These homemade Hostess cupcakes taste just like the classic childhood snack! Moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with a vanilla, marshmallow creme filling, and topped with chocolate ganache…and don’t forget the famous icing swirl on top! A copycat recipe that is even better than the original
Homemade Hostess Cupcakes Copycat Recipe
My kids go crazy for Hostess snacks. Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Ho’s, and Sticky Buns. You name it, they love it. But, one of their all-time favorites is the Hostess chocolate cupcakes! I can’t blame them. The creamy frosting-like filling, soft chocolate cake cupcake, and delicious chocolate ganache are just so delicious!
This homemade recipe is even yummier than the classic store-bought cupcakes. I actually think they are even better made at home because they stay soft and moist. Whether you’re a Hostess fan or just a chocolate lover, you can’t go wrong with this easy, homemade cupcake recipe.
Why We Love These Chocolate Cupcakes
- Homemade cupcake recipe
- Quick and easy to make
- Fun to make with the kids
- Box cake mix can be used
- Copycat recipe, but way better than the original
- Moist and gooey cream-filled cupcake recipe
- Chocolate lover’s dream
- Ready in under an hour
- Tastes just like a traditional Hostess cupcake
- Easy cupcake recipe
Ingredients/Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar
- Whole milk
- Vegetable oil
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Marshmallow fluff
- Sweet cream butter
- Heavy cream
- Powdered sugar
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How to Make Homemade Hostess Cupcakes Recipe
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix together sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
Fill the cupcake tins with cake batter and bake for 15-18 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cream the butter until smooth, add powdered sugar and mix again until smooth. Add marshmallow cream and mix again.
Cut a small circle out of the middle of each cupcake.
Add the marsmallow filling to a Ziploc bag and snip the corner. Fill each cupcake hole with the filling and replace the cupcake cap.
To make the ganache, microwave the heavy cream and pour over the top of the chocolate chips until they are melted. Evenly spoon ganache on top of the filled cupcakes.
Cream the butter for your icing, until smooth. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk. Put the icing in a decorators bag.
Create a loop pattern on top of each cupcake.
Variations / Options / Add-ins
- CAKE MIX: To save on time, you could use a box of chocolate cake instead of making your cake mix from scratch. Just use your preferred brand!
- FROSTING: We love our homemade frosting, but feel free to skip a step by using a can of frosting.
- CHOCOLATE CHIPS: You can substitute the semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate chips, if you are wanting a sweeter ganache.
Tips
- Pro-tip: If you don’t have a piping bag or decorator’s bag, no worries! You can use a quart-size Ziploc bag, in this case. Just add the filling or icing and cut off the corner of the bag. Be sure to squeeze out any excess air, and seal the bag.
- Pro-tip: If you are wanting a stiffer filling in your cupcake, you can increase the powdered sugar to ½ cup until you reach your desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow the cupcakes to come to almost room temperature before serving.
To create the perfect swirl on the top of your Hostess cupcake, hold the tip of the bag ¼ to ½ inch above the cupcake. Using even steady pressure, pipe a swirling loop pattern down the center of the cupcake. Repeat the process until all cupcakes are topped. Make sure that if you’re using a Ziploc bag, you don’t cut the hole in the corner too big.
The filling inside the Hostess cupcake is a vanilla creme filling. In this homemade Hostess cupcake filling in this case is made of butter, powdered sugar and marshmallow cream! It’s so delicious, especially in complement to the soft and fluffy chocolate cupcake!
Other Easy Copycat Recipes
KFC Coleslaw | Copycat Crunchwrap Supreme (Taco Bell) | Bang Bang Shrimp (Copycat Bonefish Grill) | Copycat Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies | Frozen Butterbeer Recipe (Universal Orlando) | Air Fryer Cherry Pop Tarts
Homemade Hostess Cupcakes
Video
Ingredients
Cupcake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Cupcake Filling
- 2 cup marshmallow fluff
- 4 tbsp (¼ cup) salted sweet cream butter softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Ganache Frosting
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 7 tbsp heavy cream
White Swirl Icing
- 4 tbsp (¼ cup) salted sweet cream butter softened
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set it aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set it aside
- Using a medium size mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and eggs until well incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Fill the prepared liners between ½ – ⅔ full.
- Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back. Remove the cupcakes and allow them to completely cool.
Filling
- Using a small mixing bowl and a handheld mixer set on medium, cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minutes.
- Lower the mixer speed to low and add ½ of the powdered sugar, beat well, then add the remaining powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for an additional 1 minute, or until the butter mixture is smooth.
- Lower the mixer speed to low and add the marshmallow cream. Keeping the mixer speed on low, beat just until the mixture is combined.
- Using a quart size ziploc bag, add the filling. Be sure to squeeze out any excess air, and seal the bag.
Cupcake Assembly
- Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, use a sharp knife or a cupcake corer, and cut a circle about the size of a quarter in the top center of the cupcake. You can trim away the excess cupcake from the circle.
- Snip a small corner of the filling bag. Insert the snipped corner into the cupcake and fill the hollowed cupcake just almost to the top. Replace the cupcake cap and repeat the process until all the cupcakes are filled.
Ganache
- Pour the heavy cream into a heat safe measuring cup and microwave for 30 – 40 seconds.
- Add the chocolate chips to a small heat safe bowl. Pour the heated heavy cream over the chocolate chips and allow it to sit for 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Stir well until all the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
- Evenly spoon and spread ½ – ¾ teaspoon of the mixture on top of the filled cupcakes. Allow the frosted cupcakes to sit and allow the chocolate to sit.
White Loop Icing
- Using a small mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium speed, cream the butter for about 1 minute, or until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and continue mixing for another 10 – 15 seconds.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix for 30 seconds. It will resemble white sand.
- Add the milk and increase the mixer speed to medium. Mix for 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth.
- Using either a ziploc bag with a small corner snipped off, or a decorators bag fitted with a #5 decorators tip, fill with the icing.
- Hold the tip of the bag ¼ to ½ inch above the cupcake, and using even steady pressure, pipe a swirling loop pattern down the center of the cupcake. Repeat the process until all cupcakes are topped.
Jenn’s Notes
- If you don’t have a piping bag or decorator’s bag, no worries! You can use a quart size ziploc bag, in this case. Just add the filling or icing and cut off the corner of the bag. Be sure to squeeze out any excess air, and seal the bag.
- If you are wanting a stiffer filling in your cupcake, you can increase the powdered sugar to ½ cup until you reach your desired consistency.
These cupcakes are amazing! I couldn’t stop eating the filling as I was making them. They are far superior to the store bought ones. So much fresher.