Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes

Fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting, a fudge drizzle, sweet swirls of vanilla buttercream, sprinkles and a cherry on top!

Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcakes

Yield: 13 standard cupcakes or 2 dozen minis

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 1/4 cup (140g) cake flour, weighed or spooned and leveled
3/4 cup (144g) granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick/57g) unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature

Filling

strawberry jelly, caramel sauce or chocolate fudge, optional

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick/4oz) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1/2lb) powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (sub half and half or milk if necessary)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Chocolate Fudge Glaze:

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons cream, milk or water

Garnish:

rainbow jimmies
maraschino cherries

Directions

Prepare Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.

In a medium bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed for about 20 seconds. Add butter and oil and mix for about 1-2 minutes to coat the flour, until mixture resembles wet sand.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, yolk, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth. Slowly add the wet mixture on low speed. Increase to medium speed and beat for about 1 minute until batter is smooth.

Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full, about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (For mini cupcakes, fill with about 1 1/2 tablespoons batter each and bake for about 8-10 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Prepare Frosting:

With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. On low speed, beat in vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar, about a half cup at a time, followed by the cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for about 3-5 minutes until smooth, light and fluffy. Set aside about 1/4 of the frosting and place in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. To the remaining frosting, beat in cocoa powder and beat until full incorporated.

Prepare Fudge Glaze:
In a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate butter and corn syrup until smooth. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and cream until thin enough to pour. You can also use the microwave by heating on 50% power for 30 second intervals, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.

Assemble:

Once cupcake have cooled, add filling if desired (see video below, or click here for a variety of techniques for filling a cupcake). Frost with chocolate frosting. Spoon more fudge glaze over frosted cupcakes and sprinkle with rainbow jimmies. Top cupcakes with a swirl of vanilla frosting and a cherry.

I created this cupcake last year for The Rally for Kids with Cancer event. Guests enjoyed my cupcakes while experiencing a day of luxury and pampering, as the Ken Paves Salon joined forces with Eva Longoria and The Rally for Kids with Cancer Foundation, for the Makeover Madness fundraising event, in an effort to raise money for kids with cancer.

You can also check out my Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe (middle tier), and the classic Chocolate Vanilla Cupcake recipe (top tier).