Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes

These sweet and moist sourdough vanilla cupcakes are so easy to make and will be the star of any occasion. With a rich, buttery crumb and slight tang from the sourdough starter, this classic vanilla cupcake recipe will be a winner at any time of the day. No fancy equipment necessary - not even a hand beater! 

These sourdough cupcakes make a wonderful birthday cake (you could even make them as one whole cake if you prefer). Just grab a bowl and a whisk and let's get started!

If you love these sourdough vanilla cupcakes, you might also enjoy making other sourdough discard recipes like sourdough chai chocolate loaf cake, sourdough apple cake or these sourdough cinnamon sugar crackers.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Use 150g of Sourdough Discard - You can use 150g of sourdough starter or sourdough discard to make these moist sourdough vanilla cupcakes. This is a great way to empty your sourdough discard jar.

No Fancy Equipment - you don't need anything beyond a bowl and whisk to make these sourdough vanilla cupcakes. No creaming butter and sugar and no fancy ingredients. I love teaching my kids how to cook these simple vanilla cupcakes. And it's a bonus that there's no electric mixer or whisk attachment to clean!

Flavor Variations - you can create so many different flavors from this one base recipe - from chocolate to strawberry and even funfetti and lemon, the flavor possibilities are endless!

Sourdough Discard or Sourdough Starter

You can use sourdough starter or sourdough discard to make this sourdough vanilla cupcake recipe. I love making them with fresh sourdough starter that has been fed quite recently. I find that bubbly, active starter gives them the most delicious flavor and texture.

You can also use leftover sourdough discard to make this recipe. Just make sure that your unfed sourdough starter isn't too old and sour. If it's more than a week old, it can impart an unpleasant flavor to your sourdough vanilla cupcakes. The high acid levels in the sourdough discard can also prevent the cupcakes from rising in the oven, making them dense and inedible (and no one wants that).

If you'd like to know more about the differences between sourdough starter and sourdough discard, make sure you check out this guide to navigating sourdough starter vs sourdough discard.

How To Make The Best Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes

It's really so simple to make these sourdough vanilla cupcakes. I've chosen to make these cupcakes in muffin wrappers, just for something different. No matter what you're using, don't overfill the liner or paper because otherwise your cupcakes will overflow, ruining the look of your cupcakes. If you want to make a sheet cake, check out this sourdough vanilla sheet cake recipe.

Let's make these tender cupcakes with your very own sourdough starter (or sourdough discard).

Preheat oven to 175C (350F).

Arrange 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin or cupcake tin and lightly spray the liners with oil to stop the batter sticking to them.

In a small mixing bowl or batter jug, combine the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and sourdough starter and whisk until well combined. Now set the wet ingredients aside.

In a large bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Stir them together until everything is well distributed.

Now pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk together to create the cupcake batter.

Evenly divide the sourdough vanilla cupcake mixture into the cupcake liners and carefully place into the oven.

Bake at 175C (350F) for approximately 20 minutes or until the cupcakes are puffed and golden brown. They should spring back lightly when pressed.

Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool.

Frosting Instructions for Sourdough Cupcakes

I love frosting. Seriously, I could eat it just on its own. The sourdough vanilla cupcakes in the photos you can see have been frosted with a vanilla cream cheese frosting. I've taken the vanilla cream cheese frosting from my fluffy sourdough cinnamon rolls and made it a little stiffer by adding extra powdered sugar. This allows it to be piped onto the top of the cupcakes.

My family prefer cream cheese frosting. But not everyone does, so I've also included the buttercream frosting recipe as well. This is my go to buttercream frosting and is super pipe-able (is that a word?). I've used this on plenty of cakes so can vouch for it's flavor and texture!

I do recommend using a stand mixer or electric mixer for these frosting recipes as it will give you the lightest, fluffiest frosting.

To make the buttercream frosting, simply add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on speed 8 until it's light and fluffy (this should take around 2 minutes). If you don't have a stand mixer, a large bowl and electric hand beaters works just as well.

I've piped the frosting onto the cupcakes using a plastic piping bag with a large star tip. I'm not a professional when it come to piping. Luckily the cupcakes can hold their own, right?

Tips for Baking the Best Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes

Room Temperature Ingredients - where possible, make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them together. This will ensure that the batter is smoother and will give you a better texture once the sourdough cupcakes are baked.

Melted Butter - the butter needs to be melted for this recipe to work. Make sure that the butter isn't too hot when you add it to the eggs though. Allow it to cool slightly before adding to the wet ingredients. I've used salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer.

Eggs - the color of these sourdough vanilla cupcakes will really depend on the eggs you use. My cupcakes are quite yellow because I used fresh free range eggs from chickens laid that morning. These eggs are quite bright compared with store bought.

Don't Overmix - Be mindful not to overmix the cupcake batter, as this can lead to tough and dense cupcakes. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can also cause the cupcakes to sink in the center after baking.

Proper Filling - Fill cupcake liners or molds about two-thirds full with batter to ensure even baking and a nicely domed top. Use a cookie scoop or spoon for uniform portioning. Avoid overfilling, as this can cause the cupcakes to overflow or bake unevenly.

Oven Temperature and Timing: Preheat your oven to the correct temperature specified in the recipe. Bake the cupcakes in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. Start checking for doneness a few minutes before the suggested baking time to prevent overbaking. The cupcakes are done when they spring back lightly to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.

Flavor Variations for Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes

While these sourdough vanilla cupcakes are perfect as they are, you can add some fun flavors into the mixture to create some different variations:

• Funfetti Sourdough Cupcakes - Add 200g of your favorite sprinkles to the dry ingredients. Top the cupcakes with American buttercream and of course, more sprinkles. 
  
• Sourdough Chocolate Cupcakes - Add 20g of cocoa powder and 100g of chocolate chips to the dry ingredients of this recipe. Top with chocolate frosting. 
  
• Lemon Sourdough Cupcakes - Add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the wet ingredients of this recipe. Top the cupcakes with lemon frosting.
  
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cupcakes - Add 200g of your favorite chocolate chips to the vanilla sourdough cupcake mixture.

Can You Bake This Recipe As A Sheet Cake?

Yes! This recipe can be poured into a 8" x 8" greased pan and baked as a whole cake. If you'd prefer a double layer cake, simply make 2 cakes and join them together with frosting. If you want to make a larger cake, use this sourdough vanilla sheet cake recipe.

How To Store + Freeze

Unfrosted sourdough cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. I have tested this and found that they will stay fresh for up to 4 days with no issues.

If you have already frosted the cupcakes and have some leftover, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving (leaving them out of the fridge for around an hour should be enough).

Unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.

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