These hot cocoa cupcakes are filled with marshmallow fluff and taste like the holidays! They have a moist chocolate cupcake base stuffed with creamy marshmallow creme, topped with marshmallow buttercream and mini marshmallows!
In December, most people bake cookies for their Christmas gatherings, like chocolate ganache thumbprints, snowstorm cookies, or salted brownie cookies, but I think these hot cocoa cupcakes would be even more impressive to bring to a holiday party!
The moist chocolate base, gooey marshmallow filling, and marshmallow buttercream are sure to have all your guests asking for the recipe! They truly taste like a cup of hot cocoa in cupcake form.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Moist chocolate cupcakes- My chocolate cupcakes are rich, fluffy, and extra chocolatey, especially if you use Dutch-processed cocoa powder! This kind of cocoa powder has less acidity, so it's super rich and decadent. While testing this recipe, I found that cocoa powder added a better flavor than hot chocolate mix.
- Marshmallow fluff filling- What's hot chocolate without marshmallows? Filling the centers with marshmallow creme (AKA fluff) adds that classic, cozy flavor.
- Marshmallow fluff buttercream- A lot of hot cocoa cupcake recipes are made with a marshmallow or meringue frosting. My frosting is made by beating the fluff you used to fill the cupcakes into vanilla American buttercream! It's perfectly smooth and sweet.
Key Ingredients
- Flour- All purpose flour creates the best soft crumb for chocolate cupcakes. Make sure to measure it in grams, and if you don't have a scale, fluff up the flour before scooping into your measuring cup so you don't have too much.
- Sugar- You need granulated sugar for the cake batter and powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Cocoa powder- I prefer Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor, but regular unsweetened cocoa powder works too (I've tested this recipe with both!).
- Egg- Make sure your egg is room temperature before adding it to the batter so it mixes in smoothly. Let it sit on the counter for about 1 hour before baking.
- Oil- I love making my chocolate cupcakes with oil instead of butter so they're extra soft and moist! Use a flavorless oil, like canola or vegetable.
- Greek yogurt- Adds richness and a little acid to tenderize the gluten for soft cupcakes. You can also use sour cream or buttermilk. Make sure it's room temperature.
- Hot coffee- This is used to bloom the cocoa powder so the chocolate flavor is even more intense. Don't worry, it doesn't make the cupcakes taste like coffee! If you don't have coffee, hot water will do.
- Marshmallow fluff- This is used to fill the cupcakes and is also in the marshmallow buttercream, which I used for these root beer cupcakes too!
- Mini marshmallows- I decorated the cupcakes with the teeny tiny marshmallows that come with Swiss Miss hot chocolate, but you can use regular ones too.
How to Make Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
Step 1: Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract together until it's smooth and well combined.
Step 3: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. The batter will be super thick, but this is normal!
Step 4: Gradually mix in the hot coffee, folding it slowly with your spatula until the batter has no lumps. It will be quite runny, but the cupcakes will bake up nice and bouncy!
Step 5: Prepare a 12-well cupcake pan with paper liners, then fill each cupcake liner with batter โ full. If they're too full, they'll overflow as they rise in the oven!
Step 6: Bake the cupcakes in an oven preheated to 350ยฐF for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
Step 7: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, remove the centers by using a cupcake corer or a piping tip. Fill the center with about 1 teaspoon of marshmallow fluff.
Step 8: Make the marshmallow fluff frosting and pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. Garnish with mini marshmallows and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use hot coffee, but make sure it's not boiling to help bloom the cocoa for a richer flavor.
- Use an ice cream scoop to evenly portion the batter into each paper cupcake liner so your cupcakes are all the same size.
- Cool the cupcakes completely. After they are cool enough to take out of the pan, move them to a wire rack to finish cooling so they don't have soggy bottoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Cupcakes usually turn out flat or sink in the center when something throws off the rise. An oven that's too hot, overfilled liners, or an incorrect amount of baking powder can all cause the cupcakes to deflate as they cool.
Cupcakes often turn out dry when they're overbaked or when there's too much flour in the batter. Using inaccurate measurements, baking too long, or baking at too high of a temperature can all pull moisture out of the cupcakes.
More Cupcake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 cupcake pan with paper liners
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for the frosting
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 160 grams all purpose flour
- 300 grams granulated sugar
- 75 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยพ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 120 grams neutral oil
- 168 grams Greek yogurt or sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200 grams brewed coffee hot
Marshmallow Fluff Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 170 grams marshmallow fluff
- 280 grams powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven toย 350ยฐF(180ยฐC). Line aย 12-cup cupcake panย with liners and set aside. Then whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.160 grams all purpose flour, 300 grams granulated sugar, 75 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยพ teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick.1 large egg, 120 grams neutral oil, 168 grams Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly drizzle in the hot coffee while folding with a rubber spatula. Continue mixing until the batter is thin, smooth, and the ingredients are fully combined.200 grams brewed coffee
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter, each โ -3/4 full.ย Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out covered in moist crumbs.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the hot pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Marshmallow Fluff Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.226 grams unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in 1 cup (85 grams) of marshmallow fluff on medium speed until smooth. Reserve the rest of the fluff to fill the cupcakes.170 grams marshmallow fluff
- Add the powdered sugar gradually, in 2-3 additions, mixing on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Once combined, drizzle in the heavy cream increase the speed to medium-high, beating until light and fluffy.280 grams powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Assembly
- Use a cupcake corer, a piping tip, or a small paring knife to remove the centers of the cupcakes. Fill each with about 1 teaspoon of marshmallow fluff.
- Add the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.
- Garnish the cupcakes with mini marshmallows or hot cocoa mix and enjoy!
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