Better Than Hostess Cupcakes

Posted by Lee on August 10, 2011. Posted in Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, Recipe

How many of you used to, or still eat Hostess Cupcakes? I know I did back in the day. I stopped eating them because I don’t know if I trust what they put into them. So when I saw this on Cooks Country, I just had to make them. These are heaven in chocolatey, creamy form. They are oh so good. You won’t be able to stop at just one, I sure can’t.

Better than Hostess Cupcakes

Cooks Country
Makes 12 cupcakes.

Cupcakes

1 C. all-purpose flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. Salt

1/2 C.boiling water

1/3 C. cocoa powder

1/3 C. semisweet chocolate chips

1 T. instant espresso (I don’t use this)

3/4 C.sugar

1/2 C. sour cream

1/2 C. vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

Filling

3 T. water

3/4 t. unflavored gelatin

4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , softened

Pinch salt

1 t. vanilla extract

1 1/4 C. marshmallow fluff (such as Fluff or Kraft Jet-Puffed Creme)

Glaze

1/2 C. semisweet chocolate chips

3 T. unsalted butter

Instructions

MAKE BATTER Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup muffin tin. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk water, cocoa, chocolate chips, and espresso in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, sour cream, oil, eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until incorporated. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out with few dry crumbs attached, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool -cupcakes in tin 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

PREPARE FILLING Combine water and gelatin in large bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around edges and gelatin dissolves, about 30 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until combined. Let mixture cool until just warm to touch, about 5 minutes, then whisk in marshmallow creme until smooth; refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Transfer 1/3 cup marshmallow mixture to pastry bag fitted with small plain tip; reserve remaining mixture for filling cupcakes.

ASSEMBLE CUPCAKES Microwave chocolate and butter in small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Cool glaze to room temper-ature, about 10 minutes. Following photos 1 to 3 at left, cut cone from top of each cupcake and fill cupcakes with 1 tablespoon filling each. Replace tops, frost with 2 teaspoons cooled glaze, and let sit 10 minutes. Using pastry bag, pipe curlicues across glazed cupcakes. Serve. (Cupcakes can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.)