♥ Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

I made quite a few cookies, cupcakes and brownies for the Church bake sale this past weekend and I have already posted some photos and shared a few recipes here at Welcome Home. But of all the things I made these cupcakes sold the fastest ...and brought in the most money for the homeless. Maybe because all of us know how good they are! 

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup boiling water
⅓ cup cocoa powder
⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¾ cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
½ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup muffin tin. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Whisk water, cocoa, and chocolate chips 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 for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 1/2 cups marshmallow cream

Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

Chocolate Ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

White drizzle for top:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 tablespoons milk (or more if necessary)
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip to pipe your decorations on the cupcakes.

Assembly:

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium star tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier. Smooth out any cream that is left on top with a spatula. Don't be afraid to overfill if you like the rich creamy center. I usally fill them until the cream starts to run out of the top. Chill cupcakes for about 10 minutes.

Next dip the tops of the cupcakes into the chocolate ganache and give them a little twirl to cover them completely. I usually tap my dipped cupcake on the tray or work surface and it will smooth out any bubbles. Chill for at least 20 minutes or until ganache is set.

Finally with your piping bag add your decorations on top. You can go with the traditional curly line or you can write what you'd like.
Store in the refrigerator.

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