Our 10 Best Cupcake Recipes
Everyone loves cupcakes, and these recipes are guaranteed to be a hit anytime you serve them. From classics like chocolate and vanilla to homemade versions of store-bought favorites and cupcake versions of favorite cocktails and everything in between, we have a cupcake for every occasion!
Cupcakes are the perfect party dessert; they’re portable and individually portioned. We’ve been making and loving them for decades!
The list below features the ten recipes that have been visited over and over again, garnering thousands of five-star reviews from readers, and are time-tested favorites. They include classic flavors like vanilla and chocolate, but also other creative and unique flavors that you are going to LOVE!
Before we get to the list, I’ve also rounded up all of my favorite equipment for cupcake baking so you can arm yourself with the best tools.
Favorite Cupcake Tools
Part of making fabulous cupcakes is having the right tools for the job! I’ve made hundreds upon hundreds of cupcakes and below are my recommendations for the best equipment for making delicious, beautiful cupcakes:
- Regular Cupcake Pan: USA 12-Well Muffin Pan
- Mini Cupcake Pan: USA 24-Well Mini Cupcake and Muffin Pan
- Liners: I usually stick to classic white paper liners unless I make a specifically themed cupcake.
- Piping Tips: This set of jumbo tips is perfect for big swirls on top of cupcakes.
- Piping Bags: I prefer the slightly larger 16-inch decorating bags for more piping control.
- Food Coloring: I HIGHLY recommend soft gel paste food coloring to give vibrant color without thinning the frosting.
- Cupcake Carrier: Cupcakes are meant for sharing! Transport them without fear of them tipping over with a sturdy carrier. This collapsible cupcake carrier can hold 24 cupcakes or up to a 10-inch round cake.
Now, let’s get on to this epic list! I’ve been sharing cupcake recipes since 2007, and these are the ten that have risen as the best of the best and most beloved among readers. Enjoy!
Our 10 Best Cupcake Recipes
10. Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes
These are the BEST chocolate cupcakes - a moist chocolate cupcake recipe made from scratch with a chocolate ganache center and dreamy chocolate frosting.
9. Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting
These apple cupcakes are subtly spiced, full of fresh, shredded apples, and topped with a cinnamon-cream cheese frosting.
These margarita cupcakes are simple vanilla cakes infused with lime and tequila, brushed with more tequila, and topped with a tequila lime buttercream frosting.
Fluffy, buttery vanilla cake batter is studded with rainbow sprinkles and baked into cupcakes. Topped with a classic vanilla buttercream frosting and more rainbow sprinkles.
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Moist, luscious chocolate cupcakes, filled with a fluffy marshmallow cream frosting, topped with chocolate ganache, and garnished with the nostalgic finishing touch: white curly-cued icing.
5. The Absolute Best Vanilla Cupcakes
These moist vanilla cupcakes are an absolute delight! These light-as-air cupcakes are topped with a sweet vanilla buttercream frosting, that is not only easy to make but also easy to enjoy. Perfect for birthdays and other celebrations, you will never need another vanilla cupcake recipe again!
4. Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin cupcakes with clean pumpkin flavor shining through! Subtle spices round out the flavor and the cupcakes are topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.
3. Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These are the absolute BEST red velvet cupcakes! A gorgeous red color, moist and fluffy, and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting.
2. Guinness, Whisky, and Irish Cream Cupcakes
The classic cocktail shot transformed into cupcakes - Guinness chocolate cake, Jameson whiskey ganache filling, and Baileys buttercream frosting.
1. Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
These mocha cupcakes are coffee and espresso-infused, with a subtle chocolate flavor, and topped with an espresso-spiked buttercream frosting.
For even more cupcakes, check out our entire archive of cupcake recipes.
Do you have a favorite cupcake recipe that wasn’t mentioned here? Share below!
Do you want to request to see a special cupcake recipe featured on the site? Leave a comment below, letting me know what it is!
I have a cupcake shop. My 2 most popular are Salted Caramel Chocolate – double chocolate filled with caraeml-chocolate ganache – buttercream frosting drizzled with chocolate then with caramel -sprinkles with coarse sea salt and hommade caramel crunchies and pina colada filled with homemade pineapple curd -made with coconut rum and oina colada mix topped with roasted coconut and cherries — yummy makes me hungry now!
wooow *
someday i wiil also try all this types of cup cake
recipes
I tried making the Lemon-Limocello cupcakes and they rocked my family! They loved them and are always asking for more! I wanted to try fillling it with raspberry instead of lemon…would this work the same? thanks!
Hi Kylie, I’ve honestly never tried making lemon curd with any other type of fruit. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
woooow!
hope someday i’ll have a cupcake home.
I love these cupcakes! And, none of them are too hard to make. But how do I put filling inside a cupcake? I’ve never done it before.
Hi Willow, You can do it a few different ways; usually I either cut a little hole in the middle and put the filling in, or I push a decorating tip into the middle and pipe the filling in. Each recipe will have instructions on how to do it.
