Easy Vanilla Muffins - Perfect For Cupcakes!

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The best Vanilla Muffins are moist, delicious & super easy to make from scratch. With ingredients you probably already have at home this is a recipe you can throw together anytime - yummy just as they are and perfect as a base for your favorite cupcake toppings. Step by step pictures included!

There are a few things every homebaker & cupcake lover needs to have: at least one good icing tip*, a muffin tin* - and a great recipe for vanilla muffins. The two first you can grab at Amazon (just follow the links above) - and the third, well, that's what this post is all about.

Why this is the best recipe for vanilla muffins

1. The muffins come out super moist and delicious thanks to the room temperature butter
2. It uses common ingredients you probably already have at home - and otherwise you can definitely find them at your nearest supermarket
3. It's quick & easy to make - no complicated or time consuming steps required

How to make the best vanilla muffins from scratch

1. To make perfect vanilla muffins from scratch, make sure to start with room temperature butter, milk and eggs. Also, set your oven for 200 C/400 F.

2. Begin by placing your room temperature butter cut in pieces in a bowl and add in the sugar. Mix until fluffy using an electric whisk.

3. Then add the eggs and whisk again, until fluffy and smooth.

4. Now place your flour in a separate bowl and mix in the baking powder and vanilla sugar.

5. Add the flour mixture to the butter, sugar & egg mixture and mix again. Mix well, but not more then necessary for it to be well blended. Finally, add the milk and mix until smooth.

6. Now bring out a muffin tray (or a regular oven tray if you don't have one) and line with muffin liners. Scoop your batter into the muffin liners, making sure not to fill them to more than ⅔. Then place in the oven and bake for about 18 minutes. This time will vary slightly depending on your oven, so test your muffins using a cake tester or a tooth pick. When done, it should come out with very little or no batter.

And now you have a beautiful batch of delicious vanilla muffins all ready to eat as they are, or top with your favorite toppings!

Expert tips

• Use a muffin tin* for the best shaped muffins
• Test your muffins with a tooth pick or cake tester to ensure they're cooked just right - it should come out dry, or with just a tiny bit of batter on
• Use room temperature butter instead of melting it - this way you need less flour and therefore get more moist muffins

My favorite tools for making muffins & cupcakes

The links in the collage below are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something through one of them, I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

Frequently asked questions

How does vanilla sugar differ from vanilla extract?

The difference between vanilla sugar and vanilla extract is that for vanilla extract alcohol is used to extract the vanilla flavor from the vanilla beans, and for vanilla sugar, you instead use sugar. Generally you can use either or - and that is also true for this recipe - and in the same amount.

How to eat your vanilla muffins

These vanilla muffins are delicious just as they are - but they're also perfect to use as a base for cupcakes. Some of my favorite toppings include:

• Chocolate buttercream frosting
• Orange ginger cream cheese frosting
• Strawberry frosting
• Salted caramel frosting

Now I'm curious! How would you top these vanilla muffins? Or maybe you'd just devour them as-is? Let me know in the comments below! And while you're there - why not leave me a rating and let me know how I'm doing?

Enjoy your baking!

Emmeline