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Homemade Hostess Cupcakes-1

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Enjoy classic Hostess-style chocolate cupcakes right from your own kitchen! These homemade treats have a moist chocolate base, creamy vanilla filling, rich chocolate glaze, and signature white squiggle design. Perfect for parties or satisfying your sweet tooth.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320

Ingredients
  

  • 100 grams all-purpose flour
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 120 ml whole milk
  • 60 ml vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 ml boiling water
  • 60 grams unsalted butter, softened
  • 120 grams marshmallow fluff
  • 60 grams powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 grams semisweet chocolate chips
  • 60 ml heavy cream
  • 15 grams unsalted butter for ganache glaze
  • 60 grams powdered sugar for white icing
  • 1 teaspoon milk for white icing
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for white icing

Equipment

  • 1 12-cup muffin tin
  • 1 cupcake liners
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 mixing bowls
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 whisk
  • 1 piping bags (or zip-top bags)
  • 1 cooling rack
  • 1 small offset spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line the muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
  4. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full.
  5. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  6. While cupcakes cool, prepare the cream filling: Beat butter until creamy. Add marshmallow fluff and mix until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until fluffy.
  7. Once cupcakes are fully cooled, use a small knife or apple corer to cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake (do not cut through to the bottom). Save the tops.
  8. Fill a piping bag with cream filling. Pipe filling into the center of each cupcake, then gently replace cupcake tops.
  9. To make ganache, heat heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Pour over chocolate chips in a bowl. Let set for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Allow to cool until slightly thickened.
  10. Dip the tops of filled cupcakes into the ganache or spread using a spatula. Place on the rack until chocolate firms up.
  11. For the white icing, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and pipeable. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip (or use a zip-top bag with the tip snipped off). Pipe a squiggly line across each cupcake to mimic the HoHos look.
  12. Let icing set. Enjoy!

Notes

Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
You can substitute marshmallow fluff with whipped cream for a lighter filling, but the texture will be different.
Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before filling and frosting to prevent the filling and ganache from melting.