If you like fluffy white cupcakes that taste a bit like a mix between angel food cake and wedding cake, this is the recipe for you. They are semi-homemade, starting with a cake mix, but you add a lot of goodies to make them extra delicious.
These cupcakes start with a box mix, but with a lot of twists turn into something magical. I dare say they are the best white cupcakes out there and that’s really saying something coming from me!
They are soft and spongy and oh so tasty. You will have to make a batch to see for yourself!
You know I am usually a big fan of homemade cakes. I have a ton of great cake recipes here on the blog.
Honestly most of them are almost as easy to make as a mix, they just have a few more ingredients to measure.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t understand the allure of a boxed cake mix. They instill a sense of confidence and give you something to build from.
In fact the chocolate cherry fudge bundt cake that my family absolutely loves starts with a mix (and a can of cherry pie filling!) Sometimes easy recipes like that are exactly what you need.
So, lately I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect ways to doctor up cake mixes for cupcakes. I’ve been having the best time decorating them and want to make fun cupcakes every weekend!
I love cakes with plenty of sour cream or yogurt mixed in and it turns out you need to add more flour and sugar to get the texture I was after.
In fact there are enough goodies mixed in that you get 50% more cupcakes. That’s right, 36 cupcakes instead of 24!
Luckily extra cupcakes are not a problem in my neck of the woods. In fact, I purchased some bakery style plastic cupcake holders which make them easy to give away and transport.
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I’ve also frozen them fully decorated in the containers and they have defrosted beautifully! I just pulled them out a week or two later and let them sit on the counter for an hour or so to defrost. Everyone was amazed how good they still were.
I’ve piped the perfect summer buttercream (pictured above with wafer paper flowers) on them and Italian meringue buttercream (the ones with the frosting and sprinkle flower design) and both were amazing. I tell you the texture of these cupcakes is perfect and any frosting is just the literal icing on the cake!
Think part angel food cake and part white cake and super soft and moist and you have these lovelies. You simply have to make them for your next party!
What makes these cupcakes perfect?
So many things!
The texture is so soft and spongy. It is the perfect mix and they are so light and yummy.
They stay so bright and white. So the tops that are showing under the frosting are pearly.
Using egg whites and a bit of oil rather than whole eggs and butter help to keep the batter bright white. Egg yolks and butter both bring a yellow tint that makes for a great vanilla cupcake, but that’s not all we are after here.
They taste like wedding cake. Top them with delicious buttercream and it will transport your tastebuds to a reception hall.
In fact I’ve made these for a wedding reception, a cute display of white wedding cupcakes makes serving the cake extra easy. I’ve made them for birthday parties and BBQs too.
If you like filled cakes, they are work for that as well. Put a little lemon curd or blackberry compote in the center and your mind will be blown.
Semi-Homemade White Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 white cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1⅓ cups water
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or other flavorings, see notes
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup egg whites from about 4 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and place cupcake liners in 36 cupcake wells.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 white cake mix, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder until well mixed and lump free.
- Add the 1⅓ cups water, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup sour cream, and ½ cup egg whites ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and beat on low until the ingredients combine. Then beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for two minutes. (A hand mixer works great for this, but so does a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.)
- Scoop the batter into lined cupcake tins, a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop helps to keep them evenly sized and reduces the mess. Each well should get about 3 Tablespoons of batter and be about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched with a finger. (They shouldn't take on much color.)
- Cool in the cupcake tin for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Video
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Would it make a big difference, If I used milk or buttermilk, instead of plain water. In this recipe?
I haven’t tried it. My hunch is you could do it, but it might change the texture a bit.
Can I just make a sheet cake out of this recipe
I am sure you could, but I wouldn’t know how long to tell you to bake it.
These are wonderful moist, flavorful and white! Have made these for years for weddings.
Aren’t they good?!
Can I use milk instead of water in this recipe? If so will that change the texture of the cupcakes?
It should work. I use milk in other white cakes. I haven’t tried it in this recipe though, so I am not 100% sure how it would affect the texture.
This is the best recipe for cupcakes I’ve found. The texture and density are perfect. The flavor and sweetness are great too, although, personally, I can still taste a little something from the cake mix that never sits well with me. However, most people I know would never notice. The cake is sweet enough without frosting, but firm enough for decorating – unlike using just a box mix. Very moist and tasty. Thank you Carlee!
I am so glad you liked them!
Can you use any flavor cake mix with this recipe? I have a boxed spice cake was thinking of using that to change it up?
I don’t see why not. You will be diluting the spice though, so if you want a strong spice flavor you may need to add a little extra.
@Carlee, thank you
I’ve been baking my whole adult life, and that’s a long time. I made as directed, measured exactly and they stuck horribly to the papers. I feel like adding 1 cup of sugar may be the cause because the cake is too sweet to me, even unfrosted. Texture is chewier than I like. I think if I remake them I will only use 1/2 cup of sugar. That may correct all three issues.
Glad for those who are having good results!
I am so sorry that they didn’t work out for you. To me the texture is like an angel food cake mixed with white cake. Reducing the sugar should work. Hopefully you like the next round better.
The cupcakes all stuck to the paper and I have never had that problem! I was so excited to try this recipe but it didn’t work for me!
That is really strange about the cupcakes sticking. If anything these cupcakes usually pull away a bit, so I am at a loss about why they would stick.
I just made this recipe today and I was so impressed! It was absolutely delicious. I only had almond essence but the flavor was absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper!
Fabulous cupcakes !!
Can you take this white cake mix and get same wonderfulness if you use a red velvet cake mix ?
I haven’t tried, but it would be fun to give it a go!