A simple, white, beautiful cupcake…pretty basic right, too easy? Eh, not so much at least for me. It seems like what should be the easiest of cupcakes has become my cupcake arch nemesis, if you will. But I must not be the only one, because I’ve been getting tons of requests for a basic white cupcake recipe. I promise, I hear you…I’ve been working on one for quiet some time, it just hasn’t been easy! Turns out these little ladies are quiet the Diva in the cupcake world. I’ve tried some of my favorite bloggers recipes, some from cookbooks, some from popular baking sites…and none just seem to be the “right one”. They either come up flat, or yellow, or too bland… the thing is I want a yummy white cupcake recipe, not just “vanilla” and not yellow. I want as close to white as I can possibly get and easy enough that anybody could bake them. Really is that too much to ask?
Due to my failed attempts to find the perfect white cake recipe, when I want a truly “white” cake, I generally opt for Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix and doctor it up a bit here and there. As most of your know, I’m a flexible baker, and I have no problem using a cake mix when needed. I mean hey, they’ve got fancy labs, crazy talented bakers, and year and years of experiment of course they’ve already got it right!
But what about when I really just want to make them from scratch? So one day a few months ago I tied up my apron and went to work. I was determined to create a white cupcake, with a yummy flavor, moisture, and texture. After 12 batches of alterations later I think I have finally came up with my go to white cupcake recipe. I’ve been holding out on you guys for a few months because I’m such a perfectionist. I keep thinking I should try it one more time…maybe alter this…would it be even better this way (I tend to over think things a bit)? Finally it occurred to me, I needed to stop being quiet so silly and share the recipe already!
See how pretty that white cake is underneath the pretty red wrapper? Swoon. Pst…the awesome greaseproof red wrappers came from Sweets and Treats Boutique.
Here’s what you’re going to need:
1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temp)
3/4 Sugar
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
1/2 Tbsp. Clear Vanilla Extract
3 Egg Whites Whipped
1 1/2 Cup Cake Flour
1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/8 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Cup Milk
Makes approx. 15 cupcakes, can be doubled.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
Step 2: In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add in sour cream. Beat until combined.
Step 3: Add in egg whites and vanilla, beat until combined.
Step 4: Mix in dry ingredients.
Step 5: Add in milk and beat one last time on medium for about 30 seconds.
Step 6: Spoon approx. 3 Tbsp. of batter into each cupcake liner and bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Let cool completely on icing rack.
Now all you have to do is top with your favorite buttercream and your set! If your looking for an easy buttercream recipe check out Buttercream 101.
Ingredients
- Here's what you're going to need:
- 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temp)
- 3/4 Sugar
- 1/3 Cup Sour Cream
- 1/2 Tbsp. Clear Vanilla Extract
- 3 Egg Whites Whipped
- 1 1/2 Cup Cake Flour
- 1/2 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/8 Tsp. Salt
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- Makes approx. 15 cupcakes, can be doubled.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add in sour cream. Beat until combined.
- Add in egg whites and vanilla, beat until combined.
- Mix in dry ingredients.
- Add in milk and beat one last time on medium for about 30 seconds.
- Spoon approx. 3 Tbsp. of batter into each cupcake liner and bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Let cool completely on icing rack.
They look super cute! :)
A simple white cupcake leaves nothing to hide behind. The flavors and texture have to be perfect all on their own. I can’t wait to try these.
These so wonderful! A perfect treat to celebrate something special- I love how the sprinkles just make everything pop with bursts of color on top :)
Thank you Kiley! Don’t sprinkles make everything better.
Hi, I tried this today and i totally blew it. first, i didn’t know what specific cupcake or cake flour to get, so i decided on duncan hines classic white after reading it here. what flour did you use for these cupcakes? second, mine tasted too sweet for me even if i reduced the sugar to 2/3 c. what sugar did you use? granulated white sugar? third, my cupcakes turned into big mushrooms. i followed the 3T batter for 4, then 2T for the rest. i only made 10 from the whole batch. all of them made “holes” in the middle then sort of overflowed to the side to make mushroom shapes! now, i’m not a baker but i’ve made homemade cupcakes for the kids and this is the first time i’ve had mushrooms instead. it’s a funny experience and i think it’s because of the wrong flour? i’m trying to make good cupcakes for my daughter’s 3rd bday in 2 weeks.
Hello! The flour is actually cake flour specifically made for baking cakes. You can find it in the baking aisle near the regular flour but it is generally in a box. It will actually say cake flour on it. :) Hope that helps for the future!
One of my go to recipes .. So yummy!
Yay! Glad you are enjoying it!