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!
German chocolate?
Chocolate cupcakes AND red velvet cupcakes even vanilla cupcake
what is the rarest cupcake in the world
These look so delicious! Thanks
HI!!!!!! i love cupcakes and those ones look really nice how do you make vanilla cupcakes?????
cya
stacy
Would love a lemon cupcake & also a praline kind of cupcake. So many flavors! Thanks for these.
I love all the flavors i will add it in my bake shop menu with some creative designing.. i hope customers will love it… like me
..
Thank You and keep sharing these kind of delicious flavors..
Nice recipes! Added to my bookmarks!
I love cupcakes! Thanks for share this delicious recipes!
Very good!
Very good your blog!
I’ve made the Black Bottom Cupcakes several times. DEEELICIOUS!
I’m going to try making the Guiness and Irish Cream cupcakes for St. Pat’s Day and I will be doing the Ultimate Chocolate for V-Day.
OH DEAR. I’m definitely going to have to make those Coconut Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Frosting for me and then the Guinness, Whiskey and Irish Cream Cupcakes for my husband! Such a great list of cupcakes :)
I used your chocolate cupcake recipe for my son’s wedding reception last year and received rave reviews! But I am still on the hunt for a white wedding cake style of cupcake that would be equally delicious as well as beautiful for weddings.
I agree with you completely! Most store bought cakes and cupcakes do not impress me either. I bake for all the birthday’s in my family, for my birthday we usually order a cake. Last year we threw most of it away. Now for the part I disagree with, I have made a few of the cupcakes on the list and I have been wanting to make the spiced latte one. You forgot your strawberry cupcakes with the strawberry Swiss butter cream. Let me tell you my family loves them!!! I have made them for a couple of years and my youngest step daughter requests them for her birthday. Last year we had a big family party, I changed the cupcake up, I made a double chocolate cupcake with the strawberry Swiss butter cream and dipped them in chocolate ganache. I was told they were the best cupcakes, I had two request to make for parties. Love your site!
Have you tried Gigi’s cupcakes in McCandless Crossing? My sister bought me a mini sample pack for my birthday just this past week and I was impressed! There was a chocolate chip one that was my personal favorite. There was also a red velvet, cookies n cream, and an almond in the sampler. I tend to agree with you that most cupcakes out of bakeries or shops aren’t that great. I have yet to try a regular sized one though so I can’t speak to that. Cupcake goals haha
Hi Tracey, I haven’t yet, but I’ve been meaning to! The next time I drive past there, I’m going to swing in and try. Thanks for reminding me!
Did you ever do it Michelle? How did it go? I’m so Invested, I’ve been debating buying those cupcakes for the last five years and I need your review. I hope they were delicious
Hellloo
I made Cookie Dough Cupcakes you had posted a while back and I cant seem to find the recipe?
If you could post the link that would be wonderful as they were the beeesstttt cupcakes
Cheers
Natalie
Hi Natalie, I’ve actually never made cookie dough cupcakes, so I think you might be thinking of another site!
Hi! Your dessert recipes are my go-to for every event I attend. I particularly love your cupcake recipes! I’ve made several & they all come out perfect. My question and/or suggestion for post: I am attending a New Year’s Party & plan to bring one of your cupcakes in mini form (for easy eating). Suggestions for which one to bring? I was thinking of the coconut cupcakes, but how could I decorate the frosting to look festive for the New Year’s? Thanks so much! I really love your blog/site.
~Thanks,
Shelly
They all look so delicious! I’ll have to try them all.
xoxooxox
These look so good, wish I could actually make them lol
all of this looks so good !
can you use all purpose flour for the bread flour in chocolate cupcake recipe? They sound delicious. Thanks
Hi Shell, Others have commented that they have without an issue, but I have not tried it. The use of bread flour is to give the cupcakes enough structure to hold up to the ganache filling.
the ultimate chocolate cupcakes were the best tasting chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever made!!! Thank you for this recipe.
Ohhh your cup cake models are wonderfull and seems like soufle , i’ll do it on my son’s birthday party. Thanks.
My favorite cupcake is red velvet with chocolate chip cookie dough frosting! Just a random combo I like to make sometimes!
Oh man, these are all definitely calling to my sweet tooth! Thanks for this post!
That Guinness cupcake is perfect for St. Patty’s Day!
My favorite are the dark chocolate with pb frosting – I’ve made those several times now. The cupcake is so rich and chocolaty, and the contrasting pb frosting is a match made in heaven. Probably the pumpkin latte comes in second – even though I’ve only made them once. They were really yummy and unique.
I’ve made a few cupcakes in my time, but they never looked so pretty. How do you get the frosting to looking so good? What sort of device do you use?
Hi Genie, I typically use either a Wilton 1M or Ateco #827 decorating tip. I hope that helps!