Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes (Printable Version)
Chocolate cupcakes with fluffy marshmallow filling and glossy ganache, inspired by the classic American treat.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate Cupcakes
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon salt
07 - ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
08 - ½ cup vegetable oil
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - ½ cup hot water
→ Cream Filling
12 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - ¾ cup powdered sugar
14 - 1 cup marshmallow creme
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - 1–2 teaspoons milk (if needed for consistency)
→ Chocolate Ganache
17 - ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
18 - ¼ cup heavy cream
→ White Icing Swirl
19 - ¼ cup powdered sugar
20 - 1 teaspoon milk (plus more as needed)
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat until just combined. Pour in the hot water and stir until the batter is smooth and lump-free. The batter will be noticeably thin.
04 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
05 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
06 - Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat for 1 minute. Blend in the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract, beating until the filling is fluffy and smooth. If the consistency is too stiff, add milk one teaspoon at a time until spreadable.
07 - Using a small knife or cupcake corer, remove a small portion from the center of each cooled cupcake. Reserve the removed tops. Transfer the cream filling to a piping bag and fill each cavity. Replace the reserved tops over the filling.
08 - Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and let stand for 2 minutes. Stir until the ganache is glossy and smooth.
09 - Spoon the ganache over the top of each cupcake or dip the tops directly into the ganache. Allow the coating to set at room temperature.
10 - Stir together the powdered sugar and milk until a smooth, pipeable icing forms. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a fine round tip or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Pipe the classic curly swirl across each cupcake top.
11 - Allow the ganache and icing to fully set before serving. Enjoy at room temperature for the best texture and flavor.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That molten marshmallow center is infinitely creamier than anything a factory can produce, and you control every single ingredient.
- The ganache sets into a shell that cracks perfectly when you bite through, which is honestly half the fun.
02 -
- Warm cupcakes will melt your filling into a puddle and crack your ganache, so patience during cooling is non-negotiable.
- The hot water step looks wrong when you see how thin the batter becomes, but that looseness is exactly what makes the crumb so tender.
03 -
- Put the filled cupcakes in the fridge for fifteen minutes before glazing so the filling firms up and will not squish out when you dip.
- A plastic zip top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well as a piping bag for both the filling and the white swirl.