Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes Less Sweet And So Good

Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes

I love making classic desserts that have all of the texture and flavor we expect, but that are a little less sweet. This cupcake recipe is one of the staples in our repertoire for kids birthday parties and holidays and it is exactly what you want from a cupcake—fluffy, loaded with vanilla flavor, and sweet enough that no one will mistake it for a muffin. “Lower sugar” is a more specific description than “healthy” in this recipe as it’s really the sugar content that’s different here. A batch of these lower sugar cupcakes—they have 1/4-½ cup less sugar than other classic recipes, plus significantly less sweetness in the frosting options—are a great kids dessert option. They’re even a good option for a first birthday cupcake. I’ve served these to kids of all ages, as well as adults, and no one is ever the wiser as far as the sugar content goes!

Ingredients You Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this cupcake recipe.

unsalted butter sugar whole milk vanilla extract eggs baking powder flour

TIP: The texture of the batter will be best if the eggs and milk aren’t freezing cold and the butter is soft at room temperature.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The process for making these cupcakes is similar to any other cupcake. Here’s a look at the steps involved. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information. TIP: It’s rare that I use electric mixers in any of my recipes since I know how chaotic homes with little kids can be, but you really do need to add air to the butter and sugar to create a fluffy cupcake.

How can I ensure these are light and fluffy?

Having the butter softened at room temperature (so when you pick up the stick of butter, it feels soft), and beating the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes. That and not over-baking and allowing the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack, not in the pan so they don’t continue cooking, are my best tips

Can I make these gluten-free?

Try using this cup for cup gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose.

Can I make these toddler cupcakes with whole wheat flour?

If you want to use a whole grain flour, I recommend using whole wheat pastry flour as it will be less dense than straight up whole-wheat. Or, use half whole-wheat and half all-purpose.

Easy Frosting Options

I have a few options that you can consider:

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting (this has an intense strawberry flavor and is so good!) Yogurt Frosting in my Smash Cake Quick Chocolate Frosting with Cocoa Powder

TIP: My lower sugar Chocolate Cake is another great option (and it’s egg-free) for a less sweet, but still super yummy, dessert!

Tips for Making the Best Healthy Cupcakes

Be sure to beat the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes until it’s fluffy for the best texture results. To avoid over baking, set your timer for the lower end of the time range and check the centers with a cake tester. If it comes out cleanly, and the edges are lightly golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch, pull them from the oven. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool soon after you pull them from the oven to ensure that they stop baking. Be sure the butter is soft at room temperature and pull the eggs and butter from the fridge about an hour before you start baking if possible. These are best on the day they are made. If needed, you can make these up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let cool fully and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Frost right before serving if possible. It is possible to use plain whole milk Greek yogurt or sour cream in for half of the butter if desired. The results will not be as light and fluffy snd texture-wise, they will be a little less like a classic cupcake. It is possible to lower the sugar further to ⅓ cup. The texture will not be as light and fluffy and they will be a little less like a classic cupcake. Gluten-free: Use cup for cup gluten-flour. Top with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting, yogurt frosting in my Smash Cake, or Quick Chocolate Frosting.