The best Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes– Tender chocolate cupcakes with a luscious creamy center, topped with decadent chocolate buttercream. A chocolate lover’s dream!
Do you have fond memories of eating Hostess cupcakes as a child? My mom baked from scratch, so we rarely had them, but I remember loving them.
I had one years later as an adult, and after one bite. . . blech! The chocolate was waxy, the cupcake was dry, and the filling tasted like sugared shortening.
I thought to myself, “Why did I ever like these as a kid?” Either they changed the recipe, or my taste buds changed dramatically. Maybe both. 😉
Homemade Cupcakes For The Win!
Well, I have great news for you! These cream filled chocolate cupcakes blow the socks off the kind that come in a box!! Tender chocolate cake. Yummy filling- made with fabulous butter, not tasteless shortening.
And all topped off with creamy chocolate frosting that is good enough to eat by the spoonful. Trust me, these decadent, moist cupcakes will make your taste buds sing, not cringe.
I got the recipe for the filling from Our Best Bites. It is just as amazing as Sara described it. Light and fluffy, and not sickeningly sweet. Delish!
How to make cream-filled chocolate cupcakes:
- PREP – Soften your butter. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Heat oven to 375°.
- BATTER – Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, water, and vinegar. Whisk till smooth.
- BAKE – Divide batter evenly between the paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for about 16-19 minutes at 375 degrees. Let sit 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
- CREAM FILLING – Whisk flour and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook and whisk over medium heat till thick and creamy. Cool completely. In a small bowl, beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add the flour mixture and vanilla. Beat for 5-7 minutes, or till smooth and creamy.
- CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING – Beat butter and cocoa till smooth. Add salt, powdered sugar, and about 2 tablespoons of the cream. Beat till smooth, adding more cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- ASSEMBLE – Scoop the filling into a pastry bag with a large tip. Poke the tip into the center of each cooled cupcake and add about a tablespoon of vanilla filling. Pipe the chocolate frosting on top of the cupcakes with a star tip.
There’s something so appealing about biting into something and finding a yummy surprise inside, isn’t there?
VARIATIONS:
- It can be tricky to fill the cupcakes, so if you prefer, you can use a sharp knife to cut a cone shape out of the center of the top of each cupcake. Cut off the bottom half of the cone, fill the hole with filling, then press the top of the cone onto the filling.
- In place of chocolate, you can use cream cheese frosting, vanilla frosting, or any flavor you like.
- For a classic Hostess look, spread the frosting with a knife, and pipe white icing swirls on the top of cupcakes.
- You can sprinkle nuts, coconut, sprinkles, or mini chocolate chips on top of the frosting.
More cupcake recipes:
- Pound Cake Cupcakes
- Chocolate Oreo Cupcakes
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pistachio Pudding Cupcakes
- Butterscotch Cupcakes
- Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter Cupcakes
It’s been ten years since I first published this cupcake recipe in 2015, so I’ve updated it with new photos and tips!
Cream Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 7.5 ounces
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cups water
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
Cream Filling:
- 3 Tbsp. flour
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
- ⅓ cup soft butter
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¾ tsp vanilla
- 4 Tbsp heavy cream more or less
Instructions
- Let your butter soften at room temperature. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- CUPCAKES — Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add oil, water, and vinegar to the dry ingredients. Whisk till smooth.
- Divide cake batter between the 18 liners, filling them about half full. Bake at 375° for about 16-19 minutes. (Start the filling while the cupcakes bake.)
- Let cool in pans for five minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Cool completely.
- FILLING — Whisk together flour and milk in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat till thick and creamy like pudding. Cool completely. (I like to place my pan in a sink filled with about 3” of ice water to speed things up.)
- In a medium bowl, beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add milk mixture and vanilla. Beat for 5-7 minutes, or till smooth, thick, and creamy. It may look curdled at first, but keep beating and it will eventually turn out.
- FROSTING — Beat butter and cocoa till smooth. Add salt, powdered sugar, and about 2 tablespoons of the cream. Beat till smooth, adding more cream as needed to reach desired consistency.
- ASSEMBLE — Scoop filling into a piping bag with a large round tip. Poke a hole in the top of each cupcake and fill with about a tablespoonful of filling.
- After all the cupcakes are filled with creamy goodness, pipe the chocolate frosting on the tops of the cupcakes using a large star tip. Enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
This chocolate cupcake recipe makes a perfect dessert for just about any occasion, and they are always a hit at bake sales and potlucks!
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Oh goodness these look so good! They look like those hostess cupcakes…only better! pinning
They are so much better than the hostess cupcakes- you’ve gotta try them! 🙂