Hostess Cupcakes
Hostess Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Yields: 24 cupcakes
Author: Ireland Lindsay
Note: This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, feel free to half it for 12.
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups (165g) powdered sugar
¾ cup Marshmallow Fluff
2 tablespoons heavy cream
For the ganache:
1/2 cup chocolate chips, no higher than 70%
1/4 cup heavy cream
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
MIX together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer using a low speed until combined. Then beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add in wet ingredients to dry (beaten eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil) Beat on a medium speed until smooth.
SPRAY a standard cupcake tin liberally with non-stick spray, or butter. Begin portioning cake batter into prepared tins, filling only a little over halfway.*
*Avoid going over the halfway mark, cupcake batter is different than that of a muffin and it rises more than you will expect.
BAKE for 10-12 minutes in a 350-degree oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
ONCE out of the oven, let cool completely before finishing.
FOR THE FILLING:
INTO the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and marshmallow fluff until lightened in color. Add in confectioners’ sugar and continue beating, thin out (If needed) with heavy cream.
SET aside 1/4 of the filling you just made and thin out with heavy cream, this will be the frosting to pipe that classic hostess cupcake design.
TRANSFER both mixtures, separately, into piping bags. For the cupcake, filling snip off an inch from the top of the bag. For the thinned out topping, cut only a half an inch off- you want the hole to be quite small for precision.
FOR THE GANACHE:
ONCE your cupcakes are completely cooled, your filling is made and transferred to a piping bag and you are ready to begin assembling.
MELT together the chocolate and heavy cream in the microwave for 30-second intervals, or until completely melted.
TO ASSEMBLE:
TO assemble, take your completely cooled cupcakes and flip them over, starting at the bottom use the other side of your piping tip to core out the middle of the cupcake. You can use an apple corer, piping tip, or even a knife for this step. Then, fill the cavity with the filling and place the tip of the cored-out piece back on to close up the cupcake.
DIP the tops of all filled cupcakes into the ganache and set on a wire rack to set.
ONCE your cupcakes are filled, dipped, and completely set- take the remaining thinned-out frosting and pipe the hostess design. Using a steady hand take the piping bag and slowly swirl on onto the top of the cupcakes. Feel free to practice a few times before, and go slowly ;) you got this!
LASTLY, give yourself a round of applause because you just made hostess cupcakes from scratch! Enjoy!
STORE at room temp, covered for up to 1 week.
Recipe by @IreBakes
