower speed, then increase to high heat and whip until very pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down bowl.
- Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
- Add in half of the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until combined, then mix in milk until just combined, then finish by mixing in last half of the flour mixture until just comibned.
- Scrape down bowl and fold mixture with a rubber spatula to ensure ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Scoop batter into prepared mini muffin pan filling paper liners 2/3 full.
- Bake in preheated oven until cupcakes are just set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 9 to 10 minutes.
- Let cool in pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- For the frosting: Add all frosting ingredients to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer). Cream on low speed until combined then increase to high speed and whip until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe frosting over cupcakes or simply spread frosting over with an offset spatula or butter knife. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
Notes
Plan on about 3 to 4 mini cupcakes per person, 4 mini is equal to a standard size 1 cupcake.
Nutrition Facts
Mini Cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 32mg1%
Potassium 33mg1%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 225IU5%
Vitamin C 0.01mg0%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.