Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
These Homemade Hostess Cupcakes are moist, chocolatey and filled with a light marshmallow filling, covered with a decadent chocolate ganache and topped off with a vanilla swirl. They are even better than the original! You'll want to make them again and again!
Equipment
- 2 cupcake pans
- Cupcake liners
- hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Small sauce pan
- Wire racks
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup hot water
Marshmallow Filling
- 6 tbsp butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 7.5 oz jar marshmallow creme Fluff
Chocolate Ganache
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Icing
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare cupcake pans with liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, light brown sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, in a separate mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and pure vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and beat until thoroughly combined.
- Add the hot water and beat until combined. The batter will be thin.
- Fill cupcake liners just over halfway full.
- Bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool completely.
Marshmallow Filling
- After cupcakes have cooled, make the filling.
- Using a hand mixer, beat butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, a little at a time and beat until smooth. This may take a little while, but it will get smooth.
- Spoon in marshmallow creme, a little at a time, and beat until thoroughly combined.
- To fill the cupcakes, use a large star tip or a knife to make a small indentation in the top of the cupcake. Remove a small 1/4 inch round that will go back onto the top of the cupcake. Set this piece aside and hallow out the rest of the inside of each cupcake.
- Using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill the hallowed out center of the cupcake. Place the small 1/4 inch round back on the top of the cupcake.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small sauce pan, melt chocolate chips and butter over medium-low heat.
- Pour in heavy whipping cream and whisk until smooth. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Stir the ganache. Dip one filled cupcake at a time in the ganache until the top is completely covered or you can spoon on the ganache if so desired. If ganache becomes thick, heat it back up for about 10-15 seconds over low heat.
- Transfer dipped cupcakes to the refrigerator and let set for about 10-15 minutes.
Vanilla Icing
- Using a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Pipe frosting on each cupcake in a loop design using a Wilton tip 3. You can also place icing in a small resealable bag and cut a small piece off the tip of the bag.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Take them out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy!
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze unfrosted cupcakes, in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Take cupcakes out the night before and let thaw in the refrigerator. Frost, serve and enjoy!
