Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes are a delicious and fun treat! With these easy instructions you will have tasty cupcake treat!
There are three parts to this recipe- the cupcake, the filling, and the ganache topping. This recipe produces a tender moist cupcake and pairs deliciously with the vanilla filling and tasty ganache.
Make sure to check out my other tasty chocolate desserts like my favorite buttermilk chocolate cake, 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 more firm and set 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, make this a less sweet but still delicious cupcake.
What you need for cream filled chocolate cupcakes?
Cupcake: instant espresso, boiling water, special dark cocoa powder, buttermilk, vanilla extract, cake flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, unsalted butter, extra-large eggs, vegetable oil
Filling: unsalted butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, salt
Ganache: semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream
For more cupcakes check out my orange, lemon, and grapefruit cupcakes! As well as my white chocolate, strawberry, and Funfetti cupcakes!
How to make cream filled chocolate cupcakes?
- Mix hot water and espresso powder, stir until dissolved.
- Then stir cocoa powder, buttermilk, and vanilla into the mixture.
- In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a stand mixer, mix together sugar and butter until fluffy.
- Add each egg and the yolk one at a time, into butter mixture, then mix in in the vegetable oil until fully combined. Turn mixer on medium high speed and mix for a minute until batter is light and fluffy.
- Fold in half of the flour and then ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk.
- Scoop batter into cupcake pan and then bake. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before filling and adding ganache.
How to make vanilla filling?
- 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.
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- Cut a cone from the center of the cupcake then fill with the vanilla frosting. I like to pipe in the filling for ease of filling.
- Place a little of the removed cupcake back over the top of the filling.
- Save a little of the frosting to pipe the loops on top.
How to make chocolate ganache?
- Microwave heavy cream and chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and combined.
- All ganache to cool and thicken then spoon and spread onto each cupcake.
- Pipe a thin loop line using Wilton tip #6 and then enjoy!
Product Highlights
- Wilton Writing Tip- use this to make the loops on top.
- Wilton Piping Bags- makes piping handy!
- Cupcake Pan- I have one like this.
- Mixer- I have this stand mixer and this hand mixer- both work well!
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.
I know these cupcakes take a bit of time but they truly are the most delicious and tender chocolate cupcakes.
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 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 for this recipe, large eggs will work too.
If you like this recipe, check out all my desserts, and make sure to leave a comment and rating!
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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 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 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 oil and mix until fully combined. Then beat 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 remaining flour and then 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 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 tbs 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 back 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 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 minutes.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 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 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.
Nutrition
This recipe and post was updated 10/24/24
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!