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This recipe for Sprinkles Copycat Vanilla Cupcakes with vanilla icing is even better than the original! Moist, dense cake that is packed with vanilla flavor.
On this Memorial Day (or anyday), let us take a moment to remember all those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Country and our Freedom.
All things considered, I think a holiday celebrating the brave men and woman who protect our Freedom calls for cupcakes. While definitely not ideal for shipping overseas, I know these Sprinkles Copycat Vanilla Cupcakes will bring a smile to any serviceman’s face when delivered with a “Thank you”.
Sprinkles Cupcakes is the only place where I have ever loved the vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing more than chocolate. That’s right, more than even this triple death by chocolate cupcake! I also love their triple cinnamon cupcakes enough to make another copycat recipe.
Sprinkles Cupcakes opened up a store in Atlanta several months ago, and my Husband and I were obviously there the day opened. What of it?
Accordingly, hubs and I have had a healthy (or possibly unhealthy) obsession with Cupcake Wars for several years now. We have seen every single episode, ate macarons at the Paris bakery where Florian was executive pastry chef, and search for Cupcake Wars winners in every new city that we visit. There is an obsession between us with Sprinkles Cupcakes, but I think I already mentioned that one!
My husband and I were eagerly waiting for months for the new Atlanta shop to open and the night before he said, “I would probably break the law right now to have a Sprinkles cupcake.”
Certainly, he was 100% serious.
I have been scouring the Internet for Sprinkles Copycat Vanilla Cupcake recipes for months to try and replicate the dense, chewy texture and perfect vanilla flavor at home, and I think I have finally found it. For the vanilla cupcake recipe I adapted a recipe I found at Layers of Happiness and I modified the “official” Sprinkles vanilla frosting recipe that I found on Food.com. Quite frankly, I felt the one posted couldn’t possibly be right because it didn’t have any vanilla bean paste in it, so I changed it. In similar fashion I bumped up the vanilla extract.
You’ll never need another vanilla cupcake recipe again because these are the BEST! Additionally, I actually used the same cake recipe in these Salted Caramel Cupcakes. Swoon.
Want to laugh? My most compelling evidence of obsession: this is me at the Sprinkles Cupcakes’ ATM. That’s right I said cupcake ATM!
Sprinkles Copycat Vanilla Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¼ cups sour cream room temperature
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 ½ cups confectioner sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon cream
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
- Add vanilla, sour cream and almond extract, beating until just combined.
- Reduced the mixer speed to low and stir in the flour in several additions. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir the last bit of flour in with a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake in preheated oven for 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few clinging crumbs.
- Allow to cool completely before icing.
For the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar and salt on medium-high speed until combined, then add cream, vanilla extract and vanilla paste and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- You can either smooth the frosting on the cooled cupcakes with a small offset spatula à la Sprinkles, or you can just pipe it on. Personally I find piping easier!
Notes
Nutrition
Before You Go!
Check out all our delicious, pastry chef-created recipes for Cupcakes!
Cant wait to do them this weekend! Quick question for the frosting what do you mean by “cream” what kind of cream did you use?
Thanks
Hi Erika! I use heavy whipping cream for the frosting. You can usually find it by the milk and half and half in the diary section of the grocery store! Hope that helps! Happy baking!
Hello! I am very excited to try this recipe, thank you for it!
Just wanted to comment on the actual blog post, specifically saying “Happy Memorial Day.” I have learned since my husband joined the Army that that is a very inappropriate expression since many don’t realize the difference between Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. Memorial Day honors the soldiers who have lost their lives while on active duty, NOT active duty soldiers. Veteran’s Day is to honor all those serving in the military. So, it is inappropriate to say “Happy Memorial Day,” as it is not happy for anyone who is “celebrating” or remembering on this day.
Totally not trying to be critical, just informative as I know many people (like myself pre-Army life) don’t understand the difference.
Thank you again!
Hi Vanessa, I appreciate you taking the time to comment on this post. I completely understand your point and I can see why “Happy Memorial Day” would seem offensive or inappropriate to someone who has lost a loved one in the line of service. I do see the difference between the two holidays and I apologize for any offense given to you or to anyone. I am eternally grateful to anyone who has risked their life to fight for our freedoms and I would absolutely not want to offend anyone. I will revise that post and remember this lesson in the future. Have a blessed day and thank your husband for his sacrifices.
ps- I hope you do try the cupcakes! They are delicious.
I love Cupcake Wars too and I would probably cry for joy if I got to try Sprinkles. Since Detroit doesn’t have one and probably never will, I’ll just have to make these! Beautiful cupcakes!
These are definitely a worthy substitution! LOL my Husband and I saw a Sprinkles for the first time in Scotsdale, AZ and we literally ran to it.
i never had sprinkles cupcakes but this one looks great!
Thanks, Dina! They are my fave
These look super delicious and as pretty as Sprinkles! The cupcake ATM is a brilliant idea 🙂
Thank you! The cupcake ATM is dangerous!
These look amazing!!! I also love your purse and leather jacket!!
Haha! Thanks, Stephanie! [Shhhh the purse is from Target :-)]
They look soooo good! And I’m so glad you cracked opena cake so that we all could see the texture. A lot of bloggers don’t do that and it’s annoying as crap! LOL….I will definitely try these. Thank you……………
lol! I have to agree that is annoying. It’s all about the texture of the cake! I have at least one “interior” picture unless the photos came out too horrible to post! I hope you do try them! So yummy!
Hahaaa!! I will let you know how it goes! Thank you for replying! I love to cook and bake and will be food-blogging myself this summer! :)))…Thank you again!
Of course! I live for the comments! (Well, the nice ones anyways) Good luck with blogging! I hope to be postings some tips soon!
Awesome! I will stay in touch!
They look delicious! Even better than Sprinkles? I’m definitely going to have to try them!
Even better than Sprinkles! I hope you do try them!