Description
Copycat Hostess Cupcakes bring classic American snack cake nostalgia right to home kitchens with chocolate magic. Creamy marshmallow filling and signature swirl create childhood memories that refresh dessert lovers seeking sweet comfort in one irresistible bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter (softened)
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 5 ounces (142 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 ¼ cups marshmallow fluff/creme
Leavening and Seasoning Ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Liquid and Finishing Ingredients:
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) heavy cream (warmed in a saucepan)
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter (softened)
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 or 2 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and arrange 15 paper cupcake liners across two muffin pans – a standard 12-cup and a smaller 3-cup pan.
- Sift together all dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined and free of lumps.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth and pale, approximately two minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar, mixing at medium speed for five minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Incorporate eggs individually into the butter-sugar mixture, blending thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until evenly distributed.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture in four separate additions, mixing gently to prevent overmixing. Slowly stream hot water into the batter, stirring until achieving a smooth, consistent texture.
- Divide batter evenly, filling each cupcake liner approximately 2/3 full (about per liner). Bake for 18-20 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick that should emerge clean when inserted into the center.
- Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling. Trim any uneven tops using a serrated knife if necessary.
- Prepare filling by whipping marshmallow fluff with softened butter using a stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a filling tip.
- Carefully insert the pastry tip into the center of each cooled cupcake, gently squeezing 1-of filling into each one.
- Create ganache by heating heavy cream in a small saucepan until it reaches a gentle simmer. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips in a heat-resistant bowl, allowing to sit for three minutes before stirring until completely smooth.
- Generously spread ganache over each cupcake, ensuring complete coverage by using the back of a spoon to create an even layer. Let set for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.
- Prepare decorative icing by mixing confectioners’ sugar with milk, adjusting consistency as needed. Use a piping bag with a small tip to create signature swirls across the top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Leveling cupcake tops ensures a professional, polished appearance and creates extra baking opportunities with leftover cake scraps.
- Marshmallow filling requires gentle, precise insertion deep into cupcake centers using specialized pastry tips for perfect distribution.
- Ganache technique involves patient heating and resting of cream and chocolate, allowing smooth blending without rushing the process.
- Decorative white icing adds elegant finishing touches, transforming homemade treats into bakery-style desserts with minimal additional effort.
- Cooling periods between steps prevent structural collapse and maintain ideal texture for each component of these nostalgic cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 15
- Calories: 274 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 157 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg