The Hostess cupcake. Born in 1919, this tasty treat has become an American icon. That chocolate cake with that delicious cream filling topped with thick chocolate frosting won over the hearts of millions of kids and adults everywhere. While we all love this infamous cupcake, we know that homemade is almost always better than store bought. When I found this recipe I was excited to try it to see if it would taste like the original, but the result was soooooo much better. With more sophisticated ingredients (high quality chocolate, pure vanilla extract, etc.) comes a grown up spin on the childhood favorite. I baked these cupcakes for a very special event recently- and let me just say they were a hit!! If you are looking for a little nostalgia, and a lot of delicious-ness, I strongly suggest you give these a try.
Here is the recipe, very slightly adapted from
this recipe from Bake at 350:
Cupcakes:
1 & 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla exrtact
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme
Ganache:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and place liners in your pan, the recipe makes around 20 cupcakes.
2. Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.
3. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly.
4. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
6. Using a mixer, beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.
7. Divide batter evenly into the pan (about 1/4 cup per cupcake) and bake for about 20 minutes.
Filling:
1. Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar.
3. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth.
4. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition.
5. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.
Ganache:
1.Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate.
2. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk until smooth.
4. Add in vanilla.
5. Let it sit until cool and glossy.
Ratings:
Cake: 5 out of 5
This cake had great texture, a little bit crumbly but that's part of the fun in cupcakes!
Frosting: 5 out of 5
You really can not go wrong with a chocolate ganache.
Taste: 5 out of 5
First off, I have very harsh cupcake critics in my life, myself being the biggest one. I can honestly say every person that tried this cupcake loved it!!
Bottom Line:
A vintage cupcake done right.
