HOLIDAY COPYCAT HOSTESS CUPCAKES

This copycat hostess cupcake recipe has a holiday twist! Using red and green m&m's, you can transform everyone's favourite hostess cupcake into a holiday copycat hostess cupcake! Light and fluffy chocolate cake with a marshmallow creme filling, topped with a chocolate ganache and finished with crunchy m&m's, this is a must-make for the holiday season!

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Why You'll Love These Holiday Copycat Hostess Cupcakes

• Decadent Chocolate: Rich chocolate cupcakes that melt in your mouth.

• Luxurious Ganache: Smooth chocolate ganache topping for an indulgent finish.

• Fluffy Marshmallow Creme Filling: Sweet and airy marshmallow creme adds a delightful surprise.

• Festive Holiday Design: Decorated with colorful holiday M&Ms for a cheerful touch!

Steps to Make Holiday Copycat Hostess Cupcakes

These delightful holiday copycat Hostess cupcakes are sure to impress your guests. Follow these steps to create your own delicious treats!

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F to ensure it's ready for baking.

2. Prepare the Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Gradually combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Then add hot water to bloom the chocolate.

3. Fill the Cupcake Liners: Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and fill each liner about two-thirds full with the batter.

4. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool completely.

5. Make the Cream Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat together marshmallow fluff, butter, and powdered sugar until fluffy. This will be used to fill the cupcakes.

6. Fill the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are cool, use a small knife to cut a circular hole in the center of each cupcake and fill it with the cream filling.

7. Prepare the Chocolate Ganache: In a saucepan, heat heavy cream until just simmering. Pour it over chopped chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.

8. Frost the Cupcakes: Dip the tops of each filled cupcake into the chocolate ganache or use a piping bag to drizzle it over the cupcakes for a decorative touch.

9. Decorate: Optionally, add sprinkles or festive decorations on top of the ganache for a holiday touch.

10. Serve: Enjoy your holiday copycat Hostess cupcakes with friends and family!

For more holiday recipes, check out my:

Classic Italian Braciole

Christmas Snowstorm Margarita

Chocolate Espresso Biscotti

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Make sure to tag me @bakerbabe.ca on Instagram if you make these holiday copycat hostess cupcakes! I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above.

HOLIDAY COPYCAT HOSTESS CUPCAKES

Makes: 15

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

• 1 cup (130g) all purpose flour

• 1 cup (207g) sugar

• 6 tbsp (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk

• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil

• 3/4 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water

FOR THE FILLING

• 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar

• 5 oz marshmallow creme

FOR THE GANACHE

• 4 oz (113g) semi sweet chocolate chips

• 6 tbsp (90ml) heavy whipping cream

FOR THE ICING

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tbsp milk

• Splash of vanilla extract

Handful holiday coloured m&ms or sprinkles

TO MAKE

Make the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.

   
   

2. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together to combine. Set aside.

   
   

3. Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla in another medium-sized bowl.

   
   

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

   
   

5. Add the water to the batter and mix until well combined. The batter will be very thin.

   
   

6. Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half way and bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

   
   

7. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

   
   

Make the filling:

1. When the cupcakes are cool, make the filling. Add the butter to a mixer bowl and beat until smooth.

   
   

2. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. It may take a few minutes to incorporate, but it will.

   
   

3. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.

   
   

4. Add the marshmallow creme and stir until well combined.

To assemble:

1. To fill the cupcakes, cut out the centers of the cupcakes. You can use a cupcake corer or a knife.

   
   

2. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with the filling and replace the core of the cupcake that you removed on top of the filling. I cut a little bit of the core off before placing it back on top, since there’s a filling there now and you don’t need all of that cake core.

   
   

3. To make the chocolate ganache topping, add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.

   
   

4. Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.

   
   

5. Spread the chocolate ganache onto the top of each cupcake, all the way to the edges. If it starts to cool and get a bit firm, heat it back up for 5-10 seconds, until spreadable again.

   
   

6. To make the icing for decorating on top, beat the butter in a mixer bowl until smooth.

   
   

7. Add the powdered sugar and mix until evenly combined. It’ll be lumpy and dry.

   
   

8. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until everything comes together and smooths out.

   
   

9. Pipe the loop design on top of each cupcake using a small round tip. Then add m&ms, placed on their side to resemble a light.

   
   

10. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve. Serve cool but not cold.