CopyCat Hostess Cupcakes

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F. Lightly butter twenty-four 1-3/4" x 3/4" (1-oz) muffin or biscuit cups.

2. Step 2.

   Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the sugar. Make a well in the center.

3. Step 3.

   Pour the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the well. Whisk until the batter is smooth; it will be very thin.

4. Step 4.

   Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of one cupcake comes out clean, about 12 to 14 minutes.

5. Step 5.

   While the cupcakes bake, start the filling: In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cream to a boil. Add the white chocolate and remove from heat. Let stand briefly, then stir until smooth.

6. Step 6.

   Transfer the white chocolate mixture to a metal bowl and refrigerate until chilled thoroughly, stirring occasionally. To speed chilling, set the metal bowl over a larger bowl of ice water and stir until cool.

7. Step 7.

   Cool the cupcakes in the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then remove them from the pans and finish cooling on the rack.

8. Step 8.

   Once the white chocolate mixture is chilled, beat it with an electric mixer just until fluffy, about 1 minute. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain tip.

9. Step 9.

   Insert the pastry tip 1/4-inch into the bottom of each cooled cupcake and squeeze a little filling into each one.

10. Step 10.

    Make the glaze: Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Whisk in the boiling water and blend until smooth.

11. Step 11.

    One at a time, dip the top of each cupcake into the warm glaze. Turn the glazed cupcakes right side up and set them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

12. Step 12.

    Refrigerate the cupcakes for 5 minutes to set the glaze.

13. Step 13.

    Meanwhile, make the icing: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Stir in the cream of tartar. Gradually mix in enough confectioner's sugar to make a fairly stiff and smooth icing.

14. Step 14.

    Fill a small paper cone with the icing and cut a 1/16-inch opening at the tip. Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator.

15. Step 15.

    Pipe a design (a squiggle, spiral, etc.) on the top of each cupcake. Let the design harden, then cover and refrigerate the cupcakes.

16. Step 16.

    Serve at room temperature. The cupcakes can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance, or frozen up to 2 weeks.