Hostess Cake from Scratch

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prep your cupcake tins (two 12-count tins) by lining with cupcake liners and spraying the liners with cooking spray. Either baking spray or regular will work. Prep your 8″ cake pan by spraying with cooking spray, lining the bottom with a circle of parchment paper, and then spraying again. Set pans aside.

1. For the cake: Into a medium sized bowl sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and sugar. Set aside. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, combine oil, coffee, and milk. Then slowly mix in the dry ingredients until fully combined. Then add eggs and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes.

2. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full. Then put the remaining batter into the cake pan. The batter will be very thin. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes for the cupcakes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake will require an additional 5 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the pans. Then remove cupcakes from the cupcake tins and let them cool completely. Remove the cake from the pan as well by inverting onto a wire cooling rack.

3. Make the filling while your cakes cool by creaming the butter in a medium side bowl then adding ½ cup of the powdered sugar. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of cream. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the last ½ cup of powdered sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of heavy cream alternating between the two and mixing well between each. Beat in the marshmallow cream last.

4. Place the filling in a piping bag with a filling tip, and poke the tip into the center of the completely cooled cupcakes, moving up and down as you gently squeeze approximately ½ – 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake. If you are making a cake as well, put it onto your platter. Then cut the cake in half horizontally and pipe remaining filling onto the middle of the bottom half of the cake. Then add the top half of the cake on top of the filling.

5. To make the ganache, put the chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat your 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter until almost boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and stir well until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the 2 teaspoons of vanilla and stir to combine.

6. Dip the top of the filled cupcakes into the ganache to coat. Then set the cupcakes on a tray. Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake and spread evenly, letting a little bit spill down the sides. Place the cupcakes/cake in the refrigerator until the ganache is set, about 30 minutes.

7. To make the icing, beat the 1 stick of softened butter, 2 tablespoons milk, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and fully combined. Place into a piping bag (or a baggie with a corner cut off) with a small tip attached, and pipe loops onto the top of each cupcake after the ganache is fully set.