These delicious winter-time Hot Chocolate Cupcakes are perfect for the colder weather! Soft and fluffy with homemade marshmallow frosting and marshmallow fluff make these a must-make dessert.
Homemade cupcakes are an easy way to spruce up the holiday table and have a crave-worthy dessert where everyone gets their own. You can also use the same frosting in these banana cookies, pumpkin cookies, banana pumpkin muffins or serve with chocolate chip pound cake.
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Why You'll Love This
- Homemade is best. Let’s be honest - there is nothing like moist chocolate cupcakes made from scratch. Everything from the batter to the frosting is 100% homemade. However, you can save some tips by buying ready-made marshmallow fluff instead.
- Less mess. Cupcakes are a great dessert option because there is no need for plates or forks! The best part: is less clean-up afterward.
- Perfect cupcake. No one can resist these rich Chocolate Cupcakes with incredible flavor! Hot chocolate is the most popular winter drink, so having it in dessert form creates a whole new treat for your taste buds.
🛒Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - used for the base of the cupcake batter. You can sift to get out any extra lumps if you want.
- Cocoa powder - this adds dark coloring and a hint of chocolate flavor.
- For texture, we add baking powder and baking soda. These keep the cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Granulated sugar - gives the cupcakes a hint of sweetness.
- Hot cocoa mix powder - helps to seal the deal on having a hot cocoa flavor.
- Vegetable oil - we like to use this oil because it helps to keep the cupcakes moist when baking.
- Sour cream - using sour cream is a great way to help the cupcakes not dry out.
- Large eggs - the primary binding agent in the batter.
- Vanilla extract - for flavor. Or you can use ½ teaspoons of vanilla bean paste.
- Powdered sugar - used for sweetness in the frosting.
- Cream of tartar - used to make the perfect texture for the fluff.
- Marshmallow fluff - gives the frosting a thick texture to be more spreadable.
- For toppings, we like to use mini marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles.
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
🥣Instructions
Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add in sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
In a small pan over medium-low heat or a cup in the microwave, heat the water until it’s almost boiling. Add the hot chocolate mix and stir until combined.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Very slowly, add in the hot chocolate. Continue to pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ of the way full of batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. Then cool completely before you frost.
Frost with marshmallow frosting, and enjoy! You can also add some mini marshmallows or sprinkle some chocolate over the frosting.
Marshmallow Frosting
You have two options here, either you make your own marshmallow fluff (instructions below) or buy ready-made from the store. If using store bought then jump straight to Frosting instructions.
Homemade Marshmallow fluff
Place water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Over low heat, stir to combine and let the sugar dissolve. Mix constantly until the sugar has dissolved completely.
Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium. Do not stir from this point on as crystals will form.
Simmer this mix until it reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer.
Remove your sugar mix from the heat once it has reached this temperature.
Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Ensure the mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease-free.
Turn your mixer to medium speed and whip the egg whites to soft peaks—approximately 3 minutes.
Turn the mixer to medium/low and very slowly pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin stream (if your sugar mix has firmed up, pop it back on the heat to make it liquid again).
Once all the syrup is in, set the mixer to medium/high and continue whipping. Add in the vanilla.
Continue to whip for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy and it has cooled down.
Pour into an airtight container and store for up to 6 weeks at room temperature.
Frosting
Add the softened butter and confectioners sugar into a medium bowl. With a hand mixer, mix on medium speed to soften the butter and until combined.
Stop and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add a cup of marshmallow cream and mix on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
Add in the vanilla and mix again for 1 minute.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before piping on top of the cupcakes. Garnish with marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
Frost and enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa!
⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- Cupcake liners
- Cupcake or Muffin pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
📋Tips
- Change the toppings - You can add anything to the top of these homemade cupcakes. Mini chocolate chips, festive sprinkles, crumbled candy canes - you name it!
- Don’t overbake the cupcakes - The best way to ensure that the cupcakes are baked properly is to use a clean toothpick. Once the baking time has passed, insert the toothpick into the center of the baked cupcake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes are done baking and ready to cool.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Due to the added ingredients in the frosting, they need to be kept chilled. Eat leftovers within 2-3 days.
