Hi Hat Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting and Chocolate Shell

Hi Hat Cupcakes

Hi hat cupcakes are the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence at a potluck. Picture a tender chocolate cupcake, a tall swirl of marshmallow fluff frosting piled high on top, and a thin, glossy chocolate shell wrapped around that whole fluffy mound.

One bite and the chocolate cracks just a little, the marshmallow gives way, and the soft chocolate cake underneath holds everything together.

Let’s be honest about why I love these even more than a big layer cake. Cupcakes win on the cake to frosting ratio every single time. A slice of cake gives you a polite smear of frosting on top.

A hi hat cupcake gives you a whole cloud of marshmallow frosting, plus a chocolate coating, plus the cake underneath. That is a lot of good stuff in one small package, and it is exactly why these disappear first from the dessert table.

I started making these for our church group’s monthly gathering, and now people ask for them by name before they even walk in the door.

They look like something from a fancy bakery, but they come together from three simple parts: a one bowl chocolate cupcake batter, a marshmallow frosting made on the stovetop, and a two ingredient chocolate coating.

The recipe makes 12 cupcakes, with about 25 minutes of prep, roughly 20 minutes in the oven, and 30 minutes of chilling time before you dip them.

If you own a candy thermometer and you are willing to be a little patient with hot sugar, you can absolutely make these at home. The payoff is a cupcake that looks impressive and tastes even better. Let’s walk through it together, step by step.

Ingredients

Everything you need falls into three groups: the cupcakes, the marshmallow fluff frosting, and the chocolate coating. Gather it all before you start, because once the sugar syrup hits the stove, things move quickly.

For the cupcakes

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil, vegetable or canola
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A quick word about two of those ingredients. Espresso powder does not make these cupcakes taste like coffee. It is there to deepen the chocolate flavor, and nobody will ever guess it is in there.

Buttermilk is the other quiet hero of this recipe. It keeps the crumb moist and tender, so try not to swap it out for regular milk if you can help it.

Oil, rather than butter, keeps the cupcakes soft and springy, and real vanilla extract is worth the small splurge.

For the marshmallow fluff frosting

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream of tartar helps the egg whites hold their shape so the frosting can stand tall on the cupcake. That height is the signature of a hi hat cupcake, so this little spoonful really matters.

For the chocolate coating

• 2 cups chocolate chips, milk or semi sweet
• 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil or shortening

The coconut oil or shortening thins the melted chocolate so it coats smoothly and sets into that thin, snappy shell we are all chasing.

Here is how the source recipe breaks down nutritionally, per cupcake.

How to Make

Making hi hat cupcakes happens in three stages: the cupcakes, the marshmallow frosting, and the chocolate coating. Each stage is simple on its own, and together they turn into something that looks like a weekend bakery project. Set out your ingredients, clear some counter space, and let’s start with the cake.

Making the cupcakes

Start by preheating the oven to 350 F and lining a cupcake pan with 12 liners. Set the pan aside while you mix the batter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until everything is smoothly combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thin and glossy, which is exactly right for this recipe. This is where you want a light hand. Stop as soon as the flour disappears, because overmixing is the fastest way to a tough cupcake.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners. An ice cream scoop makes this tidy and fast, and it keeps every cupcake the same size so they bake evenly.

Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven runs a little differently, so start checking at the 16 minute mark and trust the toothpick over the clock.

Pull the pan from the oven and let the cupcakes cool completely before you frost them. Warm cupcakes will melt the frosting and send it sliding right off the top.

Whisk the batter just until it comes together. A few small lumps are fine, and they are far better than an overmixed, dense cupcake.

Making the Marshmallow Icing

Once the cupcakes are cool, it is frosting time. Add the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as it comes to a boil, then let it simmer until the mixture reaches 240 F on a candy thermometer.

While the sugar syrup cooks, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and keep whipping until soft peaks form.

With the mixer running on medium speed, carefully pour the boiling sugar mixture into the egg whites in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl. This is the step that makes people nervous, and I get it.

Pour slowly and let the mixer do the work. Hot syrup hitting the egg whites all at once will scramble them, and you will see it happen right in the bowl.

Turn the mixer to high and whip until the frosting is thick, smooth, and very white. Then pipe a generous layer of frosting onto each cooled cupcake. Go taller than you think you should, because that tall mound is the whole point of a hi hat cupcake.

