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Einkorn Vanilla Cupcakes

Crafted with the ancient grain, Einkorn flour, these cupcakes boast a light and airy texture that will melt in your mouth. The unique gluten structure of Einkorn combines harmoniously with the tenderizing power of sour cream, resulting in cupcakes that are incredibly moist and flavorful.
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Cupcake Overview

  • Cloud-like Softness: Say goodbye to dry, crumbly cupcakes! These einkorn beauties are unbelievably soft and melt in your mouth with every bite.

  • Delicate Texture: The combination of einkorn, sour cream and milk creates a fine-grained crumb that’s incredibly light and airy.

  • Flavorful and Moist: Sour cream adds a subtle tang that complements the nutty notes of einkorn flour, while also ensuring your cupcakes stay moist and delicious for days.

Healthy vanilla cupcakes? Cupcake lovers, rejoice! This recipe elevates the classic vanilla cupcake to new heights with Einkorn flour. These healthy vanilla cupcakes boast a light and airy texture, a tender moist crumb, and will leave you wanting more. The unique gluten structure of einkorn flour combines with the tenderizing and moisture-boosting power of sour cream to create cupcakes that are cloud-like soft, with a delicate, fine moist crumb. Sour cream adds a subtle tang that complements the nutty notes of Einkorn flour, and ensures the Einkorn cupcakes stay moist and flavorful for days.

Ingredients needed for these homemade einkorn cupcakes

  • Butter

  • Eggs

  • Milk

  • Sour cream

  • Vanilla bean paste

  • Granulated sugar

  • Einkorn flour- All-purpose 

  • Salt

  • Baking powder

  • Baking soda

Sour Cream: The Secret Weapon for Soft and Delicate Einkorn Cupcakes

Einkorn flour, an ancient grain, sometimes gets a reputation for denser baked goods compared to other modern wheat varieties. This is because Einkorn flour has a lower gluten content, which can contribute to its dense like consistency. The key to achieving light and fluffy Einkorn creations lies in embracing its unique properties and using the right techniques. This is where the sour cream steps in. This tangy dairy product is a baker’s best friend when it comes to achieving a moist and tender crumb. Here’s how it works:

  • Acidity Boost: Sour cream acidity reacts with the baking soda in the recipe, creating tiny air bubbles that rise during baking. This translates to a light and airy texture even with Einkorn flour. 

  • Tenderizing Power: The lactic acid in the sour cream helps to break down gluten strands in Einkorn flour, while einkorn flour already has a less gluten complex, this additional tenderizing leads to a more delicate and tender crumb.

  • Moisture Magic: The milk and sour cream combination helps to keep cupcakes moist and prevent them from drying out and becoming dense.

Step By Step Directions-How to make einkorn vanilla cupcakes

Prepare muffin tin & dry ingredients

Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl combine einkorn flour, salt, baking soda and powder. Set aside.

Mix butter and sugar

Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes 2-3 minutes. Setting a timer is helpful because you can whip too much air into the butter and sugar.

Add eggs and vanilla

Add vanilla bean paste and the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add flour and milk/sourcream mixture

On low speed, add flour mixture and milk/sour cream mixture using 3 alternating additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be on the slightly thicker side.

Gently fold in leftover flour

If any flour remains unmixed, use a spatula to gently fold it into the batter by hand to avoid overmixing in the stand mixer.

Scoop and fill

Fill cupcake lines 2/3 full this is about 2.5-3 tbsp per cupcake liner. Bake in 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 16-20 minutes. The tops will be golden brown and a toothpick inserted should come out clean.

How to prevent cupcakes from sinking

Mixing Matters: Mixing butter and sugar until light and fluffy will incorporate air which can make a cupcake light and fluffy, but too much overmixing especially after adding the flour will cause the air to escape later during baking process causing the cupcakes to sink. 

Leavening Power: old/expired baking powder won’t be as effective as fresh. These are responsible for the rise so make sure they are not expired. 

Batter Balance: Overfilling cupcake liners can cause them to overflow and sink in the middle. Don’t fill more than 2/3 full.  

Ingredient Temperatures: Use ingredients at room temperature, especially butter and eggs. This helps the ingredients incorporate smoothly and creates better structure. 

Oven Temperature/Stability: Preheat oven well before baking the cupcakes and be sure not to open the door during the baking process. A sudden drop in temperature can affect the rise. 

How to store Einkorn Cupcakes

Room Temperature- Frosted cupcakes can stay at room temperature for up to 6 hours. I recommend pulling them out of the refrigerator 2 hours before serving. Unfrosted can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days in an airtight container. 

Refrigerator- Frosted and unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Here is my favorite Cake/Cupcake Holder for storing in the fridge. I like this one over the individual cupcake holders cause you can use it for both cakes and cupcakes.   

Freezer- Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in the freezer in a zip lock or food savor container for up to three months. I do not recommended freezing frosted cupcakes as the buttercream tends to change consistency as it defrosts, I recommend making buttercream frosting fresh when ready to thaw cupcakes.  

