Dining In - Hostess-Style Crème-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Hostess-Style Crème-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes - Chloe's Kitchen

Plastic Wrapped Cupcakes vs. Homemade?
This recipe is a clear winner!

For a friend's birthday, I cracked open my Chloe's Kitchen cookbook and went straight to the desserts section for a recipe that hadn't been checked off yet and that wouldn't require walking the whole city to discover the appropriate ingredients. I'd never made a "filled" cupcake so I was intrigued and ready for the challenge. Whether or not you liked them growing up, who doesn't remember Hostess cupcakes? It was fun to get a little nostalgic and bring these back, but in a much improved, and of course vegan, way to share with friends. There wasn't a single negative comment in the crowd. Even the waiter at the bar I brought them to begged to have two! You can find this recipe and others in Chloe's Kitchen (buy your copy here).  

The cupcakes made their way to the bar!

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil
1 cup cold coffee
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
teaspoon vanilla extract

Creme Filling
1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
3 cups powdered sugar
2-5 tablespoons of almond milk

Chocolate Ganache
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)
1/4 coconut milk
2 tablespoons canola oil


To Prepare Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cupcake pans with about 15 or 16 liners.

In a large bowl, combine and sift together all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, bowl and stir together all wet ingredients: oil, coffee, vinegar, and vanilla. 

Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well, but don't overdo it. Pour batter into cupcake liners until about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. 

Bake for about 16-18 minutes and check that they are cooked through with a toothpick. Allow them to cool completely before filling. 


To Prepare Crème Filling:

In a medium bowl use a stand or handheld mixer to smooth out non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. On a slow speed add in powdered sugar and alternate with one tablespoon at a time of almond milk and the vanilla extract, until frosting is not too thin and not too thick.


To Prepare Chocolate Ganache:

In a microwave or using a double boiler, melt down chocolate chips and coconut milk in a small bowl and stir them together. Add in oil and continue stirring until combined and smooth. 


To Assemble Cupcakes:

Once cupcakes have cooled, fill a pastry bag with the white crème filling and use a round tip. Poke the tip into the top of the cupcake and push down a little, squeezing in filling. With no way of seeing how much goes in, count 3-5 seconds and watch as the cupcake puffs up a little and the filling starts to come out the top. Wipe or scrape away any excess white filling so it doesn't mix in when you coat with the Chocolate Ganache.

Next use a frosting knife and coat the cupcakes with a generous helping of Chocolate Ganache. I froze mine after this step to allow the coating to harden before piping the decorative loops.

After the chocolate has hardened use your pastry bag and a small round tip to create 3-4 loops of white crème filling to resemble the original Hostess Cupcakes! 

Voilà - Share your hard work with others.