Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Hot chocolate is such a great cold weather treat! I can remember enjoying it as a kid with warm buttered toast. Yum! Hot chocolate is just such an iconic winter comfort food. That makes these hot chocolate cupcakes so much fun!

These hot chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache and vanilla buttercream frosting are easy and delicious. Plus, they look amazing. Bonus!

They are perfect for themed class parties (especially a Polar Express party) or a pajama and movie night at home.

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Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients:

This is really up to you. You can either use your favorite recipe for chocolate cupcakes or use a box mix. I usually use Chocolate Devil’s Food Box Mix for my cupcakes.

Typically for a box mix, you will need eggs, canola or vegetable oil, and water. The amounts will be listed on the back of the box.

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

• 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 teaspoons of coconut oil

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 1 stick of butter (which is equal to 1/2 cup of butter), soft and at room temperature
• 1 – 2 teaspoons of vanilla (depending on how strong you want the vanilla flavor)
• 2 – 3 tablespoons of milk (approximately – you’ll decide on how much exactly based on the consistency you want, so start with two)

You will likely have leftover frosting with this amount. You might be able to get away with making a half recipe of this. However, we always find uses for extra frosting, so I would always rather make more than to not have enough.

Other Ingredients and Supplies:

• Sprinkles or Nonpareils (optional)
• Paper straws
• Cupcake liners

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Directions

1. Follow your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe directions or the directions on the Chocolate Devil’s Food Box Mix to create and bake your cupcakes.

2. Allow cupcakes to cool.

3. Cut the domed top off of each cupcake to level the top.

You can use all of the leftover cupcake pieces along with some leftover frosting to make these cakes in a jar. Here are some more ideas of what to do with cake pieces.

4. Scoop out some of the cupcakes from the center to make a small crater area.

5. Set aside cupcakes in order to make the chocolate ganache.

6. Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and melt at 20-second intervals, mixing after each heating until well combined and smooth.

7. Pour chocolate ganache into each of the cupcakes to fill the scooped-out portion.

You will do steps eight and nine at the same time, so read through them both before starting.

8. Place cupcakes in the freezer for 10 minutes or until chocolate sets and is firm.
Take out and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. (Once they are brought back to room temperature, the ganache will still be hardened but soft enough to bite through.)

9. While your ganache is hardening on the cupcakes and then coming back to room temperature, you will make your vanilla buttercream frosting. The directions for how to make vanilla buttercream frosting are here, although you will want to make this on the thicker side. (That post includes a printable version of that recipe.)

10. Frost the tops of each cupcake with the vanilla buttercream frosting to look like a dollop of whipped cream. This is best done with a star tip on your piping bag. Do this so it’s off-centered so that you can still see the chocolate ganache area.

11. Add sprinkles or nonpareils, if desired.

12. Cut full-sized paper straws into thirds. Insert one of your newly small paper straws into the side of each cupcake at an angle.

Want to print out a copy of this recipe? You can grab it right here.

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