- 🥶Freezing. If you have more cupcakes left than you can eat now, freeze them for later. Simply wrap them in aluminum foil and store them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, then move to the fridge to thaw overnight.
- 🔥To Reheat. We find it best to freeze the cupcakes without adding the frosting. You can always make the frosting fresh and new once they’re thawed.
Variations
- If you don’t have time or want to make homemade frosting, you can always use store-bought. Change the flavors to try new things!
- Adding peppermint extract or crushed candy canes can be a fun and delicious twist to this dessert.
- These cupcakes taste delicious with some chocolate sauce drizzled on top.
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📖Recipe
Hot Chocolate Cupcakes With Marshmallow Vanilla Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes: (Makes 12 cupcakes)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons hot chocolate mix powder
- ½ cup of hot water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Toppings
- mini marshmallows and optional chocolate sprinkles
Marshmallow Frosting
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 ¾ cups of powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups marshmallow fluff
- 1 ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Homemade Marshmallow fluff (makes about 2 - 2 ½ cups)
- 3 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar divided use
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add in sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
- In a small pan over medium-low heat or a cup in the microwave, heat the water until it’s almost boiling. Add the hot chocolate mix and stir until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, mix the yogurt, oil, vanilla, and eggs. Very slowly, add in the hot chocolate. Continue to pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ of the way full of batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. Then cool completely before you frost.
- Frost with marshmallow frosting, and enjoy! You can also add some mini marshmallows or sprinkle some chocolate over the frosting.
Homemade Marshmallow fluff
- Place water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Over low heat, stir to combine and let the sugar dissolve. Mix constantly until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Insert a candy thermometer into the pot and heat over medium. Do not stir from this point on as crystals will form.
- Simmer this mix until it reaches 240oF on a candy thermometer.
- Remove your sugar mix from the heat once it has reached this temperature.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Ensure the mixer bowl and whisk are completely grease-free.
- Turn your mixer to medium speed and whip the egg whites to soft peaks—approximately 3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to medium/low and very slowly pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin stream (if your sugar mix has firmed up, pop it back on the heat to make it liquid again).
- Once all the syrup is in, set the mixer to medium/high and continue whipping. Add in the vanilla.
- Continue to whip for about 5 to 6 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy and it has cooled down.
- Pour into an airtight container and store for up to 6 weeks at room temperature.
Frosting
- Add the softened butter and confectioners sugar into a medium bowl. With a hand mixer, mix on medium speed to soften the butter and until combined.
- Stop and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add a cup of marshmallow cream and mix on medium-high speed for 1 minute.
- Add in the vanilla and mix again for 1 minute.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before piping on top of the cupcakes. Garnish with marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
- Frost and enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa!
Notes
- To Store. Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. Due to the added ingredients in the frosting, they need to be kept chilled. Eat leftovers within 2-3 days.
- Freezing. If you have more cupcakes left than you can eat now, freeze them for later. Simply wrap them in aluminum foil and store them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months, then move to the fridge to thaw overnight.
- To Reheat. We find it best to freeze the cupcakes without adding the frosting. You can always make the frosting fresh and new once they’re thawed.
Nutrition
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. You can make the cupcake batter and bake these cupcakes ahead of time. Just be sure to store them properly so that they aren’t dried out when you’re ready to add frosting.
The best way to cool cupcakes is to move them to a cooling or wire rack. This is because the radiant heat coming off of the cupcake pan as it cools will continue to cook the cupcakes, even after they’ve been taken out of the oven.
Don’t rush the cooling process of the chocolate cupcakes. They need to be completely cooled all the way before adding any frosting to them.
We recommend waiting 45 minutes - 1 hour before applying the frosting. You will know when they’re ready to start adding the frosting just by touching the tops of the cupcakes gently. They should be cool to the touch.
enjoy these delicious marshmallow frosted hot chocolate cupcakes that are made 100% from scratch!