My sourdough French yogurt cupcakes are a simple one-bowl sourdough discard recipe made with whole milk yogurt and oil. Topped with creamy vanilla frosting, the soft and fluffy crumb stays moist for days! Makes 12 cupcakes.

Adapted from my popular sourdough French yogurt cake, these cupcakes are the “dressed up” version that I make with creamy drifts of vanilla frosting and colorful, crunchy sprinkles to punctuate any celebration.

The Secret to the Perfect Crumb

The crumb is soft and plush, never dry, thanks to a winning combo of sourdough starter, whole milk yogurt, and oil. I flavor them with vanilla extract only, but almond extract and lemon zest per the original recipe is nice too.

A Crucial Tip for Mixing

A few things: adding the oil in a slow, steady stream emulsifies the sugar and eggs, creating that signature soft, moist texture. Do not overlook this step.

You’ll need a mild oil, such as light olive oil. This is not the time for peppery new season oil from Italy! Your cupcakes will taste bitter.

Overnight Fermentation Option

Tip: You can ferment the batter overnight in the fridge instead of doing the same day option. Oftentimes, I’ll leave out the baking powder and add that in separately the next day.

I’ve found that the texture changes slightly; the cupcakes are a little more dense due to how much liquid the flour absorbs on the overnight.

Don’t Waste the Frosting!

For the frosting, all ingredients must be softened at room temperature. No exceptions! Start by mixing the butter and cream cheese together, then add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time. Add salt (this makes the flavor pop) and vanilla.

You’ll probably have extra frosting. Freeze what’s leftover (who knew?!), or double this cupcake recipe and happily frost all 24.

Sourdough French Yogurt Cupcakes

Description My sourdough French yogurt cupcakes are an easy, one-bowl sourdough discard recipe made with whole milk yogurt and oil. Topped with creamy vanilla frosting, the soft and fluffy crumb stays moist for days! Makes 12 cupcakes. Notes & Tips Sourdough Starter: For results similar to mine, use active starter or sourdough discard fed @ 100% hydration with all white flour. Room temperature eggs & yogurt is a must. I microwave the yogurt for 10+ seconds or so, to get it done fast. For the eggs, I plunge them into a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. Makes a huge difference in the final texture of this cake. For the yogurt: Any plain, full fat, cream on top, whole milk brand is good. No Greek. Too dry. Unless it’s Maple Hill. Baking options: This is a same day recipe. However, you can chill the batter overnight instead (keep the bowl covered). I like to leave out the baking powder when doing the overnight option and add that in separately the next day.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Ingredients
For the cupcakes
130 g 1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine salt
200 g scant 1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs ~100g cracked weight
100 g ½ cup mild oil (e.g. light olive oil or cold pressed sunflower)
125 g ½ cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
100 g ~½ cup sourdough starter or sourdough discard
Sprinkles
Cream cheese frosting
113 g 8 tbsp salted butter, softened
226 g 8 oz cream cheese, softened
250 g 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

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Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt together in a large bowl; set aside. Note: if you are doing the overnight option, leave out the baking powder.
Add the sugar and eggs to a large mixing bowl. Beat together on medium speed until frothy, about 2 minutes (hand-held electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment is fine).
Reduce the speed to low. Slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify and thicken the sugar and eggs.
Add the yogurt, followed by the vanilla extract.
Add the sourdough starter.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently mix by hand until incorporated (do not over mix).
Using a cookie scoop, portion the batter into the prepared muffin tin filling each cup about 2/3- 3/4 full. If there are a few air bubbles, gently tap the pan on the counter to pop them.
Bake on the center rack for 20-23 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting: add the softened butter and cream cheese to a large bowl. Beat together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, to absorb. Add the salt. Mix in the vanilla extract and give it a taste!
Frost the cupcakes when completely cool and decorate with sprinkles.