Dessertscambreabakes
Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
Skip the cookie tray and bring these bakery-worthy hot cocoa cupcakes to your next holiday gathering. Rich chocolate cake, gooey marshmallow filling, and toasted marshmallows on top make them look bakery-bought—but they're all homemade, and guaranteed to impress!
👥 12 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 1h 48m⏳ Prep: 1h 30m🔥 Cook: 18 min👤 Cambrea Gordon📖 cambreabakes
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pan
- oven
- bowl
- whisk
- pot
- saucepan
- knife
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Make the Cupcakes
2
Preheat the oven to 350°F(180°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and set aside
3
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake flour, sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use the paddle attachment to mix in the butter until it resembles coarse sand, about ⏱️ 3 minutes on low speed.
cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder2/3cocoa powder (sifted)4 tablespoonsespresso powder (optional)1 teaspoon
4
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, oil, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and coffee. Pour this mixture into the bowl and mix on low speed for a few seconds until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to get any dry spots, do not overmix!
large egg (room temperature)1large egg yolk (room temperature)1large egg whites (room temperature)2
5
Fill the cupcake liners with the batter, each one will be roughly 3/4 full. You will have enough batter for 12 cupcakes.
6
Bake for ⏱️ 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Once baked, let the pan cool on a wire rack for ⏱️ 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove them from the hot pan and let them finish cooling directly on the rack while you make the filling.
7
Make the Marshmallow Filling
8
Place water, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium-high. Do not stir from this point on, or crystals will form.
9
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer and start mixing them on low speed. When the syrup reaches 225°F(107°C), increase the mixer speed to medium to whip to soft peaks.
large egg (room temperature)1large egg whites (room temperature)2
10
When the sugar syrup reaches 238°F(114°C), remove the pan from the heat. Very slowly and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the whipping bowl of whites in between the side of the bowl and the whisk in a thin, steady stream. Try not to hit the whisk, or it will splatter the syrup on the sides of the bowl.
11
Once all of the syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and continue whipping for about ⏱️ 7-8 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
12
Add the vanilla and whip until combined, then transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until ready to use.
13
Make the Milk Chocolate Frosting
14
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth, then mix in the powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, then mix in the cocoa powder, heavy cream, and salt until combined.
powdered sugar2 cupscup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder2/3cocoa powder (sifted)4 tablespoonsheavy cream2 tablespoons
15
Assembly
16
Place the cupcakes back into the pan (it’s easier to core the centers this way). Then use an apple corer or a knife to remove the center of the cupcakes. You want to remove a little more than half; just don't go too far down, or the cupcakes will split in half!
17
Then, transfer the cored cupcakes to a baking pan.
18
Fill one piping bag with the marshmallow fluff and a second bag with the milk chocolate frosting.
19
Pipe the marshmallow fluff into the center of the cupcakes, then pipe a tire ring of buttercream around the filled center.
20
Then, go back with the marshmallow bag and fill the centers to the top of the tire ring of frosting.
21
Dust the tops of the cupcake with cocoa powder (optional) and garnish with toasted marshmallows. Enjoy!
cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder2/3cocoa powder (sifted)4 tablespoons
Nutrition Facts
calories
490 kcal
fat Content
32 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
2 g
sugar Content
49 g
sodium Content
187 mg
protein Content
3 g
trans Fat Content
1 g
cholesterol Content
99 mg
carbohydrate Content
53 g
saturated Fat Content
18 g
unsaturated Fat Content
11 g
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