An easy homemade version of one of the best lunchbox snacks. These chocolate cupcakes with cream filling are a somewhat less guilty way to enjoy a Hostess Cupcake. 😉 They are moist, fudgy, and not too sweet (you can even adjust the sweetness level if you’d like).
Reasons to Love these Homemade Cream-Filled Cupcakes
Simple ingredients. I’m the first one to admit I love a good Hostess Cupcake. They were such a treat finding them in my lunchbox growing up. But as an adult and knowing all the bad ingredients that go into those things, it’s refreshing to be able to make cream-filled chocolate cupcakes with ingredients you can pronounce.
Perfect cupcake texture. This chocolate cake recipe comes from my mother-in-law. It is my husband’s favorite chocolate cake recipe. It’s made with plain yogurt and vegetable oil so it’s extremely moist and fudgy, but also is a good texture for stacking and filling. It’s not too dense, but will hold it’s shape if you’re filling it or building a tiered cake. (You can compare the texture to my chocolate cherry cake recipe which uses buttermilk and has a softer crumb texture.)
Adjustable sweetness. When creating recipes, I intentionally try to put as little sugar as I can without ruining the integrity or texture of the bake. Plus, because these are chocolate cupcakes with ganache, you can use a bitter dark chocolate topping to cut the sweetness even more.
Fun family activity. These chocolate cupcakes with cream filling are so easy to make and it’s a fun recipe to get the family involved (if you want 😉 ). My husband and I made these together and he had a lot of fun with the decoration. These make a great birthday treat as well as they are just a little fancier that your typical cupcake!
Want more birthday treat ideas? Check out this birthday cookie cake or this 2 ingredient chocolate mousse.
Tips for Successfully Making Filled Cupcakes
Making filled cupcakes can sound intimidating. The first time I tried filling cupcakes, I was in college and my friend and I thought we’d try something we saw on Pinterest. It looked like something off the show Nailed it and we were crying laughing how horrible they looked. We must have been reading the instructions wrong or something, because filling cupcakes really isn’t as hard as it sounds. 🙂
How to know when your cupcakes are done:
One of my favorite tricks I learned from the Great British Bake Off is to listen to your cakes. If they are loudly “singing” to you (i.e. you can hear a lot of bubbling) they aren’t done yet. Your cupcakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean or when you listen and your cupcakes stop making noise.
Filling your cupcake:
To fill your cupcake with vanilla buttercream, you’ll first need to make sure your cupcake is completely cooled. Next, stick a serrated knife about halfway into the cupcake. You’ll cut in a circle taking about 2/3 off the top of the cupcake (it should look like a cone when it comes out). Cut off the bottom part of the cone so that the “lid” is flat. Pipe or scoop the buttercream in the cavity you made (you only need about a teaspoon, but no one will judge if you put more). Place the top back on the cupcake and press down. That’s it!
Making the ganache:
Ganache is underrated in my opinion. It’s so easy to make and adds a richness to your cakes. To make the ganache, warm 2/3 cup heavy cream in the microwave. I do 30 seconds at a time to ensure it doesn’t curdle. Once warm, pour it over the chocolate. Wait for a couple minutes so that the warm cream melts the chocolate. Stir, let cool, and enjoy.
Other Chocolate Recipes
Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Filling
Equipment
- 1 cupcake/muffin pan
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup boiling water
For the Buttercream
- 1 stick butter, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tsp vanilla
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat the egg.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and beaten egg. It's okay if there is some separation between the yogurt and oil.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined.
- Add the boiling water last. Mix until smooth.
- Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before filling.
Buttercream
- Beat the stick of room temperature butter until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- Place into a piping bag and set aside. You'll use 2/3 of the buttercream to fill the cupcakes and rest to decorate.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place heavy cream in a microwave safe container. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until cream is hot to the touch.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir the ganache until smooth. Let cool before using.
Assembly
- Insert a serrated knife about halfway into the cupcake and carve out a cone shape.
- Remove from the cupcake and fill the cavity with vanilla buttercream.
- From the cone of cupcake you just carved out, slice off the bottom of the cone to create a flat lid. Place lid on top of the filled cupcake and press to seal.
- Spread however much of the chocolate ganache you'd like on the top of the filled cupcake.
- Use the remaining buttercream frosting to decorate the tops.
Last Updated on November 14, 2022 by Kari Bakes
