Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup of hot brewed coffee

Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups Fluff
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Dash of salt
½ tsp. cream or milk

For the chocolate glaze:
1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper bake cups.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.

Stir in boiling water and coffee (batter will be thin). Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 18 - 20 minutes. Let cool completey before frosting. 

Frosting directions: 

To make the filling, combine the marshmallow fluff and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Blend in the confectioners’ sugar and salt and whip until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes more. Transfer the most of the filling mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip. Leaving about 1/2 cup in the mixing bowl. Blend in the cream to the reserved filling mixture to make it smooth for piping the swirl on top of the cupcake. Transfer this to another pastry bag fitted with a small round tip and chill until ready to use.

Fill the cupcakes by inserting the pastry tip directly into the center of each cupcake and squeezing in the marshmallow mixture. If excess filling comes out of the top, just scrape it off with a knife so the top of the cupcake is smooth.

Chocolate Glaze directions:

Make the chocolate glaze by placing the chips in a small bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan or the microwave. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Take the cupcakes one at a time and turn them upside down and dip the top into the chocolate glaze. Transfer them to a wire rack to let the glaze set. (You can pop them in the refrigerator to speed up the chilling process).  Once the glaze is set, use the reserved portion of marshmallow frosting to pipe swirls across the top of each cupcake. 

ENJOY! 

Makes about 20 cupcakes!