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hot chocolate cupcake with bite taken out
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Hot Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

4.85 from 19 votes
prep 20 minutes
cook 18 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
total 1 hour 8 minutes
Serves 14 cupcakes
Hot chocolate cupcakes are made with a chocolate base and frosted with a marshmallow buttercream frosting. Finish it with a hot cocoa drizzle and mini marshmallows. 
Author: Bernice Baran
Servings 14 cupcakes

Equipment

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 150 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled (I used dutch process)
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 120 mL canola oil, or any neutral oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 113 grams sour cream
  • 120 mL milk, room temperature

Marshmallow Frosting

  • 227 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 300 grams powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
  • 85 grams marshmallow fluff
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
  • Tiny pinch of fine salt

Hot Chocolate Topping

  • 30 mL hot water
  • 2 packets of hot chocolate powder

Method

Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection and line 13 muffin tins with cupcake liners (or 12, the batter for the 13th can wait).
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    150 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 40 grams unsweetened cocoa powder spooned and leveled (I used dutch process), 200 grams granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  3. Add the oil to the dry ingredients and whisk together until it's combined.
    120 mL canola oil or any neutral oil
  4. Add the eggs and mix until it's fully combined.
    2 large eggs room temperature
  5. Add the sour cream and milk and mix just until the cupcake batter is smooth.
    113 grams sour cream, 120 mL milk room temperature
  6. Fill each cupcake liner about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes. When you press on the center of the cupcake it should spring back.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.
  8. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Marshmallow Frosting

  1. If you're toasting the marshmallow fluff, start by placing it in a wide bowl and use a culinary torch to char it. If you're not, then skip this step.
    85 grams marshmallow fluff
  2. Place the butter in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat at full speed for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to scrape the edge of the bowl every so often.
    227 grams unsalted butter room temperature
  3. Add the powdered sugar and salt and turn the mixer on to low speed, just until the powdered sugar is incorporated. Then turn the speed up to high for 2-3 mintues.
    300 grams powdered sugar spooned and leveled, Tiny pinch of fine salt
  4. Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla and mix just until it's combined.
    1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Hot Chocolate Sauce

  1. Remove the marshmallows from the hot chocolate powder mix and set aside.
  2. Mix together the hot chocolate powder with the hot water until it's smooth.
    30 mL hot water, 2 packets of hot chocolate powder
  3. Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a piping bag to frost the cupcakes. Top with a drizzle of hot chocolate powder and a sprinkle of dehydrated marshmallows.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 182mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29g
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate cupcakes, small batch cupcakes, vanilla frosting