Can these cupcakes be made into an Einkorn cake?

Yes, absolutely! Here are some helpful conversion rates to keep in mind when making an einkorn cake. My Einkorn Vanilla Cupcake recipe typically makes 12–15 cupcakes, depending on the size of your tin. If you’re after a classic vanilla cake instead, try my Einkorn Mixed Berry Cake—it’s built on the same vanilla base, and you can simply leave out the berries to make a 9-inch round cake.

Two 9-inch round cake layers = 24 standard cupcakes

  • Standard cupcakes: Bake 16 to 20 minutes at 350°F

  • 9-inch round cake: Bake 24 to 30 minutes at 350°F

One 9 by 13-inch baking pan = 24 to 36 standard cupcakes

  • Standard cupcakes: Bake 16 to 20 minutes at 350°F

  • 9 by 13-inch pan: Bake 30-35 minutes at 350°F

TIP: Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake- a slight crumb on the toothpick is ideal, a clean toothpick may be overcooked resulting in a dry cake. 

Try These Other Einkorn Dessert Recipes

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Einkorn Vanilla Cupcakes

tinhateats
The unique gluten structure of einkorn flour combines with the tenderizing and moisture-boosting power of milk and sour cream to create cupcakes that are cloud-like soft, with a delicate, fine moist crumb. Sour cream adds a subtle tang that complements the nutty notes of Einkorn flour, and ensures the cupcakes stay moist and flavorful for days.
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Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Servings 12 Cupcakes

Equipment

  • 1 Stand mixer
  • 1 12 cup standard muffin tin

Ingredients
  

  • 180g (1 ½ cups) Einkorn flour (All-purpose)
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking soda
  • 3g (1/2 tsp) Salt
  • 113g (1/2 cup) Room temperature salted butter
  • 150g (3/4 cup) Granulated sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs room temperature
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla bean paste
  • 60g (1/4 cup) Sour cream (cold)
  • 60g (1/4 cup) 2% or whole milk (Cold)

Buttercream Frosting

  • 113g (1/2 cup) Butter room temperature
  • 2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
  • 275g (2.5 cups) powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp sour cream To thin out

Instructions
 

  • Preheat and prep- Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Whisk dry ingredients- In a bowl, whisk together Einkorn flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • Measure out liquids- In a measuring cup whisk together milk and sour cream- Set aside.
  • Cream butter and sugar- Using a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, Cream together room temperature butter and sugar for about 3 minutes, on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  • Add vanilla and eggs- Add in vanilla bean paste and room temperature eggs, one at a time, beating well in between each addition until well combined. May need to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Add dry and wet ingredients alternating- On low speed, add flour mixture and sour cream/milk mixture using 3 alternating additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be on the slightly thicker side.
  • Fill liners and bake- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full, about 2.5-3 tbsp per cupcake liner. Bake at 350°F for 16-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Buttercream Frosting

  • Whisk butter- Using a whisk attachment cream together room temperature butter until light and fluffy.
  • Combine ingredients- Add in vanilla bean paste powdered sugar and 1 tbsp sour cream. Mix until well incorporated.
  • Thin out- Add additional sour cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
  • Transfer and pipe- Transfer buttercream into desired piping bag. Frost cupcakes after they have completely cooled using off set spatula or piping bag and tip of choice.

Notes

  1. For best results, weigh your flour—different milling processes can cause einkorn weights to vary.
  2. Eggs need to be room temperature to keep the butter from "emulsion breaking" or fat solidifying. But the Milk/Sour cream should be cold (doesn't have to be super cold, just not room temperature). 
  3. Do not over fill cupcake liners. Fill only 2/3 full. This is about 2.5-3 tbsp per cupcake liner. If you over fill they will rise too high then deflate/sink when your take them out of the oven or some will be lobsided. Cupcake batter has air whipped into them along with leaveners which helps them rise in the oven and create a airy texture. This batter will be on the slightly thicker side. 
Keyword cupcakes, Dessert, einkorn cupcakes, Einkorn flour, einkorn flour cupcakes, einkorn vanilla cupcakes
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2 Responses

    1. I have not tested with whole wheat Einkorn and I don’t recommend substituting with WW einkorn flour, because so much of the bran and germ are retained in WW that it creates a dense like products, not a light and airy one that you would find desirable for cupcakes, with that said, if you substitute WW einkorn for all purpose einkorn you will want to reduce the flour by 25%. 1 Cup all-purpose would change to 3/4 cups WW. Hope that helps 🙂 If you end up trying it let me know how it turns out.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Jenn – welcome to Tinhateats! Here, you’ll find a collection of gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly recipes, with a special spotlight on einkorn flour. I love reimagining classic dishes in healthier, more nourishing ways—and I hope my recipes inspire you to try something new in your own kitchen. Follow along for real food, made simple!

 

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