Cupcakes For Valentines Day And Fiesta Friday #106
Chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese buttercream filling and covered with ganache, I saw these in an email or instagram or something from Williams Sonoma only they used a strawberry cream cheese filling which sounds delicious, but I opted for a vanilla cream cheese filling instead. The cupcakes are adorable and mimic the famous Hostess Cupcake with the white squiggle on top of the icing, Instead of the squiggle you write a valentine message or pipe some hearts. I thought they were too cute (and delicious) not to make. My writing/piping skills are not that great and I think I should have followed a recipe for the icing used to write because it ran a bit, no it’s not your eyes that are blurry it’s the runny icing. Despite the less than perfect appearance they are quite delicious. Because I was having a hard time with the writing I decided to do half of the cupcakes with the vanilla cream cheese icing.
For our very special Valentines Day party I thought a nice dose of chocolate would be in order, so for Fiesta Friday #106 I am bringing these cupcakes. This week the co hosts are Steffi @ Ginger & Bread and Andrea @ Cooking With a Wallflower
Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!
Hershey’s Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes or two 9 inch round layers
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cups cocoa (I use hershey’s) the recipe doesn’t specify whether or not to use dutch or natural cocoa since its a hersheys recipe I use what they say to use.
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable oil (If you want to substitute melted butter for the oil its fine)
1 cup whole milk at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee (Optional but recommended)
soft butter and flour to prep baking pans or you can use cooking spray
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9″ round baking pans, butter the bottom add a parchment round then butter bottom and sides and flour the pan or you can use cocoa powder instead of flour. If you are making cupcakes place liners in two 12 cup muffin tins. In large mixing bowl add your dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder and whisk to combine. Now add the wet ingredients milk, oil,eggs and vanilla do not add the boiling water yet. With hand held mixer beat for 2 minutes. Now add the boiling water with optional espresso powder, beat just until combined. Pour into your prepared pans (the batter is quite thin) and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cream cheese buttercream filling
4 oz unsalted butter softened at room temperature
4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 3/4-2 cups powdered sugar
1 tbs milk (plus more if needed)
Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy and soft. Add powdered sugar and 1 tbs milk. The frosting should be soft and fluffy.
Ganache
4 oz milk chocolate
4 oz dark chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
Heat the cream to scalding, chop the chocolate and place in mixing bowl, pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let the ganache come to room temperature stirring frequently.
To make the filled cupcakes, refrigerate the cupcakes so they are cold, with a paring knive cut a small hole in the center of the cupcake (you can eat that little tidbit) pipe the filling into the center, smooth the top and refrigerate for several hours. Pour the room temperature ganache on top and refrigerate again. If you want to try your hand at piping the squiggle either get the pre packaged stuff or make your own with confectioners sugar and water. I don’t really have a recipe for that but it should be easy enough to locate. Won’t give you mine since it ran.
I am receiving a very special Valentines gift today which I am so excited about. I’ll let everyone know about it later. Have a great day and lots of Love!
apuginthekitchen 
Oh yum-they look like the infamous “Hostess” cupcakes. Have a special Valentine’s Day!!!
Love hostess cupcakes❤️thank you so much😘
These are probably much better tasting though…
HAPPY ❤ VALENTINE’S ❤ DAY
To you as well❤️❤️❤️
So beautiful Suzanne, we were on the same wavelength when we thought of chocolate cupcakes this week :). Love your cream cheese topping and piping, just splendid! Can’t wait to hear about your special V-day gift….the suspense is killing me :). Enjoy!
Thank you so much Loretta, I am the worst when it comes to piping, an unsteady hand and a weak hand because of carpal tunnel and a broken finger. I try though.LOL!!
Oh my these are decadent Suzanne! Totally love the filling and I would prefer the vanilla instead of strawberry… That hot water trick in cup cake recipe, always produces softest cupcakes!
Happy Valentine’s Day lady! ❤️
Thank you so much Sonal, I love hershey’s chocolate cake recipe and yes that hot water trick works every time. You get a super moist cake. I agree about the vanilla its better with the cake than strawberry.
❤️❤️😘
They look fabulous. Can’t wait for pics of your surprise. Thanks so much for supporting Maddie with her big move. Can’t wait to visit. Love you!💛
Sent from my iPhone
So glad Maddie is moving to NYC and happy to help. Love you too Maria. Thank you.
