Hostess Copycat Cupcakes are a delightful, nostalgic treat that brings the beloved snack cake flavor right into your own kitchen! This recipe is perfect for anyone craving that classic soft cake and creamy filling, offering a satisfying homemade alternative.
Key Ingredients for Hostess Copycat Cupcakes
- For the Cupcakes:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
- For the Filling:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Chocolate Frosting:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Hostess Copycat Cupcakes
Get ready for an easy, utterly delicious, and incredibly satisfying baking experience with these Hostess Copycat Cupcakes. In just about 30 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of baking, you’ll be enjoying moist, tender cupcakes with a luscious creamy filling and rich chocolate frosting that truly rivals the store-bought classic. The simplicity of this recipe makes it a perfect weekend project or a fun baking activity for the whole family to enjoy.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool the Cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Filling: While the cupcakes are cooling, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Fill the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or an apple corer to carefully remove a small cone from the center of each cupcake, about halfway down. Set the removed cake pieces aside. Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the cavity of each cupcake.
- Replace the Tops: Gently place the reserved cake cone pieces back on top of the filling to cover it, creating a seamless surface.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and cocoa powder until well combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and milk, alternating between them, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes generously with the chocolate frosting. For true Hostess style, you can use a spoon to create the classic swirl.
Why You’ll Love This Hostess Copycat Cupcakes
You’ll absolutely adore these Hostess Copycat Cupcakes because they capture that unmistakable, comforting flavor of the iconic snack cake with a delightful homemade twist. The cupcakes themselves are incredibly soft and moist, perfectly cradling a sweet, creamy white filling that melts in your mouth. Making these at home is not only a fraction of the cost of buying the pre-packaged versions, but you also get to control the quality of ingredients, ensuring a truly superior taste and texture.
Unlike a heavily layered chocolate cake, these are designed for that signature light and fluffy experience. Get ready to impress yourself and your loved ones with these charming, wallet-friendly, and incredibly delicious treats. They’re a nostalgic trip in every bite, begging to be made again and again. So go ahead, preheat the oven and dive into the joy of baking these fantastic Hostess Copycat Cupcakes today!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Properly storing your delicious Hostess Copycat Cupcakes is key to maintaining their freshness and delightful texture.
- Room Temperature Storage: Once fully cooled and frosted, store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 2-3 days. This is ideal for immediate enjoyment.
- Refrigeration: If you need to store them for a bit longer, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. However, refrigeration can sometimes slightly dry out the cake, so it’s best to bring them to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted or fully frosted cupcakes.
- Unfrosted: Wrap each cooled, filled cupcake individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- Frosted: If freezing frosted cupcakes, place them in the freezer on a baking sheet until the frosting is firm, then wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. This prevents the frosting from smudging.
- Reheating: These cupcakes are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.
- From Refrigerator: Remove from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating.
- From Freezer: Transfer frozen cupcakes to the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then, let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. There is no need to reheat them in an oven or microwave, as this will generally ruin their texture.
Final Thoughts
These Hostess Copycat Cupcakes are a truly delightful way to bring a classic treat back into your life, offering incredible flavor at a fraction of the cost. Give them a try and experience the joy of homemade nostalgia!
Hostess Copycat Cupcakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix the batter.1 ¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.½ cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or an apple corer to carefully remove a small cone from the center of each cupcake, about halfway down. Set the removed cake pieces aside. Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the cavity of each cupcake.
- Gently place the reserved cake cone pieces back on top of the filling to cover it, creating a seamless surface.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and cocoa powder until well combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and milk, alternating between them, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Stir in the vanilla extract.½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Frost the tops of the filled cupcakes generously with the chocolate frosting. For true Hostess style, you can use a spoon to create the classic swirl.