Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes with Sour Cream

I'm a bit of a small-batch baking expert. Over the years, I've built my index of small-batch baking recipes and have even written an entire cookbook on the subject (which is where this recipe comes from). Small-batch recipes are perfect for those of us who live alone and lack self-control because there are fewer leftovers waiting to be devoured (lol). This recipe for small-batch vanilla cupcakes with sour cream is a low-effort, high-reward bake: it's an easy one-bowl recipe that doesn't take much time to whip up, and it yields exactly six perfect cupcakes.

The key ingredient in these cupcakes is sour cream. In terms of baking chemistry, sour cream is a powerhouse combo of acid and fat, which leads to a moister and richer end result. Fat, in any form (butter, oil, cream, etc.), shortens gluten strands, essentially leading to the most tender baked goods.

If you love these vanilla bean cupcakes (or vanilla recipes generally), you must try these vanilla bean cheesecake bars, these vanilla bean honey glazed crullers, and this 6-inch vanilla cake.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cake flour: I tested these cupcakes with all-purpose flour and cake flour and found that cake flour consistently leads to cupcakes with a fluffy, soft crumb. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and helps discourage gluten formation. Lower levels of gluten equal more softness and tenderness in a baked good. You can use an equal amount of all-purpose flour in a pinch; however, the cupcakes will have a slightly coarser crumb.
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt
• Unsalted butter: Make sure it's properly softened! The ideal temperature is 67°F (19°C); you should be able to poke the butter and leave an indent of your finger rather than your finger sinking all the way through.
• Large egg
• Vanilla extract
• Vanilla bean: You can use vanilla bean paste (in addition to the extract) in a pinch!
• Heavy cream: This contributes to making super moist cupcakes due to the extra fat content. You can replace it with an equal amount of whole milk if that's all you have on hand.
• Sour cream: Sour cream adds moisture without thinning the batter the same way that a liquid (like milk or buttermilk) would, resulting in a cake with a very tender, very fine crumb.

Sour Cream vs. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is generally the most viable substitute for sour cream. They're texturally similar, although whole-fat Greek yogurt has a notably lower fat content (more on par with whole milk and buttermilk). Despite this, sour cream and Greek yogurt offer similarly detectable moisture levels to a baked good despite the discrepancy in richness. That said, Greek yogurt has higher levels of casein proteins, which contribute a fluffy structure to cakes. So if substituting, just keep in mind: Sour cream = more dense and rich; Greek yogurt = more airy and moist.

The double vanilla buttercream that these small-batch vanilla cupcakes get topped with is, quite literally, the icing on top. It requires basic pantry ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste (or a vanilla bean), heavy cream, and a pinch of salt and whips up in no time!

How to Make Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes

Note: Ingredient measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Note: I post my recipes in grams as it’s the most accurate way to bake, and it’s how I develop them. Cups are not only inaccurate, but they vary in volume worldwide! If you look at the recipe card underneath the ingredients list, however, you can click “US Customary” and it’ll convert to volume measures!