These look absolutely delicious, and it sounds like they were made with “love.” Happy Valentine’s Day!
They were and thanks so much Mary. Happy Valentines Day.
In my undergrad years before I started to cook I would buy a package of Hostess cupcakes (they came two to a package) and treat myself. I have not had them since and I so look forward to making your recipe and reliving some good memories of how often I enjoyed them while probably studying for an exam 🙂
I used to love the hostess cupcakes the chocolate were my favorite. It was fun to make these and althoug the filling is not that fluffy stuff it’s still good. Thanks Judi.
Happy Valentine’s day, friends ! Vraiment très joli, et appétissant, avec les symboles 🙂
Happy Valentines Day, et merci du compliment, hope you have a lovely day!!
Gorgeous cupcakes and I can’t wait to hear about your gift! I love presents!!!! (and exclamation marks) 🙂
Thank you so much Julie!!
Suzanne, what a perfect Valentine. When I was young I loved those Hostess cupcakes. I know yours are a million times better! While I love strawberry mixed with other flavors, I agree that vanilla is perfect for these. Well done! Mega hugs my friend.
And definitely fess up about your gift. 😀 You know we’re all totally curious now. More hugs.
Thank you Teagan, I loved making the cupcakes. I have to practice the piping bit. Posting the surprise tomorrow.
They look great, Suzanne! Happy Valentine’s Day to you too! Can’t wait to see your secret gift! 😍
Thank you so much Franceca.
How beautiful, Suzanne! You are such a great cook AND baker. Happy Heart Day, almost! xo
Happy Valentines day to you and your family. Thank you so much.
SO cute, Suzanne!! Happy FF & Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤
Thank you so much Josette.
Oh yum Suzanne. I am so excited about this post. I have been looking for the perfect chocolate cup cake, and this seems to be it !!! Yay ! I can’t wait to bake these 🙂
It’s a really old recipe from Hershey’s and IMHO it makes the best chocolate cake. Thank you so much Lynne.
Oooh I love how the cupcakes look, runny words and all! I have not had a Hostess cupcake in eons. These are probably remarkably better, Suzanne. And you sure are a tease with your surprise! Happy Valentine’s Day! XOXO
Ha, yep runny words. I blew it with the writing and when I tried to removed it it messed with the ganache so it’s permanent, LOL. It’s ok they taste really good though. Happy Valentines Day!!
Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine and commented:
Cupcakes look to good to eat.But because chocolate is involved Yummmy!Happy Valentine’s
Thank you and Happy Valentines Day!!
These do like exactly like the famous Hostess Cupcake, Suzanne! Very adorable ! Wow waiting to hear about the special Valentine’s gift 😀
Thanks so much Freda!!
These look so delicious, Suzanne! I love that they are filled with cream cheese icing. I can imagine how they must melt in your mouth. Ganache and filling and a chocolate cupcake – what more could you want?! 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thanks so much Shari. I love chcolate cupcakes and the cream cheese buttercream goes so nicely with the rich chocolate. Happy Valentines Day!!
These chocolate cupcakes look so pretty Suzanne! And the cream cheese filling looks scrumptious… yum! Happy Valentine´s Day!
Thanks so much Viviana, Happy Valentines Day to you as well.
Wow! These look incredible. Happy Valentines Day.
Thank you so much Michelle. Happy Valentines Day.
These cupcakes look so delicious! What a fun idea! I was a big fan of those Hostess cupcakes when I was a kid–still am, but I try to stay away from them, they’re so tempting with that creamy filling. And these cupcakes you made look even better–yum, yum! 🙂
Thank you so much Nancy, oh me too lived hostess cupcakes the chocolate and even the orange ones. Thank you and Happy Valentines Day❤️❤️
Happy Valentine’s Day, Suzanne! Lovely cupcakes! I never use the H products; I am spoiled when it comes to cocoa and chocolate (the European influence) and have to use some deep, dark cocoa instead! 😉 Speaking of chocolate, I just thought of you! You’ll know why: http://www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk/recipes/jaffa-cakes
Thank you yum sure do know why you sent that link, my favorite combination of flavors. Thanks so much Christina.
They look lovely! Happy Valentines Day xx
Thanks so much Elaine!!
