Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake – A Homemade Take on a Lunchbox Legend

I can still hear that crinkle of foil from my lunchbox days. Hostess Cupcakes were my childhood currency—tradeable, treasured, and eaten in two big bites (even though you were supposed to savor them).

Since then, I’ve reimagined a few snack aisle icons—Twinkies turned into trifles, Ding Dongs turned into ice cream cake—but this Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake? That’s the heavyweight champ.

Here’s the truth: store-bought cupcakes are cute, but they’ve been sitting around for weeks. This homemade version? Moist, fudgy chocolate cake, a marshmallow filling that’s actually fluffy, and a whipped chocolate ganache that’s rich without sitting heavy.

Flavor-wise: deep cocoa, silky frosting, and a sweet pop of marshmallow right in the middle. Oh—and yes, I kept the swirl.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk (see DIY tip in Notes)
• 1 cup hot coffee (or hot water)

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Marshmallow Cream Filling

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Make the Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat & prep.
   Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, then grease again. The double grease + parchment trick guarantees your cakes will release cleanly without tearing. (Skipping parchment is where most people lose half a layer.)
2. Dry team.
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisking does two things—it evenly distributes the leaveners so you get an even rise, and it breaks up clumps in the cocoa for a smoother batter.
3. Wet team.
   In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk until fully blended. Oil keeps the cake tender even after refrigeration, while buttermilk’s acidity reacts with baking soda for extra lift.
4. Bring it together.
   Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until you see only a few streaks of flour left. Overmixing here develops gluten, which can make your cake tough. Slowly pour in the hot coffee (or water), stirring just until the batter is uniform. The heat blooms the cocoa, intensifying its flavor, and the thin consistency is exactly what creates a moist, tender crumb.
5. Bake.
   Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans—use a scale if you want perfectly level layers. Place on the center rack and bake for 28–32 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool.
   Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes (this lets the structure set so they don’t fall apart). Run a knife around the edges, then invert onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and let them cool completely before frosting—frosting a warm cake is a fast track to a melty mess.

Make the Whipped Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the cream. Just to a simmer—don’t let it boil or you’ll scald it.
2. Melt the chocolate. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Wait 3 minutes, then whisk until glossy and smooth.
3. Cool it down. Leave at room temp until it thickens to a soft frosting stage—about 1 hour.
4. Whip it. Beat until fluffy but stop before it turns grainy. (Overwhip and you’ll be making truffles, not frosting.)

Make the Marshmallow Cream Filling

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy—give it a good 2 minutes.
2. Add powdered sugar a cup at a time. Mix slow at first (trust me, you don’t want a sugar cloud).
3. Beat in marshmallow fluff and vanilla until smooth and airy.

Assembly

1. Level the playing field. Trim cake domes with a serrated knife—flat layers stack better.
2. Build the wall. Pipe a ring of ganache around the edge of the first layer to keep the filling in check.
3. Load the middle. Spread marshmallow cream inside the ring—don’t get greedy or it’ll squeeze out when you stack.
4. Stack & lock. Add the second cake layer.
5. Seal the deal. Spread a thin crumb coat of ganache. Chill 20 minutes. Then go in with the final, smooth coat.
6. Signature swirl. Fill a piping bag with leftover marshmallow filling. Use a small round tip and make that classic Hostess loop across the top. Steady pressure, smooth motion.

Related & More – Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake

• Neapolitan Cake Recipe – Layers of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate nostalgia.
• Best Banana Cake – Soft, fluffy, and topped with dreamy frosting.
• S’mores Cake Recipe – All the campfire flavors in cake form.
• Best Carrot Cake Recipe – Moist, spiced perfection with cream cheese frosting.
• Pistachio Raspberry Cake – Elegant layers with nutty and fruity notes.
• Coconut Cloud Cake Recipe – Light, fluffy, and tropical.
• Bourbon Peach Upside Down Cake – Boozy, fruity, and irresistibly caramelized.

Why You’ll Love This Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake

FAQ – Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake

Conclusion

This Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake is nostalgia turned up to eleven. Moist, chocolatey, filled with marshmallow clouds, and crowned with silky ganache—this is the cake you wish came in a foil wrapper.

Make it for the memories, but enjoy it for the flavor. And remember—nail that swirl. That’s your victory lap.

If you loved this recipe, invite visite my page Pinterest for more nostalgic bakes, chocolate lovers’ desserts, and step-by-step cake ideas you’ll actually want to make.

Hostess Cupcake Layer Cake – A Homemade Take on a Lunchbox Legend

Print Recipe

A homemade twist on the classic Hostess Cupcake—moist, fudgy chocolate cake, fluffy marshmallow filling, and silky whipped chocolate ganache topped with the iconic swirl.

• Author: Emilio
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 32 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk until combined.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients until only a few streaks of flour remain, then slowly stir in hot coffee until batter is smooth.
5. Divide batter between pans and bake 28–32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
6. For ganache: Heat cream until just simmering, pour over chocolate chips, wait 3 minutes, then whisk smooth. Cool 1 hour, then whip until fluffy.
7. For filling: Beat butter 2 minutes until light. Gradually add powdered sugar. Beat in marshmallow fluff and vanilla until airy.
8. Level cake layers. Pipe a ganache ring on bottom layer, fill center with marshmallow cream. Top with second layer.
9. Apply crumb coat of ganache, chill 20 minutes, then finish with smooth coat.
10. Pipe classic Hostess swirl on top with remaining marshmallow filling.

Notes

To make buttermilk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes. Coffee intensifies chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 540
• Sugar: 45g
• Sodium: 360mg
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 14g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 70g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 6g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Keywords: hostess cupcake, chocolate cake, marshmallow filling, ganache, layer cake