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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!
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Hello there,
I am planning to make them for a family gathering. Was thinking to make cupcakes, seal in airtight storage and stored room temp and refrigerate only the frosting day before, and put together just before event…my question is how long can these cupcakes sit out (indoors) once they are completely put together, when served.
Also what is the purpose of the almond extract? I was thinking to add butter extract?
Thank you for sharing this recipe your cupcake pictures show such wonderful moist texture!
Hi! I usually store them at room temperature for up to 2 days but I’m probably not allowed to say that. Just use your best judgement. They do taste best at room temperature. The almond extract is for flavor because I love it! I never use butter extract…just butter. Happy baking!
Baked these the other day and it’s realllly close to the original Sprinkles. I felt the frosting wasnt as firm as Sprinkles so I added an extra 1/2 cup of bordered sugar. Definitely going to be checking out other recipes in here :).
Thanks, neil!!!! I’m glad you agree. It’s possible the frosting isn’t as firm because I don’t really like it as sweet 🙂 Happy baking!
Unfortunately these came out dry for me. I was very careful not to overtake. I love a dense cupcake, but between that and the dryness they didn’t work out.
I’m sorry you had that experience, Vicki. Thank you for your comment. Happy baking!
I absolutely love these cupcakes. They are divine..so moist, light and fluffy. I ran into a problem today that I am hoping you can help me with. I doubled this recipe, as I needed 4 dozen, but they came out like sweet cornbread. Have you ever doubled it and did it work? Any thoughts on what could have happened?
I’m sorry you had that experience. I have never doubled the recipe but I don’t see why it won’t work. They are a denser cake but cornbread is puzzling because there is no cornmeal…
thank you for the reply. Here is the oddest thing of all. I tasted them the next morning and it didn’t have that “cornbread taste”. Yes a little denser, but the taste changed. i pulled one from the batch I did last month and they were the same. Very Very strange!! But at least I can now continue to use this cake. I will add, I think next time I will use a little more vanilla to give it that punch.
That is so odd. Maybe it was something to do with the flour? As I always say, “the more the merrier” with the vanilla! You could also add vanilla bean paste if you have it.
hey 🙂 this sounds amazing I want to totally make this tonight or tomorrow morning..!!!! but i had a question..
what type of cake flour did you use???
I use Swans Down. Happy baking!
please what can i use in place of sour cream?
Well you can try full fat or 2% greek yogurt. I have never tried that but it usually works 1:1. You could also try buttermilk, but your cupcakes will be a little lighter because the batter will be looser.
Hi how would I be able to make this into a 10 inch cake please please please help me
Hi sarah, As I told the commenter before you, I have never made this into a cake before. I suggest you butter and flour 2 10-inch cake pans, make the batter as directed (or cream softened butter instead of melted), pour into cake pans 3/4 high and bake them in a pre-heated oven. They are done when a cake tester comes out with only a few clinging crumbs. I don’t know if it will make enough batter. You will just have to experiment. Good luck!
I’ve never had a sprinkles cupcake but I’m anxious to try. I’m wondering if you’ve ever used this recipe for a cake? Also, I’m wondering if the frosting would hold shape like from a star tip?? Thanks for sharing!
Hi Dusti, I haven’t tried this recipe as a cake but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. YOu will just need to adjust the bake time. The frosting will absolutely hold a shape from a star tip! Best of luck and happy baking!
Thanks! I’ll be giving in a try in a cake pan and will let you know the result. I’m just learning to adjust my baking to the high altitude of WY so it may take me a couple of tries to get it right. 🙂
Oh I do not envy you that! High altitude baking is right up there with gluten free baking for me! Good luck! It is a dense cake. If I were going to bake it into a cake form, I would try it first with softened butter and not melted butter just to get a little extra aeration.