Copycat Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes
Decadent and sweet, these amazing Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes are a homemade version of the classic packaged treat! With a homemade frosting and made from a cake mix base, this is an easy dessert with nostalgia baked right in.
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This homemade version of the classic snack cakes is easy to make and results in a nostalgic and delicious upgrade to the store-bought treat! A step up from the original recipe, these are even better than what you'll buy in the grocery store.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes
- ⏱️ Ready In: ~30 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Serves: 20 servings
- 🍽️ Calories: ~257 per serving (estimated)
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Cake mix, milk, eggs, butter, powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, chocolate chips
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy
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Why this Recipe Works
Next time you want to make a batch of cupcakes, consider giving them an upgrade with this homemade Hostess cupcakes recipe! It uses boxed mix as a starting point for easier prep, but still creates a delicious and high quality dessert.
Featuring fudgy chocolate cake with a marshmallow creme filling and a rich chocolate ganache frosting, these cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or a special treat any time.
And for other fun and exciting treats, make my Purple Monster Cupcakes or these Carrot Patch Cupcakes for the perfect treat!
Ingredients Needed
- Chocolate Cake Mix: Use your favorite chocolate cake mix from your favorite brand
- Whole Milk:
- Eggs: Room temperature is always best.
- Unsalted Butter
- Powdered Sugar: also known as confectioners' sugar
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla.
- Marshmallow Cream: Makes the inner filling light and fluffy with plenty of sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips for a rich chocolate flavor.
- Heavy Cream: Helps form the chocolate ganache.
How to Make Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add box cake mix (dry ingredients), and the wet ingredients--eggs, milk, and butter.
- Step 2: Use a hand beater to combine until a smooth batter forms.
- Step 3: Evenly divide cupcake batter between cupcake liners and bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes, then cool completely.
- Step 4: Meanwhile, in another large bowl, cream butter and mix in confectioner's sugar.
- Step 5: To the frosting, add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla extract.
- Step 6: Transfer the cream filling to piping bags, one with a small lettering tip and the other with a star top (or other larger piping tip).
- Step 7: Insert the pastry bag with the larger piping tip into each cupcake and fill with frosting.
- Step 8: In a saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat until warm (but not boiling).
- Step 9: Combine the hot cream with chocolate chips.
- Step 10: Mix until smooth and glossy with no chocolate lumps remaining.
- Step 11: Carefully dip the top of each cupcake into the ganache and place on a wire rack so the ganache can set.
- Step 12: Use the piping bag with the smaller tip to pipe a swirl of marshmallow filling onto the top of the cupcake.
Recipe Tips
- A lettering or writing tip is best for the swirls, and I've found a star tip is great for the marshmallow frosting that goes inside the cupcakes to create the creamy center.
- Don't have piping bags? Use a large ziploc bag and snip the corner with some scissors.
- Allow the refrigerated ingredients to come up to room temperature to make it easier to combine everything.
- Store your cupcakes covered or in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. You can also store them in the fridge, though this may dry out the cake a bit.
Recipe FAQ's
Dry cupcakes are usually the result of overbaking or overmixing the batter, so be sure to only stir until everything is combined. A few lumps here and there are okay.
Feel free to use your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix to make your own copycat Hostess cupcakes, but something like Devil's Food Cake or a chocolate fudge cake will give you even more decadent results.
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Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (7 ounce) tub marshmallow cream
Ganache Frosting
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with 20-24 cupcake liners.
- In a bowl mix the cake mix, egg, milk and butter together. evenly divide the mix into the cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely, approximately 30 minutes.
- In a bowl add the butter and blend on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, and beat until creamy. Add the marshmallow cream and the vanilla and blend on low speed until combined. Place 2 oz of filling into a small pastry or zip lock bag fitted with a small lettering tip (Wilton # ), then the remaining filling (about 10 oz) into a second pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
- To fill the cupcakes insert the star tip into the center of each cupcake and squeeze the pastry bag gently, making the cupcake begin to puff slightly. Start to lift the filling bag and stop squeezing before* you reach the top for a level surface. Repeat for the remaining cupcakes.
For The Ganache
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream on medium-low heat, swirling until the cream starts to steam, about 2-3 minutes. Do not allow this to boil!
- Place the chocolate chips in a heat-resistant mixing bowl. Pour the steaming, warmed cream over the chopped chocolate and immediately cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and gently whisk the melted chocolate and cream together until completely blended. If it seems too thin, let it cool for a bit it will thicken up.
- While the ganache is still slightly warm and pliable, dip each cupcake into the ganache, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Decorate the dipped tops with the remaining marshmallow filling by piping swirls on across the top of each cupcake. Using gentle but enough pressure starting at the far side of the cupcake, press the filling and allow it to swirl making e’s overlapping 6 to 7 times. Stop squeezing towards the end and pull the bag up to end the swirl.
- It doesn’t have to be perfect! Hostess has machines that decorate their cupcakes.
- Refrigerate the finished cupcakes uncovered for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
Video
Notes
- These cupcakes are best chilled after serving, and can be enjoyed for up to 2 days after baking.
- It is best to use a slightly larger star #21 tip to fill the cupcakes and a smaller #3 or Bismark writing tip for the swirls. I've linked them above in the tools. To ensure there is enough for both, separating the filling in two bags- about 2 oz in one for the swirls and the remaining filling in a second bag for filling will cover all the cupcakes.
Nutrition
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It shouldn't be but, If you let it sit for a few minutes to cool it will thicken up.
The chocolate ganache was way too thin. Did I do something wrong half a cup of chocolate chips and a half a cup of heavy whipping cream? I added more chocolate chips, but the recipe is awesome.