These Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes are a simple, customizable treat for any celebration. The cupcakes bake up light and fluffy and are finished with a classic vanilla buttercream and sprinkles. Tint the frosting with food coloring and choose sprinkles to match any theme.
This recipe is a variation of the Sourdough Vanilla Sheet Cake recipe.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Light, tender cupcakes topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream that stay moist for days.
- An easy recipe with under 30 minutes of hands-on time.
- Fully customizable: tint the frosting and change sprinkles for any occasion.
- Uses sourdough discard, though it can be adapted to active starter if preferred.
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Ingredients
These cupcakes require a short list of pantry-friendly ingredients.
- Sourdough discard: Use unfed discard at room temperature. This recipe assumes a 1:1 starter (equal parts flour and water). If your starter ratio is different, small adjustments may be needed.
- Butter: Softened to room temperature for both the batter and frosting.
- Sprinkles: Optional, but an easy way to dress up the cupcakes for events.
See the full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe section below.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a forgiving recipe with several simple swaps and variations.
- Active sourdough starter: To use active starter instead of discard, replace the discard with 200g active starter and omit the yeast (if a recipe calls for it). Increase rise times as needed.
- Sour cream alternative: Greek yogurt or regular yogurt can be used in place of sour cream to maintain moisture.
- Colored frosting: Add a few drops of food coloring to the buttercream to create festive hues. Sprinkles add an instant finishing touch.
How to Make Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes
Below is a concise overview of the main steps. The full, detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Step 1: Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the discard, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Step 5: Fill liners about half full (roughly ½ cup batter per cupcake) and bake until set and lightly browned. Cool completely before frosting.
- Step 6: Pipe or spread buttercream on cooled cupcakes and finish with sprinkles.
Expert Baking Tips
- Weigh flour and sourdough discard when possible. Metric measurements reduce variation and improve consistency.
- Use fully softened butter so it creams properly for both batter and frosting.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- The frosting doesn’t need to be perfect—pipe with a bag or spread with a spatula for a homemade look.
- Personalize with different frosting colors and sprinkle combinations.
Storage
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days.
Refrigerator: Keep covered for 3–5 days to extend freshness. Refrigeration is optional.
Freezer: Freeze cooled cupcakes in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
They are accurate. Metric measurements are used for reliable results, especially for flour and sourdough discard where cup measurements vary.
Yes. A few drops of food coloring will tint the buttercream. Use sprinkles to further customize the look.
More Sourdough Discard Dessert Recipes
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Sourdough Vanilla Sheet Cake
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Sourdough Lemon Blueberry Cake
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Sourdough Discard Lemon Cookie Bars
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Sourdough Lofthouse Cookies
If you try these Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes, please leave a star rating and share your feedback in the comments. Happy baking!
Sourdough Vanilla Cupcakes
Jessica Vogl
Equipment
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Kitchen scale
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Hand-held mixer
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12-cup muffin pan
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Cupcake liners
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Piping bag (optional)
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream non-dairy or regular, room temperature
- ¼ cup milk non-dairy or regular, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter softened
- 4 ⅓ cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoons milk non-dairy or regular
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Food coloring optional
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325℉ (165℃). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with liners.
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Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light, about 2–3 minutes. Add sourdough discard, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
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Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fill liners with about ½ cup batter per cupcake.
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Bake 20–22 minutes, or until set and lightly browned at the edges. A toothpick should come out clean. Cool in the pan a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely (about an hour) before frosting.
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To make frosting, cream butter until light, then gradually add confectioner’s sugar. Mix in milk and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
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Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes, add sprinkles if desired, and serve.
Video
Notes
To use active starter: replace the discard with 200g active starter. No other ingredient changes are required.
Customize: Add food coloring and sprinkles for themed cupcakes.
Try the Sourdough Vanilla Sheet Cake for another delicious option.