This frosting is at its best piped right after it is made, while it is still glossy and easy to shape.

A candy thermometer is not optional here. The syrup needs to reach 240 F, and guessing by eye will leave you with frosting that never sets up tall.

Making the Chocolate Coating

Put the frosted cupcakes in the fridge and chill them for at least 30 minutes. This sets the frosting so it holds its shape when it meets the chocolate.

Once the frosting is firm, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is completely smooth. Stir in the coconut oil or shortening until the chocolate thins out and looks glossy.

Let the chocolate sit for a minute or two so it does not melt the frosting, then dip each cupcake frosting side down into the chocolate. Lift it straight up and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Work with one cupcake at a time and keep the rest in the fridge while you dip.

Set the dipped cupcakes on a parchment lined tray and let the shell set before you serve them.

Storing

Store hi hat cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cold keeps both the marshmallow frosting and the chocolate shell at their best, so a spot in the fridge is exactly where they belong.

If you are taking them to a potluck or a picnic, a cooler with an ice pack keeps them in good shape on the drive over, and they will still look bakery fresh when you set them out.

Holiday Variations

These cupcakes are a blank canvas for almost every holiday on the calendar, and that is half the fun. The cupcake, the frosting, and the dipping method all stay the same. Only the coating and the decorations change.

• Easter: swap the chocolate chips for orange candy melts and pipe green buttercream on top to make little carrots.
• Christmas: use red candy melts instead of chocolate chips and pipe white buttercream details to turn each cupcake into a Santa hat.
• Halloween: embellish the chocolate coated frosting so it looks like a witch’s hat.

I have brought the Santa hat version to a December cookie exchange, and the carrot version to an Easter brunch, and both got the same reaction. People assume you spent hours on them. Same cupcakes, same frosting, same method, and a completely different dessert every season.

Tips and Tricks

Three small habits make this recipe feel easy instead of intimidating.

• Do not overmix the cake batter. Whisk only until it comes together, then stop and move on.
• Use a candy thermometer for the frosting. The sugar mixture needs to reach 240 F, and the thermometer removes all the guesswork.
• Pour the hot sugar mixture slowly into the egg whites while the mixer runs. A slow stream down the side of the bowl keeps the egg whites smooth instead of scrambled.

And one more for good measure. Chill the frosted cupcakes for the full 30 minutes before dipping. It is the difference between a clean chocolate shell and a frosting avalanche.

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Hi Hat Cupcakes

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Hi Hat Cupcakes Hi hat cupcakes are the kind of dessert that makes people stop mid sentence at a potluck. Picture a tender chocolate cupcake, a tall swirl of marshmallow fluff frosting piled high on top, and a thin, glossy chocolate shell wrapped around that whole fluffy mound.

• Total Time: 75 min
• Yield: 12 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For The Cupcakes
1 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Marshmallow Fluff Frosting
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
3 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Coating
2 cups chocolate chips
2–3 tablespoons coconut oil or shortening

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 350 F: Preheat the oven to 350 F; line a cupcake pan with 12 liners, set aside
2-In a large bowl, whisk together the: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
3-In a separate bowl, whisk together the: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4-Divide the batter evenly between the 12: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners, then bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5-Prepare the frosting by adding the granulated: Prepare the frosting by adding the granulated sugar, corn syrup and water to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally, and then allow to simmer until the mixture reaches 240F.
6-Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until frothy,: Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks form.
7-With the mixer running on medium speed,: With the mixer running on medium speed, carefully pour the boiling sugar mixture into the egg whites in a slow steady stream down the side of the bowl.
8-Whip on high until the mixture is: Whip on high until the mixture is thick, smooth and very white.
9-Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe a: Once the cupcakes have cooled, pipe a generous layer of frosting on top. Place in the fridge to chill at least 30 minutes.
10-Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals: Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals using the microwave, then stir in the coconut oil until chocolate is thinned. Dip each cupcake frosting side down into the chocolate mixture, allowing excess to drip off.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 498
• Sugar: 65
• Sodium: 120
• Fat: 21
• Saturated Fat: 8
• Carbohydrates: 77
• Fiber: 2
• Protein: 5
• Cholesterol: 33