White chocolate can be a divisive ingredient. Most people either love or hate it, and clearly, you can tell which side I’m on since I’m making these white chocolate cupcakes.

They’re made with soft and tender vanilla cupcakes, filled with white chocolate ganache, and frosted with fluffy white chocolate buttercream.

If you like white chocolate, you’re going to love these cupcakes!

Making These White Chocolate Cupcakes Together

Let’s walk through each step of this white chocolate cupcake recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible!

I’ve also shared a video tutorial below.

Step 1: Make the White Chocolate Ganache Filling

Make the white chocolate ganache filling first! It needs time to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl combine the white chocolate and heavy cream.

Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit for another minute.

Stir to combine and mix until smooth, then cover the ganache and set it aside to cool.

Step 2: Make the Vanilla Cupcakes

Next, we tackle the vanilla cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.

Make the cupcake recipe following the recipe card below.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake them for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

If you’re in a rush, place the entire pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Step 3: Make the White Chocolate Buttercream

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the white chocolate frosting.

If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it seems too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.

Or if you’re unsure what consistency the frosting should be, check out my frosting consistency guide.

Once the frosting is made, stir it by hand with a rubber spatula to get it SUPER smooth. Then place it in a piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M frosting tip and set aside.

Step 4: Fill and Frost the White Chocolate Cupcakes

Next, remove the center of each cupcake using the wide end of a frosting tip or a small knife and fill it with about 1 tablespoon of white chocolate ganache.

Then pipe a swirl of white chocolate buttercream onto each cupcake and chill the frosted cupcakes in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

This helps prevent the buttercream from melting as we drizzle the cupcakes with warm white chocolate ganache.

Once the frosting is firm to the touch, warm up the remaining white chocolate ganache and drizzle it over the frosting on each cupcake.

Use a microplane to add a dusting of white chocolate, then enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Cupcakes

These white chocolate cupcakes use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.

• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
• Vegetable Oil– You can also use any flavorless oil or melted butter if needed.
• Sour Cream – Full fat yogurt, buttermilk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) can also be used.
• 1 Large Egg – If you have an egg allergy you can try using a flaxseed egg or a vegan egg replacer like this made by Bob’s Red Mill.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract helps enhance the white chocolate flavor in these cupcakes, but you can use any extract you want like almond or coconut, or omit it altogether.

Substitutions and Swaps – White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Heavy Cream – Whipping cream, coconut cream or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• White Chocolate – Use good quality white chocolate and use couverture chocolate or chopped up baking bars if possible! White chocolate chips contain stabilizers that make them melt down less smoothly. I like using Ghirardelli white chocolate bars or Guittard white chocolate!
• Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract. Feel free to use coconut extract, hazelnut extract, or even pistachio extract.

Making These White Chocolate Cupcakes in Advance & How to Store Them

You can make these cupcakes in advance. If stored unfrosted and unfilled in an airtight container, they can sit out overnight at room temperature or be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

These cupcakes can also last up to 3 months in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, wait to fill and frost them until they’re thawed.

You can also make this white chocolate frosting ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a couple of days or can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

However, like all baked goods these cupcakes taste best when they’re freshly baked!

Tips for Making the Best White Chocolate Cupcakes

• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
• Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill the cupcake liners. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
• One batch of batter can also be used to make one 8×8-inch white chocolate sheet cake. Bake it at 325 F / 162 C for 33-38 minutes.
• Let your white chocolate ganache filling cool to room temperature to let it thicken! This will make it easier to scoop into the cupcakes.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make these white chocolate cupcakes, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and let me know your thoughts with a comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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