These Homemade Hostess Cupcakes take me straight back to childhood. They’re deeply chocolatey and so fun to eat!
Think moist chocolate cupcakes filled with fluffy marshmallow cream and topped with a silky-smooth ganache. And yes, I even added the signature curly-cue icing.
They’re everything I love about the classic snack cake—only so much better. The rich, fudgy cake and dreamy filling is pure decadence with every bite.
Honestly, I can’t be trusted around these. But like they say, sharing is caring, so I just had to pass along this copycat recipe.
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Ingredients for Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The secret to the deep, rich chocolate flavor. I recommend using a quality brand like Hershey or Ghirardelli.
- All-purpose Flour and Baking Soda: Flour provides structure. Baking soda helps the cupcakes rise.
- Granulated Sugar: Essential for sweetness, sugar contributes to the cake's moisture and texture.
- Egg and Vegetable Oil: Eggs bind the ingredients together. Vegetable oil keeps the cupcakes moist. Melted coconut oil can also work in a bind.
- Milk: Adds moisture and tenderness to the cupcake batter, ensuring a soft crumb. I use whole milk for a richer flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the filling and icing with a warm, aromatic note.
- Hot Coffee: My little secret! Brewed coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor and makes the cupcakes extra moist. Regular or decaf coffee both work.
- Powdered Sugar: Ideal for creating a sweet silky icing and fluffy marshmallow filling.
- Marshmallow Creme: The key to the iconic creamy center. It gives the cupcakes their distinctive, gooey surprise. Marshmallow fluff also works.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips and Heavy Cream: Together, they create a luscious ganache to finish the cupcakes.
How to Make Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
These classic cupcakes will take you on a trip down memory lane! Rich, moist, and chocolatey, they’re the real deal—only better. Once you try them, you’ll never go back to the boxed version!
1. Prepare dry ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
2. Mix wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine ingredients. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee (or hot water) until the batter is smooth and well blended.
4. Bake the cupcakes. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make the filling. In a medium sized bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Fold in the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract until fully combined. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
6. Make the ganache. Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy. Cool slightly.
7. Fill the cupcakes. Using a paring knife or cupcake corer, cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each cooled cupcake (keep the cut-out pieces for snacking or discard). Pipe the marshmallow filling into the cavity of each cupcake to the top.
8. Add ganache. Dip the tops of the filled cupcakes into the chocolate ganache. Place the cupcakes on a wire cooling rack and let the ganache set at room temperature.
9. Make the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the icing ingredients until smooth and thick. Transfer the vanilla icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
10. Decorate the cupcakes. Pipe the vanilla icing as a curly line design onto the top of each cupcake. Let the icing firm slightly before serving.
Tips for the Best Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
Want your chocolate cupcakes to taste just like Hostess? Follow my top baking tips for the ultimate homemade version!
- Room temperature is key. I always bring the egg, milk, and butter to room temperature before starting. This helps ensure smoother mixing and better texture.
- Don't overmix! When combining wet and dry ingredients, stir just until the batter is smooth. This simple step helps avoid dense cupcakes.
- Use an ice cream scoop. It’s a little trick I learned to evenly fill the cupcake liners for consistent sizes and even baking.
- Cool cupcakes completely. I always ensure the cupcakes are completely cool before filling or topping. This will prevent the filling and ganache from melting.
- Simmer, don’t boil cream. You want the cream to be just simmering, but not boiling. This will help prevent burning or separation.
- Adjust icing consistency. If it’s too thick, add more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. Add a little at a time until reaching the desired consistency.
- DIY the piping bag. No piping bag? No problem! Fill a ziplock bag with the chocolate ganache topping and cut off a corner for easy piping.
- Try fun variations. Try mint filling with peppermint extract, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese filling, or peanut butter cream filling for unique twists on the classic.
How to Store Leftover Cupcakes
I love making these classic chocolate cupcakes for parties, potlucks, or just because! They store well, so you can make them ahead or stash some for later.
To Store: Place frosted cupcakes in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
To Freeze: Place unfrosted cupcakes in a freezer-safe container. Alternatively, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. For frosted cupcakes, pre-freeze them uncovered for 1 hour until the frosting hardens. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container.
More Homemade Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love
Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
12
servings30
minutes20
minutes414
kcalThese Homemade Hostess Cupcakes are better than store-bought! With rich chocolate cake, creamy centers, and silky ganache, they're irresistible.
Ingredients
- For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
- For the Marshmallow Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Ganache:
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy cream
- For the Vanilla Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the hot coffee (or hot water) until the batter is smooth and well blended.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Fold in the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract until fully combined. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool slightly before using.
- Use a small knife to cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each cooled cupcake (keep the cut-out pieces for snacking or discard them). Pipe the marshmallow filling into the cavity of each cupcake, filling just to the top.
- Dip the tops of the filled cupcakes into the chocolate ganache, ensuring an even coat. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack and let the ganache set at room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Pipe the signature curly line design onto the top of each cupcake once the ganache has fully set. Let the icing firm up slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. For smoother mixing and better texture, use room temperature egg, milk, and butter.
- Don't overmix the batter. I stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until the batter is smooth. This simple step helps avoid dense cupcakes.
- Avoid boiling the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer, ensuring it’s not boiling. This will help prevent burning or separation.
- Adjust icing consistency. If it’s too thick, add more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. Add a little at a time until reaching the desired consistency.
- DIY the piping bag. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a ziplock bag. Fill it with the chocolate ganache topping and cut off a corner for easy piping.
Nutrition
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 414kcal
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 217mg
- Potassium: 141mg
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Sugar: 50g
- Protein: 3g
- Iron: 1mg
1 Comments
The cupcake is to die for! I admit I used Ghirardelli chocolate powder instead of the standard Hershey’s so that may have played a role. Moist and fabulous. The marshmallow filling was excellent. The ganache was a bit overpowering for my taste but still good. Where this recipe lost a star was the piped squiggle. Two tbsp of milk to the amount of confectioners sugar was too much; it was runny. I cut it back to about 1 1/2 and it was still too runny. It needs a very heavy icing to maintain its squiggly shape. Overall, a keeper.