Filipino Vanilla Cupcakes

Make a special yet so easy-to-do Filipino Vanilla Cupcake bouquet! If you are looking for a perfect Mother's Day gift for your Mom or someone special, this is the recipe for you! These vanilla cupcakes need only a few ingredients and the bouquet is so quick and easy to assemble!

If you love cupcakes, you’ll also enjoy Blueberry Cupcake Bouquet for a fun twist, or try Nutella Cupcakes and Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes for a chocolate-flavored delight!

Jump to:

• What are Filipino Vanilla Cupcakes?
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Storage
• Ingredients
• Top Tips
• FAQ
• Filipino Vanilla Cupcakes

What are Filipino Vanilla Cupcakes?

This Filipino Vanilla Cupcake recipe is a classic dessert loved by many families in the Philippines. They’re often baked for parties, school events, or just as a special merienda (snack).

Unlike store-bought cupcakes, these homemade ones have a soft, moist crumb and a buttery vanilla flavor. It’s a basic cupcake that gives comfort and nostalgia, reminding many of growing up with sweet treats from the local bakery or mom’s kitchen.

Substitutions

• butter - use vegetable oil or coconut oil for a dairy-free option
• sugar - use coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener for a healthier twist
• eggs - swap with ¼ cup applesauce per egg or use flax eggs for vegan version
• vanilla extract - use almond extract or maple syrup (for a different flavor)
• all-purpose flour - replace with cake flour for a softer texture, or gluten-free flour
• baking powder - use ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• salt - omit if using salted butter
• milk - try almond milk, soy milk, or evaporated milk

Variations

• Chocolatey - Mix in mini chocolate chips
• Fruity - Add fresh blueberries or chopped strawberries
• Topped - Top with powdered sugar or whipped heavy cream

Storage

• Countertop - Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days
• Refrigerator - Keeps fresh for up to 1 week
• Freezer - Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw before serving

Ingredients

Gather the ingredients for this Vanilla Cupcakes and once the ingredients are all ready, let's begin!

• softened butter
• white sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• cold milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 degrees C and line your muffin pan with paper cups or lightly greased muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, mix softened butter and sugar until fluffy then add eggs and vanilla extract and mix:

In a separate bowl add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt and mix till well combined:

Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients and mix well:

Alternately add the milk to the flour mixture:

Once the cupcake batter is mixed well, place in individual cupcake liners and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes:

Once the cupcakes are baked, let them cool on a cooling rack and frost them. You can make your own frosting or you can just buy a ready-to-use frosting, like what I used here:

After frosting all your cupcakes, assemble the "vase" for your cupcake bouquet. Here, I used a small tin bucket and glued the styrofoam ball into it:

Insert toothpicks into the styrofoam ball for the cupcakes to adhere:

Arrange all your cupcakes until all of them are inserted into the toothpicks:

I had mini heart chocolates at home when I made these cupcakes so I felt I wanted to make the bouquet extra special so I inserted toothpicks and placed the chocolate hearts in between the cupcakes:

My vanilla cupcake bouquet is almost done! I was so excited to show this to my family, and I was so happy they loved it!

Top Tips

• Before frosting, make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled to avoid the melting of the frosting.
• Make the frostings ahead in one big batch and just chill it. Take them out from the chiller and frost your Vanilla cupcakes before assembling it into a bouquet.
• You can place mini candy flowers on top of the frosting for a prettier edible bouquet arrangement.
• If you are making your own frosting and you don't have a piping tip to use when frosting, simply place the whipped cream into a piping bag and make a cut in the corner of the bag and frost. Such a clever frosting hack!
• If you have the vanilla plant at home, it is best to use the actual vanilla bean paste. It gives out a very natural and delicious flavor to the cupcakes.
• Don't forget to sift all the dry ingredients before mixing. It is best to make sure you get no lumps in your baked cupcakes.
• Use room temperature ingredients for a smooth batter and even baking—especially the unsalted butter, whole milk, and large eggs!

FAQ

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Here are more cupcake recipes you can try! Happy Baking!

• 3 Ingredient Chocolate Cupcakes
• White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes
• S’mores Cupcakes