Ever bitten into a cupcake and suddenly questioned your loyalty to every other dessert you’ve ever known? That’s what happened to me the first time I made these Hi-Hat Cupcakes. The soft chocolate cake, the towering swirl of marshmallow fluff, and the dramatic dip in rich, glossy chocolate—whew, talk about drama in a wrapper. They may look like they moonlight as runway models at a dessert fashion show, but trust me—these are doable at home, even if your frosting skills resemble a toddler’s finger painting (mine did too once, no judgment). We’re talking about the perfect marriage of moist chocolate cake and a marshmallow topping so light and airy it practically floats. The shell? It’s your show-stopping finale, like a magic trick dipped in chocolate. If you’re on the hunt for easy cupcake recipes that double as edible entertainment, this one’s your golden ticket.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Hi-Hat Cupcakes Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Hi-Hat Cupcakes
- 4) How to Make Hi-Hat Cupcakes
- 5) Tips for Making Hi-Hat Cupcakes
- 6) Making Hi-Hat Cupcakes Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Hi-Hat Cupcakes
- 8) Try these dessert recipes next!
- 9) Hi-Hat Cupcakes Recipe
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
- How do you get the chocolate coating to stick without melting the fluff?
- What’s the trick for making that tall marshmallow swirl?
- Do these store well, or should they be eaten the same day?
- Can you swap the dark chocolate for milk or white?
2) Easy Hi-Hat Cupcakes Recipe
We all know cupcakes. Some are fluffy, some are fudgy, and some have a little surprise in the middle. But these Hi-Hat Cupcakes? They’re drama queens in the best way. They’ve got this swirl of marshmallow fluff that stands up like it just walked into a room and knows it’s the star. Then you dip the whole top into smooth melted chocolate. The shell sets with a snap, and boom, you’re officially spoiled.
I remember the first time I made these. I thought they’d collapse like my willpower near a cookie jar. But nope. They held firm, looked fabulous, and tasted better than I expected. It’s no exaggeration when I say this is one of my go-to easy cupcake recipes. That marshmallow-to-chocolate ratio hits just right.
If you’re into easy fudge recipe with marshmallow fluff or even exploring a keto marshmallow recipe, this one checks all the boxes. Plus, the wow factor makes them perfect for birthdays, bake sales, or casual Tuesdays when you need to impress someone… yourself included.
3) Ingredients for Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Unsalted Butter: Use room temperature butter so it creams well. It gives the cupcakes their moist, tender crumb. Trust me, you want them soft enough to yield, not bounce.
Caster Sugar and Brown Sugar: These two bring balance. The white sugar gives you that clean sweetness, and the brown adds a little warmth and depth—like a cozy blanket for your tastebuds.
Eggs: They help bind the batter and add richness. Crack them in one at a time and mix well so everything stays smooth and even.
Vanilla Extract: Just a splash, but it lifts the whole flavor profile. Skipping it is like forgetting the punchline of a joke. Things feel incomplete.
Plain Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Powder: These dry ingredients bring structure and flavor. Sift them together to keep clumps out and texture in.
Buttermilk: Don’t skip this. It gives that slight tang and keeps the cupcakes tender. No one wants dry cupcakes. No one.
Hot Water: Seems weird, but it deepens the chocolate flavor. Like adding a plot twist to your cupcake.
Egg Whites, Sugar, Cream of Tartar, Vanilla: This is your protein fluff recipe in action. These come together to make a glossy, stiff, marshmallow-like fluff that makes the cupcakes stand tall and proud.
Dark Chocolate and Oil: Melted down, this creates the coating. It cracks when you bite into it. Very satisfying. The oil makes it dippable without being too thick.
4) How to Make Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Step 1. Line a cupcake pan and set your oven to 350°F. The paper liners matter here—you’ll want something that can handle the height.
Step 2. In a big bowl, cream your butter with both sugars. This should be light and fluffy like a cloud, not a paste. Use some elbow grease if needed.
Step 3. Add in the eggs, one by one. Stir in your vanilla. Mix like you mean it.
Step 4. Sift in the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Then pour in the buttermilk and hot water. Stir until smooth. The batter should look rich, not runny.
Step 5. Spoon the batter into your liners. Bake for around 20 minutes. Let them cool completely before even thinking about topping them.
Step 6. Over simmering water, whisk your egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. This gets glossy after a few minutes. Pour it into a mixer and whip it into submission. Add vanilla at the end.
Step 7. Pipe tall swirls of fluff on your cupcakes. This is your moment. Make ‘em dramatic. Freeze those babies for 15 minutes so they firm up.
Step 8. Melt chocolate with oil. Cool it a bit. Dip each cupcake upside down into the coating. Flip ‘em back over. Let them sit. That shell will set. Magic.
5) Tips for Making Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Use room temp ingredients. Cold butter doesn’t mix well. You want everything to combine smoothly. These are easy cupcakes, not a trust exercise.
Make sure your fluff has stiff peaks. If it sags, it melts. It needs to hold up for the dip. Think protein fluff recipe goals.
Freeze your frosted cupcakes. Even just 15 minutes helps. It gives that marshmallow shell a fighting chance when dipped into warm chocolate. That’s how you get the hi-hat look right.
6) Making Hi-Hat Cupcakes Ahead of Time
You can bake the cupcakes a day or two before. Just keep them sealed tight. Nobody likes a stale cake. That base needs to stay soft.
The fluff can be piped the day of. You’ll need to freeze it, so factor that into your timing. Once dipped, they look great and stay put.
If you’re making these for a party, give yourself time. They’re not hard, just a bit extra. Like that one friend who always shows up dressed to the nines for a backyard BBQ.
7) Storing Leftover Hi-Hat Cupcakes
Put leftovers in an airtight container. The fridge is fine if your kitchen gets warm. Don’t stack them. That shell is pretty but fragile.
The chocolate coating holds well. The marshmallow stays fluffy. If you notice a little droop after a day or two, they’re still good. You just lose a little height.
They’ll keep for about 3 days. After that, they’re still tasty but not as pretty. Still better than anything store-bought.
8) Try these dessert recipes next!
9) Hi-Hat Cupcakes Recipe
Hi-Hat Cupcakes That Pop — Easy Cupcake Recipes for Sweet Wins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (140g) plain flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup (100g) caster sugar (for fluff)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for fluff)
- 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 12-hole cupcake pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Sift in flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add buttermilk and hot water. Mix until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly among liners. Bake for 18–20 minutes. Cool completely.
- In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, whisk egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar for 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a stand mixer. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla.
- Pipe tall swirls on cooled cupcakes. Freeze for 15–20 minutes until firm.
- Melt chocolate and oil until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Dip each cupcake upside down into the chocolate shell. Set upright and chill until set.
10) Nutrition
Serving Size: 1 cupcake, Calories: 370, Sugar: 28g, Sodium: 160mg, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Carbohydrates: 47g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 4g, Cholesterol: 45mg
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