Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes (Printable)
Chocolate cupcakes filled with marshmallow cream and topped with glossy ganache and iconic white swirls.
# What You'll 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, as 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir until just combined, then pour in the hot water and mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be noticeably thin — this is normal.
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 of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and let 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 reachable.
07 - Using a small knife or cupcake corer, remove a small portion from the center of each cooled cupcake, reserving the removed tops. Transfer the cream filling to a piping bag and fill each cavity. Replace the reserved tops to cover the filling.
08 - Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a bowl and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
09 - Spoon the ganache over the tops of the filled cupcakes, or dip each cupcake top-down into the ganache. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature.
10 - Stir together the powdered sugar and milk until a smooth, pipeable icing forms, adding more milk drop by drop if needed. 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 squiggly swirl across the top of each glazed cupcake.
11 - Serve the cupcakes at room temperature for the best texture and flavor. Enjoy with a glass of cold milk or a cup of robust coffee.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That creamy marshmallow center will make you close your eyes and grin every single time you bite in.
- The ganache sets into a glossy shell that snaps when you break it, pure satisfaction.
- You get all the nostalgia of the original but with real ingredients you can actually pronounce.
02 -
- Patient cooling is non-negotiable because warm cupcakes turn filling into soup and slide the ganache right off.
- The batter being thin is exactly what you want, thick batter produces dense, dry cupcakes.
03 -
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder deepens the chocolate flavor dramatically compared to natural cocoa.
- A damp paper towel laid gently over the bowl of filling prevents a crust from forming while you work.