Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes (Printable)
Classic chocolate cupcakes with fluffy marshmallow cream filling and glossy ganache glaze, topped with signature white icing 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 (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 It:
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. Mix until just combined, then pour in the hot water and stir until the batter is smooth. The batter will be 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 comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
06 - Beat the softened butter until light and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat for 1 minute. Mix in the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract, beating until the filling is fluffy. If the consistency is too thick, 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 tops if desired. Transfer the cream filling to a piping bag and fill each cavity. Replace the reserved tops if using.
08 - Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
09 - Spoon or dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the ganache, coating evenly. Set aside until the glaze sets.
10 - Stir together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth and pipeable. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a fine tip or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Pipe the classic swirl pattern across the top of each cupcake.
11 - Allow the ganache and icing to set before serving. Enjoy at room temperature for the best texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That creamy marshmallow center surprises everyone who bites into one and makes you look like a bakery wizard.
- The ganache sets into a glossy shell that cracks just right when you eat it, which is deeply satisfying.
02 -
- Hot water in the batter is not optional because it blooms the cocoa and changes the entire flavor profile of the cupcake.
- Overmixing after adding the eggs makes the texture tough and bouncy instead of soft and tender.
- The ganache needs to cool slightly before dipping or it will slide right off the cupcake and pool at the base.
03 -
- A zip top bag with a tiny corner snipped off works just as well as a piping bag for both the filling and the white swirl.
- Room temperature eggs and buttermilk blend more smoothly into the batter and prevent odd dense spots in the finished cake.