Hi! You make such fabulous cupcakes! I can’t wait to try out all of them! I’ve got a problem with the cupcake casings going loose from the cupcake. Have you ever had such a problem? What am I doing wrong or not doing?
Hi Karen, I’ve heard from other folks about similar problems, although I’ve never had an issue with it. Make sure you don’t use wax-lined cupcake liners. I’ve always used the cheap plain paper liners without a problem.
Mocha…. Well lets just say its so delicious I plan on making it all the time day in and day out
Wow. The list is so good and i like cup cakes.
I would say, from a 14 year old’s point of view, a mocha cupcake with a milk chocolate chunk melted in the middle with vanilla butter frosting. Yum! they are so good! :3
Wow these are among the most delicious cupcakes I have seen so far online.
I love your Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting! Its amazing and easy to make too. I wonder if ground cloves perform some magic to the taste. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
I’ve tried the peanut butter, banana & coffee espresso from your recipes. Its Niiice & really Thank You for sharing it. But i did a bit modification therefore the cake become softer & not cracking. I shared few of my cupcake recipe & photos in facebook for my friends…..LoL
Oh wow, these all look amazing! I am so going to have to go shopping tomorrow and experiment!
this is something magnificent i might have to right about it on my blog p.s. im dying to try those chocolate peanut butter frosting cupcakes p.p.s. can you upload a recipe for veal pasta soup
Thank you! I’ve never made (or eaten) veal pasta soup, but if you have a recipe you’d like to share, please send it along!
Wow! These all look delicious! My personal favorite is red velvet. A few weeks ago, I made some amazing red velvet cupcakes for a party. Someone said that they were comparable to D.C. Cupcakes! Although they were really flat and ugly without the icing, my daughters made some chocolate toppings to go with the cream cheese frosting. They were really good. I think I will have to experiment with the dark chocolate cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting! They look great and addicting! :)
Oh, and by the way do you have any tricks to make cupcakes extra moist, but not watery? Thank you so much!
Hi Marissa, No tricks really, but I think you’ll find that all the recipes here stay very moist. I do make sure to store them at room temperature in an airtight container, which helps retain moisture.
These cupcakes look so good. They were perfect because they were just what I was looking for. The Pumpkin ones looked so cute, and perfect for fall. Especially if you put them on a candy-corn platter. :) All I can say is Mmmm!
Michele – Your blog is just wonderful! I just noticed all the pumpkin recipes! Also, I am waiting for my ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid from Amazon any day now. My college kids and their friends will think I am the bomb. Thanks so much for sharing so many good things!
I have seen those gals on Foodnetwork put the hot cupcakes in the fridge to cool them off faster. My mother always told me the cakes get dried out doing that. Could that be why these professional bakeries are getting dry cupcakes?
Laura – That might be it! I never refrigerate baked goods either for that exact reason. I didn’t know “pro” folks were doing it!
When I bake cakes for decorating I always put the cake directly into the freezer after removing from pan. I remove the cake the next day and skim coat with icing while frozen to reduce crumbs mixing with icing. My cakes are super moist and I believe it is from freezing them while still warm. Perhaps if cakes or cupcakes were in the freezer for more than 2 days they might become dry? I wait until the cake completely cools in freezer before wrapping with plastic wrap and foil. My favorite cake recipe ever is a banana cake that I found on allrecipes.com which is baked at 275 degrees and directions say to freeze cake right from the oven. It is delicious!
Hi Pat, Thanks so much for sharing, I am going to give this trick a try the next time I make a cake!
Hi Pat: Good trick, but what banana recipe on Allrecipes @ 275, which one is it, never seen one baked at that temp. Can you provide more information.
I completely agree with you about the cupcake shops. It did not surprise me to see “Dozen” close its doors — I could not believe how dry the cake was, and thought the same thing you did — mine taste so much better!
Your cupcake recipes are always awesome! I was wondering though, have you ever tried putting heavy cream into the icing to make it fluffier? If so, how did it work out and how would it correspond with your existing buttercream icing recipes?
Hi Kelly, Yes, I have used heavy cream in my peanut butter frosting as well as a vanilla buttercream. It makes it silky smooth! You could add it a tablespoon at a time and see how you like it!
I made the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes and they are AMAZING! I’m working on Almond Joy and Samoa ones as well…
These all sound delicious! Especially the ones with liquor, hehe. ;-)
All your cupcakes are gorgeous, but I especially love those lemon limoncello ones. Yum!
The tiramisu and pumpkin are calling me!! And I totally agree with you…most specialty cupcake places aren’t worth what they charge. Much better to make them at home. Can’t wait to try these!!! Thank you!
I’ll have one of each thank you! :) They all look great especially the Irish Car Bomb cupcakes. Yum!
Love the look of those Lemoncello Cupcakes. My all-time favorites are pretty basic: Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes. They get me every time…
OMG, I think I may have to work my way through baking all of these!
Hmmmmmm…which to make first? They all look and sound delightful! I think vanilla with vanilla may be first up :)
I’ll have one of each ,please! They all are beautiful!