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These soft, irresistible White Chocolate Cupcakes combine tender vanilla cakes with a silky white chocolate buttercream. Simple to prepare and beautifully creamy, they’re a perfect treat for any occasion.
These cupcakes are incredibly soft with a pronounced white chocolate flavor. The base is a moist vanilla cupcake, finished with a stable, silky white chocolate buttercream that pipes beautifully and won’t run. Ideal for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, or any celebration.
If you enjoy cupcakes, try other variations such as Nutella Cupcakes, Cinnamon Cupcakes or Coffee Cupcakes for new flavor ideas.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Vanilla cupcakes: Soft, tender and flavorful vanilla cupcakes that provide a neutral, buttery base for the white chocolate frosting.
- White Chocolate Buttercream: Silky, smooth buttercream made with melted white chocolate and butter — rich in flavor and easy to pipe.
- Simple and elegant: The recipe is straightforward and produces beautiful cupcakes, finished with a piece of white chocolate for a minimalist decoration.
INGREDIENT NOTES
Below are key ingredient notes to help you achieve the best texture and flavor. The full ingredient list appears in the recipe card further down.
- Eggs: Bring to room temperature 1–2 hours before baking so they incorporate smoothly into the batter.
- Vegetable oil: A neutral oil like canola keeps the crumb moist and tender without altering the flavor.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream (about 18% fat) at room temperature for a soft, moist cupcake crumb.
- Butter: Used in both the cupcakes and the buttercream. Bring to room temperature before starting.
- White chocolate: Choose a good-quality white chocolate bar or chips for the best flavor and texture in the buttercream.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – CUPCAKES
You will need a stand mixer or hand mixer for the batter and buttercream. Follow these steps for perfectly baked cupcakes; the complete recipe card is below.
Preheat the oven to 175ºC / 350ºF (conventional). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
STEP 1: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
STEP 2: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes until light. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients on low speed and mix until just combined. Then add sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing; fold gently with a spatula to unify the batter.
STEP 4: Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners. Bake 23–25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Allow to rest in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – BUTTERCREAM
STEP 1: Gently melt the white chocolate with the heavy cream using a bain-marie or short bursts in the microwave. Chill until cool but not solid — it should be close to room temperature before adding to the butter.
STEP 2: Cut the butter into cubes and let it come close to room temperature. Sift the powdered sugar to avoid lumps.
STEP 3: Cream the butter in a mixer on medium-high for about 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl and continue mixing 1–2 minutes more. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture and blend until smooth, scraping the bowl again to ensure full incorporation.
STEP 4: On low speed, add vanilla and sifted powdered sugar in two additions, mixing after each until incorporated. Increase to low-medium and mix for 1–2 minutes until smooth and pipeable.
STEP 5: Remove the bowl and stir the buttercream by hand with a spatula to knock out large air bubbles. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Wilton 1M works well). Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with a piece of white chocolate.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: Weighing ingredients in grams gives the most consistent results.
- Don’t overmix: Mix until ingredients are just combined, then finish folding by hand to avoid a dense crumb.
- Pan color matters: Light-colored aluminum pans bake more gently and help prevent a thick, dark crust that can dry the cake. Dark pans absorb more heat and may bake faster at the edges.
FAQ
Yes. Store unfrosted or frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the frosted cupcakes and bring to room temperature before serving.
Yes. Use mini liners and bake for about 8–10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Keep an eye on them as mini cupcakes bake faster.
Yes. Full-fat Greek yogurt is a suitable substitute and will give a similar texture and moisture to the cupcakes.
STORAGE
Store cupcakes in an airtight container in a cool spot for up to 1–2 days. If refrigerated, allow cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
Other Cupcake Recipes To Try
-
Moist Blueberry Cupcakes with Blueberry Buttercream
-
Raspberry Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling
-
Soft Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
-
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
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White Chocolate Cupcakes
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Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKE
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 70 g butter, room temperature
- 210 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 150 g full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (like canola)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- 100 g white chocolate
- 20 g heavy cream
- 200 g butter, cool room temperature
- 350 g powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 175ºC / 350ºF (conventional). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar in a mixer on medium-high for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time on low speed until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry mixture on low and mix until just combined.
- Stir in sour cream, vegetable oil and vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Fold gently with a spatula.
- Divide batter among liners and bake 23–25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
WHITE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- Once cupcakes are cooled, melt white chocolate with heavy cream and chill until cool but still pourable. It may look slightly split — that’s fine.
- Cut butter into cubes and sift powdered sugar.
- Cream butter on medium-high for 4 minutes, scrape the bowl, then mix another 1–2 minutes. Add the cooled white chocolate and blend until combined.
- Add vanilla and sifted powdered sugar in two additions on low speed. Scrape down the bowl and mix 1–2 minutes on low-medium until smooth.
- Stir by hand to remove large air bubbles. Pipe with a star tip and top with a piece of white chocolate.