Homemade Hostess Cupcakes Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, followed by the buttermilk. Mix well.

Add the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth.

Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full with the batter.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Transfer the filling into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Insert the tip into the bottom of each cupcake, gently squeezing to fill the center with the cream filling.

For the chocolate ganache:

In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer.

Remove from heat and pour the cream over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for a minute.

Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the ganache is smooth.

Dip the top of each cupcake into the ganache, allowing the excess to drip off. Let the ganache set.

Serve and enjoy these homemade Hostess cupcakes!