Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream
These hot chocolate cupcakes are topped with a delicious marshmallow buttercream and made to look like little cups of hot cocoa! With a candy cane handle and mini marshmallows on top, these are so fun for the holidays!
Happy Thanksgiving Eve, y’all. It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here and right around the corner we have Christmas to look forward to. Time seriously feels like it’s flying by, but today I’m feeling a little down about that.
One of my best friends and her family is moving today, and it just feels like I have a big hole in the middle of my heart. See, when you live this military life the friends you make become like family.
You may have heard that said before from other military spouses, or maybe you’ve even experienced it yourself. If you have, then you know the pain that comes from having to say goodbye to someone you love and not knowing when or if your paths will cross again.
I’ve been blessed to make a handful of very very close friends through the army, friends who are like sisters to me. One of them is leaving me today and I’m really struggling with it.
The hardest part of all, though, is that I’m not the only one losing my best friend. My son is losing one, too.
See, he and my friend’s son are like two little trouble-making peas in a pod! They’ve been buddies since preschool and watching them say goodbye to each other last night really tore me apart. Mostly because neither one of them is registering what’s happening, and also because I know this is just the first of many heartaches that I’ll feel on behalf of my little guy.
It is crazy to me how poignantly a mother feels every emotion for her child, even when they can’t yet express those feelings themselves. Mothers are so intuitive, it’s incredible.
I’m sorry to be so down in the dumps today, but I knew that what I needed to deal with a situation like this was definitely chocolate. When I feel a big depression like this one coming on, I soothe it with chocolate, french fries, Stella Rosa wine, and trash TV!
If you’re looking for me over the next few weeks, I’ll probably have one of those things nearby. Just keep a lookout.
These cupcakes were a lot of fun to make and even though I feel sad today, they still bring a smile to my face and make me excited for the holidays. I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe for the cupcakes then topped them with a marshmallow buttercream.
The buttercream is light and creamy, and so delicious. Finally I added some mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes to the top, then finished them off with a a mini candy cane handle. They look like little cups of hot cocoa, and it’s hard not to smile when you’re holding one of those. Chocolate to the rescue, right?
More Great Holiday Dessert Recipes
- The Best Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
- The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup hot water
Buttercream:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter,, softened
- 1 (7 oz) container marshmallow creme
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings and decor:
- Mini candy canes,, cut to fit (see note below)
- Mini marshmallows
- Chocolate chips
- Crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Add in vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and vegetable oil mixing until smooth. Pour in hot water and mix well. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners, about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the frosting, beat softened butter with an electric mixer over medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add in marshmallow creme and beat until combined. Finally add in the powdered sugar and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until smooth.
- Top the cooled cupcakes with frosting, then sprinkle each one with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes. Add a candy cane handle by inserting the hook end of the candy cane into the top-side of each cupcake. Enjoy soon after decorating.
Notes
Made these today and they were a big hit with kids and adults alike. The cake was so tender and the icing was surprisingly not super sticky (getting that fluff out of the jar is a chore!).
These turned out fantastic! I was very pleased with the texture and that it is not a sweet cake. This will be my go to chocolate cake!
Wow!! This is so pretty!! I’d love to make this for my kids children’s party! Those kids will go crazy about this!
omg this looks delicious and cute!! definitely will be hard to recreate, but I am down to try!
These are so adorable, I love anything with chocolate so I know this recipe would be a hit!
What a cute idea! They look delicious and super creative!
Such a yummy treat! I need to make them over the weekend
I’ve made these several times and they are always a hit. I omit the peppermint chips because I’m not crazy about peppermint.
I’ve made these cupcakes before and they’re amazing! But would it be possible to do this recipe and put the batter in a 8-9 inch round pan or 2? How long would that need to bake if that’s possible?
Yes for sure! This is the same recipe as my homemade chocolate cake. Here’s directions for that: https://belleofthekitchen.com/homemade-chocolate-cake-recipe/
Can you replace the cocoa powder with a packet of hot cocoa mix?
No, hot cocoa mix contains other ingredients than plain cocoa powder. So unfortunately it would not be an even substitution.
Hi!
These look great, I am going to make them as a treat for my 5th grade class, just wondering, do you think I could use a little torch to “toast” the marshmallow icing slightly? Or not really enough marshmallow in the icing for that?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Michelle, I have never tried it before so I can’t say for sure how it would work. If you try it please let me know!
This is my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe, it’s amazing! They are so moist and very simple to bake. They are delicious even after they have been frozen. I freeze extras and then frost when needed. Thank you!
How long can you store these? Do they need to be refrigerated? They look fantastic!
Hi Nicole! These can be stored in the fridge for around 4-5 days. You can also freeze them without the frosting for about 3 months.
These are so creative and so festive! I would totally make these for Valentine’s Day!
oh my goodness! These look totally fantastic kind of wishing i could lick my screen right now
Omg this looks delicious! I’m going to make it this weekend as a treat
These are so pretty, and they looks so good! I love peppermint and chocolate flavors together.
I’m doing it too