Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Have you got a favorite childhood treat that you still love? I do, its the Hostess Cupcake. I never buy them though (hello, it would be me eating the whole box, so I can't bring them home). I was watching Cook's Country on PBS this weekend, and what do you know, they are making homemade Hostess! Score. I have a work lunch tomorrow that I signed up to bring the dessert, so this seemed perfect. I'll admit that I took a shortcut. I made the cupcakes from a box mix, but the rest I followed the recipe. Give it a try! I'll list the stuff you'll need to gather up, but you can find the recipe here.

1 box chocolate cake mix (or if you want to go completely Martha Stewart, make them using the recipe)

Filling:
1 container marshmallow fluff or cream
3/4 tsp unflavored gelatin
3 T water
4 T butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla

Glaze:
1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
3 more T of butter


Cut a cone of cake out of the top, then trim the point off the cone so there is a space for filling.
Use a couple of spoons to get the sticky filling into the hole. (keep the tops next to the cupcake they belong to so that getting them put back together is easy)

Spoon the glaze over the cupcakes and let firm up. Use some of the reserved filling to pipe the curly-Q top (I just used a small zipper bag that I cut the tip off instead of a frosting bag).

How to make the filling: soften the gelatin by putting the gelatin and water in a medium size bowl for about 5 min. (you'll be using this bowl to eventually mix in the marshmallow, so make it a good size). Then put the bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds til the edges of liquid bubble. Mix in the 4 T butter and vanilla. Let cool on the counter for about 5 minutes then mix in the marshmallow until smooth. Refrigerate filling for 30 minutes so that it firms up. Keep about 1/3 c. of the filling aside to use for the decoration.

How to make the glaze: Put the 3 T of butter in a microwave bowl and melt until bubbly. Immediately mix in the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Spoon it onto the cupcakes. Let cool before decorating the tops.