Description
Deeply chocolaty and decadent cupcakes are filled with marshmallow cream and topped with smooth, rich ganache and a curlicue of vanilla buttercream icing. SO GOOD.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For the marshmallow cream filling:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (5 oz) marshmallow creme
For the ganache topping:
- 2/3 cup (4 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
For the vanilla buttercream icing:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- First, make the cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 16 standard muffin cups with paper baking cups.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until well-combined. Add granulated sugar, 3/4 cup milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and eggs; whisk until just combined into a smooth, silky batter.
- Fill baking cups evenly with batter (a little more than halfway full). Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven; cool 2 minutes in baking pans, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the marshmallow cream filling: In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth and combined. Beat in marshmallow creme until just combined.
- Next, fill the cupcakes: Using a cupcake corer, paring knife or spoon, cut and scoop out the center of each fully cooled cupcake; save the centers. Use a piping bag or a spoon to pipe or spoon just enough marshmallow cream filling into each cupcake to reach the top of the cupcake. Return the center of the cupcake over the top of the filling (you will likely have to cut some of the bottom of the center to get it to fit nicely over the top of the cupcake again).
- Next, make the ganache topping: Add the chocolate chips to a medium bowl. Add the 6 tablespoons heavy cream to a glass measuring cup or other small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave heavy cream on High for 30 to 40 seconds or just until heavy cream begins to boil and is hot. Pour hot heavy cream over chocolate chips. Allow mixture to sit for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Use a spoon to spread ganache over the top of each cupcake. You can tilt and turn the cupcakes to get the ganache to cover the entire top. Set aside to set slightly.
- Finally, make the vanilla buttercream icing: In a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat all vanilla buttercream icing ingredients together until a smooth frosting forms. Using a piping bag or resealable plastic food-storage bag with a small tip snipped off, pipe icing over the top of each cupcake in a curlicue design.
- Serve cupcakes immediately, or store in the refrigerator covered in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- *It’s important to use Dutch-process cocoa powder in the cupcakes. Dutch-process cocoa powder is cocoa powder processed with alkali, a potassium solution that neutralizes its acidity (it also renders a richer, deeper chocolate flavor). Therefore, you need to use baking powder to function as the acid component in the recipe to leaven the cupcakes. Do not use regular/natural cocoa powder, please! Here is my favorite Dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Filling and topping recipes adapted from Life, Love and Sugar.