Rich, moist, and hiding a sweet surprise inside, Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes are a nostalgic favorite made from scratch. With a fluffy vanilla filling tucked into tender chocolate cupcakes and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze, these treats deliver bakery-style magic in every bite.
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Why This Recipe Works:
- Moist Chocolate Cupcake Base: The cupcakes are rich and tender thanks to cocoa powder and just the right balance of fat and moisture.
- Delicious Cream Filling: Tasty vanilla frosting creates a fun surprise inside, mimicking the nostalgic cream-filled treats you grew up with.
- Simple Pantry Ingredients: No special tools or hard-to-find items—this recipe uses ingredients you likely already have.
- Glossy Chocolate Topping: A shiny, smooth ganache-style glaze adds a professional finish and even more chocolate flavor.
- Great for Make-Ahead: The cupcakes store well, making them perfect for parties, celebrations, or lunchbox treats.
Make sure to check out my other tasty chocolate desserts like my favorite buttermilk chocolate cake, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cookies, chocolate pudding pie, and these delicious homemade brownies!
Is This a Hostess Cupcake Copycat Recipe?
No, but it is very similar. Hostess cupcakes are very sweet with a much firmer and set of chocolate topping.
The use of semi-sweet chocolate chips for the ganache (which stays somewhat soft in this recipe), along with special dark cocoa powder used in the cupcake, makes this a less sweet but still delicious cupcake.
What This Recipe Needs:
Flour: I love to use cake flour for these cupcakes, but regular flour will work fine too.
Instant Espresso: This gives the chocolate a delicious depth to it's flavor.
Dark Cocoa Powder: This is extra rich and delicious but regular cocoa powder works too.
Extra Large Eggs: The ratio of the eggs to their protein and how it makes for a tender cupcake is wonderful, but regular large eggs will work too.
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I like to use these for the ganache because it's not as sweet at milk chocolate, and with the filling, these can easily become too sweet.
If you like this recipe, check out all my easy desserts, like these red velvet cookies with cake mix, easy heart-shaped cookies, chocolate fudge frosting, red, white, and blue cake, and my favorite red velvet brownies!
Substitutions
- Fast Version- Use a boxed cake mix for the cupcakes and store-bought vanilla frosting for the filling. It won’t taste nearly as good, but it comes together really fast and is still tasty.
- Espresso Powder- Instant Coffee will work here too.
- Special Dark Cocoa Powder- Use regular cocoa powder. The cake will be a little sweeter and have a slightly less deep chocolate flavor.
- Cake Flour- Swap this for all-purpose flour. The cake might be slightly less tender, but still delicious.
- Extra Large Eggs- Although I recommend using extra large eggs for this recipe, large eggs will work too.
- Filling: Use Cool Whip, Marshmallow Cream, Homemade Caramel Sauce, or your favorite jam instead of vanilla frosting!
How to Make Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes?
- Step 1: Mix hot water and espresso powder, and stir until dissolved. Then stir cocoa powder, buttermilk, and vanilla into the mixture.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
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- Step 3: Using a stand mixer, mix together sugar and butter until fluffy.
- Step 4: Add each egg and the yolk one at a time into the butter mixture, then mix in the vegetable oil until fully combined. Turn the mixer on medium-high speed and mix for a minute until the batter is light and fluffy.
- Step 5: Fold in half of the flour and then ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk.
- Step 6: Scoop batter into cupcake pan and then bake. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling and adding ganache.
How to Make Vanilla Filling?
- Step 7: In a stand mixer, whip butter until fluffy. Alternate between adding in some of the powdered sugar and heavy cream until everything is mixed in. Add in the salt and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
- Step 8: Cut a cone from the center of the cupcake.
- Step 9: Fill with vanilla frosting. I like to pipe in the filling for ease of filling.
- Step 10: Place a little of the removed cupcake back over the top of the filling.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache?
- Step 11: Microwave heavy cream and chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and combined.
- Step 12: Allow ganache to cool and thicken, then spoon and spread onto each cupcake. serve!
- Step 13: Pipe a thin loop line using Wilton tip #6 and leftover vanilla cream frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to store cupcakes in large plastic food containers with a lid in the refrigerator. I don’t stack the cupcakes since the ganache doesn’t set firm and will cause a sticky mess if you stack them.
Eat cupcakes within 4-5 days of making for optimal freshness.
More Related Recipes
For more cupcakes, check out my orange cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, and grapefruit cupcakes, as well as my white chocolate cupcakes, Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes, strawberry shortcake cupcakes, and Funfetti cupcakes!
If you like this recipe make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!
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Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso
- ⅓ cup boiling water
- ⅓ cup special dark cocoa powder
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup cake flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
- 1 extra-large yolk at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Vanilla Filling
- ¼ cup butter softened to room temp
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tbs vanilla
- 3 tbs heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ⅔ cups heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners
- Boil water and add espresso to it, stirring until dissolved.½ teaspoon instant espresso, ⅓ cup boiling water
- Whisk cocoa powder, buttermilk, and vanilla into the water/espresso mixture.⅓ cup special dark cocoa powder, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl.1 ⅓ cup cake flour, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, mix sugar and butter until fluffy on medium speed. About 10 minutes.1 ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add each egg and the yolk, one at a time, into the butter mixture, letting each one fully mix into the batter before adding the next. Add in the oil and mix until fully combined. Then beat the mixture on medium-high speed for a minute- the mixture will be light and fluffy.2 extra-large eggs at room temperature, 1 extra-large yolk at room temperature, ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Fold in ½ of the flour and then fold in ½ of the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Then fold in the remaining flour and the remaining buttermilk mixture.
- Scoop batter into cupcake pan, filling each liner ¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Once the cakes are done, let them cool completely before filling and decorating. While cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache and vanilla frosting.
Vanilla Filling
- In a stand mixer, whip butter on medium-high speed until the butter is light and fluffy.¼ cup butter
- With the mixer on low, alternate between adding 1 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream until all is added and mixed in.2.5 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbs heavy cream
- Add in the vanilla and pinch of salt, allowing the ingredients to incorporate fully.*½ tbs vanilla, Pinch of salt
- Place the frosting in a piping bag with the end snipped off.
- Cut a cone from the center of the cupcake and pipe in frosting until filled- ~2 tsps. Remove the tip of the cone that you cut from the cupcake and press the flat top cut-out portion of the cupcake back onto the cupcake.
- Top cupcakes with ganache by spreading a thick layer on with a knife.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a microwave-safe dish, combine heavy cream and chocolate chips. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and combined. Usually takes about 1 minute.2 ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 ⅔ cups heavy cream
- Allow ganache to cool and thicken. Then, spoon and spread on top of the cupcakes.
- Use a little extra vanilla frosting and a Wilton writing piping tip #6 to pipe on a little line with loops.
Notes
- If the vanilla cream frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Store cupcakes in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 4-5 days.
Lisa says
Love this recipe! So tasty and the best tender cupcake!
Holly says
1/4 what of cocoa powder? Kinda urgent, making now... 🙂
Lisa says
Oh my goodness I am so sorry- it's a 1/4 cup. I fixed the recipe!