Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes with a marshmallow filling, topped with chocolate ganache, and decorated with vanilla icing!
Remember eating those classic Hostess cupcakes as a kid? I loved biting into them and getting to that divine marshmallow filling!
You can bring back those delightful memories with this delicious copycat recipe!
These copycat Hostess cupcakes taste like the original, and you can serve them at a game day party because they also make perfect football cupcakes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cupcakes – Like the Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes, these heavenly homemade chocolate cupcakes are made from scratch!
- Marshmallow Filling – Soft and creamy marshmallow filling in the middle!
- Chocolate G/anache – Sweet melted chocolate over the top of the cupcakes.
- Cute Football Cupcakes – Fun football cupcakes that are perfect for game day.
What You’ll Need
Equipment
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- Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment or hand mixer or electric mixer
- Large bowl (Mixing bowl)
- Pastry bag
- Double Boiler
- Small saucepan
- Freezer-safe airtight container
- cupcake pan or cupcake tin
- cupcake liners
- cooling rack
- Ziploc bag
Ingredients
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup hot water
Marshmallow Filling
- 1/4 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups marshmallow creme
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Icing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
- In a large-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside for now.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla together.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Add the hot water to the batter. It will be very runny.
- Fill each muffin cup to the halfway point only.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, it’s time to make that gooey center. In a medium-sized bowl, cream the butter until whipped.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined and crumbly.
- Add the marshmallow creme and stir until incorporated.
- Grab all of the cooled cupcakes. Using a spoon or a piping tip, remove some cake from the middle of the cupcake. Go down about 3/4 of the way and try to keep the cake pieces intact.
- Fill the hole with the marshmallow creme mixture and top with the cake you just removed. You will have to trim the cake pieces to ensure that the cupcakes’ tops are even.
- Next, we’ll make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the whipping cream until it is hot but not boiling.
- Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the chocolate until it is melted.
- Using a knife or the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate ganache over the top of the cupcake. Let set for 5 minutes.
- While the ganache is setting, let’s make the icing. In a small bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until crumbly. Add the vanilla and milk and continue beating until it is smooth.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag and pipe the football laces on top. Chill for 5 minutes before eating.
Recipe Tips
- Cupcakes Don’t Rise? Check the dates on your baking soda. If it has expired, throw it out and get fresh baking soda.
- Sweeter Ganache? Would you like the ganache to be even sweeter than it already is? Try using milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter ganache.
- No Piping Bag? No worries! You can cut the tip off one corner of a clear plastic zip-top bag and pipe the frosting on top of the chocolate ganache. You can save some money with this option as well.
What To Serve With Hostess Cupcakes
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Shortbread Chocolate Filled Cookies
- Hot Chocolate Dip
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Muffins
FAQs
How To Store Hostess Cupcakes?
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, and they will stay moist and fresh.
Can I Freeze These Cupcakes?
Store unfrosted cupcakes by wrapping them in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.
Freeze frosted cupcakes uncovered for about 6 hours, then remove from the freezer and place them in a container large enough to accommodate the height of the frosting.
If you have pre-frozen uncovered cupcakes, then you can wrap them in plastic wrap, and the frosting won’t get messed up. Then place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Hostess Copycat Football Cupcakes
Homemade Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes with a marshmallow filling, topped with chocolate ganache, and decorated with vanilla icing!
Servings 16
Calories 291kcal
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup hot water
Marshmallow Filling
- 1/4 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups marshmallow creme
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Vanilla Icing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
- In a large-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside for now.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla together.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
- Add the hot water to the batter. It will be very runny.
- Fill each muffin cup to the halfway point only.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes and allow to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, it’s time to make that gooey centre. In a medium-size bowl, cream the butter until whipped.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined and crumbly.
- Add the marshmallow creme and stir until incorporated.
- Grab all of the cooled cupcakes. Using a spoon or a piping tip, remove some cake from the middle of the cupcake. Go down about 3/4 of the way and try to keep the cake pieces intact.
- Fill the hole with the marshmallow creme mixture and top with the cake you just removed. You will have to trim the cake pieces to make sure that the top of the cupcakes are even.
- Next we’ll make the ganache. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the whipping cream until it is hot but not boiling.
- Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the chocolate until it is melted.
- Using a knife or the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate ganache over the top of the cupcake. Let set for 5 minutes.
- While the ganache is setting, let’s make the icing. In a small bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and beat until crumbly. Add the vanilla and milk and continue beating until it is smooth.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag and pipe the laces of a football on top. Chill for 5 minutes before eating.
Notes
- Cupcakes Don’t Rise? Check the dates on your baking soda. If it has expired, throw it out and get fresh baking soda.
- Sweeter Ganache? Would you like the ganache to be even sweeter than it already is? Try using milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter ganache.
- No Piping Bag? No worries! You can cut the tip off one corner of a clear plastic zip-top bag and pipe the frosting on top of the chocolate ganache. You can save some money with this option as well.
- Storing Cupcakes – Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, and they will stay moist and fresh.
- Freezing Cupcakes – Store unfrosted cupcakes by wrapping them in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe airtight plastic bag for up to 3 months.
- Freeze frosted cupcakes uncovered for about 6 hours, then remove from the freezer and place them in a container large enough to accommodate the height of the frosting.
- If you have pre-frozen uncovered cupcakes, then you can wrap them in plastic wrap, and the frosting won’t get messed up. Then place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
Brenda Young says
Yum Yum!!! Brings back childhood memories.