White Chocolate Cupcakes

4.99 from 121 ratings

White Chocolate Cupcakes

These white chocolate cupcakes are made with moist vanilla cupcakes, filled with decadent white chocolate ganache, and topped with fluffy white chocolate buttercream!!

Prep Time15

Cook Time19

Additional Time1

Total Time1 34

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 572kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

White Chocolate Ganache Filling

1 cup white chocolate 175g
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g

Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 125g
1/2 cup water 120g
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil 56g
1 large egg, room temperature 56g
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 160g
1 cup granulated sugar 200g
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 6g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup white chocolate 85g
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 452g or 1 lb. box

Instructions

White Chocolate Ganache Filling

Make the white chocolate ganache filling first! It needs time to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl combine 1 cup of white chocolate and 1/4 cup of 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 flush with plastic wrap and set it aside to cool.

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup oil, 1 large egg, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
Sift 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt into the wet ingredients. If you don't have a sifter, whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add them into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. The batter should be smooth.
Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cupcakes bake evenly.
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the white chocolate buttercream.
In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup white chocolate and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, then let the mixture sit for 1 minute. Mix until combined, then place the bowl in the fridge to cool for 10 minutes.
Next, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to beat 1 cup of unsalted butter at a medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and fluffy.
Pour the cooled white chocolate mixture into the bowl with the butter, then add 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on a medium speed until incorporated.
Slowly mix in 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
Once the ingredients have come together, beat on a medium speed for a couple minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it seems too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Then stir the frosting by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth. Place the frosting into a large piping bag fit with an open star piping tip like a Wilton 1M frosting tip. Seal the top with a rubber band or clip and set aside.

Decorating These White Chocolate Cupcakes

Remove the center of each cupcake with a small circle cutter or small knife and fill with about a tablespoon of room temperature white chocolate ganache.
Pipe a large swirl of white chocolate buttercream on top of each cupcake with an open star piping tip.
Then 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. While the cupcakes chill, heat up the remaining white chocolate ganache for 5-10 seconds until it's thinner and warm to the touch.
Drizzle the warm white chocolate ganache on top of the frosting on each cupcake, then use a microplane to add a dusting of white chocolate shavings.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions

For a detailed list of ingredient swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe, please refer to the "swaps and substitutions" section above.

Making Mini White Chocolate Cupcakes

If you want to make mini white chocolate cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they can be baked for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

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 and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Once you add the flour, mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure the cupcakes bake up tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
Seal off the top of the piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bag easier to use.

White Chocolate Cupcake Variations

To make gluten free white chocolate cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These White Chocolate Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

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

They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.

The white chocolate ganache filling can also be made up to a month in advance. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container. When you're ready to use it, heat it in 10 second intervals until it reaches the right consistency to fill and drizzle over the cupcakes.

You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This 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.

You can also store buttercream in a piping bag in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn't require any mixing after it's thawed.

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