Yum yum, they look fantastic Suzanne.
Happy Valentine’s Day
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Happy Valentines Day David, thank you so much.
When I was a child I wouldn’t ever have turned down a hostess cupcake but I knew they were dry and tasteless. These are brilliant and I’m sure they’re absolutely delish! What a fun post, and it makes me feel a little nostalgia!
Ha, yes I know they were not moist or delicious but something about that chocolate with the creamy center got me every time. LOL. thank so much.
Lol, I know right!! I loved to pull off the chocolate and eat it, then eat the creamy center out of the middle, then the cupcake!!
Like oreo’s must be separated!!!
Exactly!! Happy Valentine’s Day, Suzanne! 💕
Gorgeous cupcakes Suzanne. .. Happy valentine’s day….can’t wait to see your secret gift….
Thank you so much Chitra.
Trust me, the writing’s fine. It only looks blurry because my eyes are welling over … why have I not got a few of them here right now? I could cry.
Absolutely lovely, Suzanne, I can’t wait to give these a try!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Fiesta Friday 106 and Happy Cupcake Day! It must be!
Ginger x
Thank you so much LOL, well they are blurry though. I am not adept at piping anything. They taste great though and thats what counts. Wish I could give you one or two!!
So do I! I lose my patience too quickly when it comes to piping, so it’s always too runny or too dry. As long as there’s one OK one for the picture 😉
That was the best I could do the others were disastrous lol❤️
There’s always the option of zooming in on a random object and blurring everything else LOL I chuckle everytime when I see a picture like that, wondering what they’re trying to hide! But then, it might be only me who can’t pull it off… 😉
Lol I can’t figure out how that’s done. I’ve done it by accident before couldn’t replicate if I tried. That’s it it’s blurred on purpose and it’s the photographic technique!!❤️❤️
I am laughing a bit about the writing! I say just eat all the mistakes. Quickly. Before anyone sees, hahah! 🙂
Lol I know the sad thing is that what is see is the best of what I’d did pretty sad😞exactly eat it quickly and no one will knowLOL
Such so beautiful! 🙂
Thank you so much Mochi!!
You’re bringing me back to my childhood with these. Yummy! Happy Valentine’s Day Suzanne!
Happy Valentines Day, a little late sorry. Thank you so much Antonia.
Happy Valentines Day, Sweet Suzanne! ❤ These cupcakes are absolutely delectable and I pinned your recipe for future delight! 🙂
Thank you so much Fae, Happy Valentines Day to you.
These are gorgeous and yumm the filling! I love this Suzanne and would love one right now!
Thanks Lynn, wish I could give you one.
They do look like hostess cupcakes yumm
I love hostess cupcakes when they are fresh, these were good but I still need to work on piping, one day I will get it down.
These look delicious, Suzanne. I’ve been good about not eating sweets all day…and now I see this. OH BOY. 😉
Sorry Patty, at least all you can do is look at these, turn off the computer and don’t look. I wish I had the willpower to stay away from sweets.
I have no willpower. I just made cheesecake brownies! 😂
Oh I love cheesecake brownies, can you post the recipe. I have zero willpower when it comes to those.
They are perfect for Valentines Day. I hope you enjoyed your day! 🙂
Thanks so much Linda, hope you had a great day as well.
These cupcakes are so pretty and perfect for Valentine’s Day! Thanks for bringing them to FF!
Thank you so much Andrea.
These are beautiful, Suzanne, and decorated perfectly. The cream cheese buttercream sounds and looks delicious.
Thank you Millie. They were delicious and a nice Valentines Day treat.
Cupcake looks yum..perfect for valentine’s day
Thank you so much Vidya!!
Wishing I could reach in and grab one of those off of the plate Suzanne! Besides looking delicious, it’s fun to have that nostalgic look. You are amazing. I think my favorite picture was the one with the bite out of it to show off the filling inside! oh gosh! Hope your valentines day was as sweet as those cupcakes… hugs friend.
Wishing I could bring you one Thank you so much Rhonda!!
Cupcake looks gorgeous
Thank you so much Rahul.
Oh my goodness, these cupcakes are gorgeous!!
Cathleen, thank you so much.
It’s long past Valentine’s Day but I could sure go for one of these right now…. 🙂