Vanilla Sour Cream Cupcakes from Scratch

Wide image of cut vanilla sour cream cupcake with frosting and sprinkle son a white plate.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vanilla Sour Cream Cupcakes from Scratch

Difficulty Level: Beginner

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 35

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 175kcal

Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

These vanilla sour cream cupcakes have a soft, buttery texture and rich vanilla flavor, a made from scratch recipe for the best homemade cupcakes.

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour (Measured correctly: Spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off – don't scoop and pack the flour into the cup, that will add too much flour.)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup sour cream, near room temperature
½ cup milk, near room temperature
3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
⅔ cup unsalted butter, near room temperature (1 ⅓ sticks)
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add cupcake liners to two (12-count) cupcake pans.
Make sure to set the cold ingredients out, so they can come closer to room temperature before making the batter. This will keep the batter from clumping up and will help it mix better.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well and set aside.
In another bowl, add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk well and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the room-temperature butter, oil and the sugar and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix on low-medium for about 15-20 seconds after adding each egg.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again on medium speed for another 10 seconds.
Add half the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix only on low-medium speed and only until everything is just combined and you don’t see any dry flour.
Add the liquid ingredients and mix on low-medium speed only until just combined.
Add the second half of the dry ingredients and mix on low-medium speed until just combined.
Use a silicone spatula and scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl, then use the spatula to mix the batter just a bit more by hand to finish mixing without the electric mixer.
The goal is to try and use the electric mixer the least amount that is needed. If scratch cake batter is mixed too long or at too high of speed, the cupcakes will turn out dense and rubbery and may fall in the middle.
Add the batter to the cupcake liners. Fill each about ⅔ of the way full. Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners or it makes the cupcakes more cumbersome to get out of the pan and they may end up very flat on top. The batter may be a little thick when you add to the cupcake liners.
Bake at 350 degrees F on the middle rack for approximately 14 - 18 minutes.
Do not overbake, or the cupcakes can turn out dry. These cupcakes are finished baking when they are firm on the top, are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into a couple of them, comes out when either a few moist crumbs or clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set the pans on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. The tops of the cupcakes will level out a bit as they sit.
After about 10 minutes, lift the cupcakes out of the pans and set them onto the cooling rack to cool completely before adding frosting. Be very careful when lifting them out of the cupcake pan as the cupcakes are quite delicate.
Once the cupcakes are cool, cover with buttercream or your choice of topping. See notes for a link to my favorite buttercream recipe.

Notes

Buttercream recipe: Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

How to Store: These cupcakes should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and can last up to 3-4 days. Cupcakes tend to dry out quicker than other cakes, so these are best eaten or served within a few days of baking. If you add a perishable frosting or fruit to them, then they'll need to be stored in the refrigerator.

If you use perishable filling or frosting, you’ll need to keep these in the fridge.

How to serve: Serve these cupcakes near room temperature.

For other questions: Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs section in this post, which should answer other questions you may have about ingredients, substitutions, other pan sizes, etc.

Nutritional values are an estimate.

*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition