Homemade Hostess Cupcakes. – Half Baked Harvest

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes. Sweet, delicious, and so fun – we’re making homemade hostess cupcakes! Rich chocolate cupcakes made with cocoa powder, then baked and filled with a yummy, simple, homemade marshmallow fluff, then glazed in a sweet, creamy chocolate glaze. These are delicious and such a fun trip down memory lane!

The funny thing about my mom is that growing up, she used to bake ALL THE TIME. Many of you know the story; she had dessert on the table way before dinner. She loved to bake, but she was a chocolate-only baker. Well, she made banana bread, but with chocolate chips, of course!

You’d think she’d buy all the bakery goods at the grocery store too, but she never bought anything packaged like hostess cupcakes! Only ever so often would she buy a packaged baked good. My favorite used to be those sugar cookies with the thick layer of frosting. But we almost never got to have those cute hostess cupcakes!

Who couldn’t love a hostess cupcake?

With Valentine’s Day coming this Friday, I thought these could be so fun to take into kids’ classes. Of course, they’re also perfect just to bake up and enjoy at home!

Originally, I was thinking about drawing hearts on the cupcakes, but then I LOVED the effortlessness and cuteness of the loops. It brought me back to being a kid and begging my mom to buy Hostess Cupcakes from the store. Well, there’s no need to beg anymore because we can easily make them at home!

Here are the details

Cupcake Ingredients:

• melted coconut oil
• eggs
• Buttermilk
• Plain Greek yogurt – or use sour cream
• Granulated sugar
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• cocoa powder
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• hot brewed coffee

Marshmallow fluff ingredients:

• egg whites
• granulated sugar
• cream of tartar
• vanilla

Glaze Ingredients:

• chocolate chips
• whole milk
• white chocolate

Special Tools

For these cupcakes, you’ll need a cupcake pan, a mixing bowl, an electric mixer, and a medium pot for melting the chocolate.

Steps

Step 1: make the cupcakes

Start with the wet ingredients plus the sugar. Melted coconut oil, eggs, buttermilk, Greek yogurt (or use sour cream), granulated sugar, and vanilla.

Mix everything to combine. Now stir in the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. The final step is to mix in hot coffee.

If you don’t enjoy baking with coffee, try hot water or hot milk, but I highly suggest the coffee. It really does highlight the chocolate, but it’s not the dominant flavor.

Step 2: bake

Now, bake each cupcake up. There should be enough batter to make around 18 cupcakes.

Step 3: the marshmallow fluff

This is easier than you think, I promise. Just take 3 egg whites and whisk them together with the sugar and cream of tartar. I like to do this in my stainless steel stand mixing bowl. Set the bowl over simmering water and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

The heat will cook the egg whites and allow the sugar to dissolve. After 5 minutes, the mixture should be glossy and opaque.

Step 4: whip the fluff

Next, add the vanilla to the eggs and use an electric mixer to whisk the whites into a glossy, stiff meringue.

It is going to be so pretty! Now you have homemade marshmallow fluff!

Step 5: filling the cupcakes

Once the cupcakes are baked, grab a pairing knife and cut a cone-shaped piece from the top of the cupcake.

Fill the cupcakes with the marshmallow fluff all the way to the top!

Step 6: make the glaze

Take the semi-sweet chocolate chips and add them to a pot. Mix with milk or heavy cream. Set the pot over low heat and stir until melted and smooth.

I like to add a pinch of salt too!

Step 7: glazing and making the loops

Next, invert the cupcakes into the glaze and get them really coated!

Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes, then take the melted white chocolate and add it to a bag with the corner snipped off. Draw little loops on top of each cupcake! Do not stress about making them perfect. I found the more imperfect they each were, the cuter!

Or have some fun and draw hearts on each cupcake. That will be so cute!!

Each bite is filled with sweet, moist cake, creamy marshmallow, and fudgy chocolate glaze. It is so much better than any store-bought hostess cupcake! Trust me! And they’re so fun to make!

Best kind of any-time-of-year cupcake to bake – whatever you may be celebrating! Hope you all enjoy and have so much fun with these!

Looking for easy chocolate desserts? Here are a few ideas: 

Crinkle Top Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies

Giant Salted Espresso Hot Fudge Cookies

Lunchroom Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake

Lastly, if you make these Homemade Hostess Cupcakes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!