How to Make Cupcakes from Scratch

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 30, 2022 References Tested

Whether you are making cupcakes to celebrate a birthday, congratulate a recent graduate, or support your favorite sports team, cupcakes are a fun and easy dessert or treat for any occasion. You can make your own personalized cupcakes by creating vanilla or chocolate batter, and making basic homemade vanilla or chocolate frosting.

Ingredients

Making Vanilla or Chocolate Cupcakes

1 ½ c (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (6 grams) baking powder
¼ tsp (2grams) fine salt
2 large eggs
2/3 c (133 grams) sugar
1/2 c (100 grams) light brown sugar (for chocolate cupcakes)
1/2 c (42 grams) cocoa powder (for chocolate cupcakes)
12 tbsp (170 grams) unsalted butter (melted)
2 tsp (9.9 mL) vanilla extract
¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) milk (or buttermilk)
¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) vegetable oil

Makes 12 cupcakes

Creating Basic Vanilla Frosting

2 c (320 grams) powdered sugar
2 US tbsp (30 mL) butter (softened)
2 US tbsp (30 mL) milk
¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla

Makes 1 cup

Preparing Smooth Chocolate Frosting

¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) melted butter
2 c (320 grams) powdered sugar
2/3 c (67 grams) cocoa powder
¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) milk
1 tsp (4.9 mL) vanilla

Makes 1 cup

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Vanilla or Chocolate Cupcakes

1
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Begin by adding 1 ½ c (210 grams) of all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp (6 grams) of baking powder, and a ¼ tsp (2 grams) of fine salt together. Stir the ingredients using either a whisk or a spatula.^{[1]
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2
Add cocoa powder and brown sugar to make chocolate cupcakes. To make chocolate cupcakes, add in a ½ c (42 grams) of cocoa powder and a ½ c (100 grams) of light brown sugar. Whisk them together with the other dry ingredients before adding eggs and sugar.^{[2]
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- To make vanilla cupcakes, leave out the brown sugar and cocoa powder.
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3
Beat eggs and sugar in another medium mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, add in 2 large eggs and 2/3 c (133 grams) of sugar. Beat the ingredients with an eggbeater until the mixture has a light and foamy texture. This should take about 2 minutes when using the medium speed setting.^{[3]
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- If you don't have an eggbeater, you can use an electric mixer or a whisk to blend the ingredients.
4
Add butter and vanilla to the egg mixture and mix on low speed. Gradually pour in 12 tbsp (170 grams) of melted butter and 2 tsp (9.9 mL) of vanilla extract into the egg mixture. Mix these ingredients on the low-speed setting for another minute or until the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed into the egg mixture.^{[4]
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5
Pour half of the flour mixture into the bowl with the liquids. Make sure only to add half of the flour mixture at a time. Adding it all at once can make it harder to mix and it may not mix thoroughly. Add in ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of milk and a¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) of vegetable oil before adding the remaining flour.^{[5]
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Put in the rest of the flour and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Your batter may be done before 2 minutes. Make sure that all of the ingredients are thoroughly blended. The batter is done when you can scoop it up with a spoon and pour it easily back into the bowl.^{[6]
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- If your batter is too runny, add a ¼ c (35 grams) of flour until you have reached a thicker constancy.
- If your batter is too thick, add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of milk at a time to thin out the batter.
- To customize your cupcakes, you can add mix-ins such as sprinkles or chocolate chips.
7
Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray and pour in the batter. The best way to ensure an easy clean up is to use a non-stick spray around the surface of your pan. You can also line the cups with cupcake liners for a clean and easy serve. Pour the batter into the tin, filling it about halfway.^{[7]
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- Cupcake liners come in a wide variety of designs. Choose a liner with balloons for a birthday celebration, or one with pumpkins for Halloween.
- Although you do not have to use liners, it is recommended to keep your cupcakes intact during the cooking process and to make serving and decorating them easier.
8
Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C). Place the tin on the middle rack in the oven and allow them to cook for 18-20 minutes. About halfway through, rotate the pan 180 degrees. Once your cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.^{[8]
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- High altitudes may take longer to cook. You are in a high altitude if you live over 3,000 ft (910 m).^{[9]
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- Mini cupcakes will take 10-12 minutes to bake.
- Your cupcakes are done when you can insert a toothpick into the center of a cupcake and it comes out clean when you remove it.
9
Apply frosting to the cooled cupcakes with an icing knife. Use the knife to completely cover the tops of the cupcakes.^{[10]
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- If you do not have an icing knife, a butter knife is a great substitute.
- You can also apply the icing by pouring it into a piping bag with a star nozzle.^{[11]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating Basic Vanilla Frosting

1
Soften 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of butter in the microwave. Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time. Check the firmness of the butter after each 10-second increment. Depending on the power of your microwave, it may only take 1 heat cycle to soften the butter.^{[12]
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- The butter does not need to be completely melted; it only needs to be soft enough so that it can be easily mixed with the other ingredients.
2
Combine butter, milk, and vanilla in a medium-size mixing bowl. Place the softened butter in a medium-sized mixing bowl and add in 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of milk and ¹⁄₂ tsp (2.5 mL) of vanilla. Stir these ingredients with a spatula before beating them.^{[13]
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Beat the ingredients on medium speed until they are smooth. Use an electric mixer to combine your ingredients until they have become fluffy and are free from clumps. This should only take about 30 seconds to a minute.^{[14]
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- Store any unused frosting in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze it for up to 6 months.^{[15]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Preparing Smooth Chocolate Frosting

1
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the cocoa powder. Place ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) of butter in a saucepan and melt it on low heat. Add in 2/3 c (67 grams) of cocoa powder and stir the mixture until it is thick and smooth. Then remove it from the heat and place the mixture in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes.^{[16]
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2
Add half of the milk and vanilla and beat them for 10 seconds. In the bowl with the cocoa, add in approximately half of the ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) of milk and half of the 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla. Use an electric mixer to stir them together before adding in half of the 2 c (320 grams) of powdered sugar. Only beat the ingredients for 10-20 seconds so that they are lightly mixed together.^{[17]
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- You can use a whisk if you do not have an electric mixer.
- Alternating the liquid and dry ingredients will help them to mix thoroughly.
3
Mix in the remaining milk, vanilla, and sugar. Follow the same process as before. Add your liquids first and lightly mix them before adding in the rest of your powdered sugar. After you have added all of the remaining ingredients, beat them together until you have your desired consistency.^{[18]
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- Beat the ingredients for an extra 30 seconds to a minute for a thicker consistency.
- Store any unused frosting in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.^{[19]
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- Freeze unused frosting in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Community Q&A

Question

My batter always overflows. Any tips?

Community Answer

You're probably just overfilling the cupcake cups. You should only fill each one up a little more than halfway.

Things You'll Need

12-cup muffin tin or 2 24-cup mini-muffin tins
Cupcake liners
Whisk
3 medium-size mixing bowls
Eggbeater
Spatula
Toothpicks or cake tester
Cooling Rack
Icing knife or butter knife

Warnings

Always use caution when using electric mixers.

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Use heat resistant gloves when placing pans in or removing pans from the oven.

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