Feeding Soldiers: Copycat Hostess Cupcakes

I haven't posted one of my feeding soldiers posts in awhile. I've been busy feeding soldiers just not always something I want to blog or I've already posted it before! For example last month I made them the bunny cakes. If you haven't read a feeding soldiers post before, the Hubsters battalion provides a meal for the Fisher House once a month, and the senior spouses make something, I almost always volunteer to bring a dessert, actually The only non dessert I've ever brought was a salad! No surprise there I'm sure. I've also sent some goodies to them in Afghanistan, if you missed it you can see that post here. I love feeding people and it really is my way to give back.
I decided to try and make hostess cupcakes. I noticed a lot of people are going to the trouble of making a homemade cake and honestly I just didn't have time to do that this week. Plus I kind of love the supped up cake mix recipe that I use! It's so good and easy! There are quite a few steps to this with the fillings and ganache and frosting but I promise it will be so worth it, give these a try and tell me what you think!

Quick notes: I think these turned out awesomely, do they taste exactly like Hostess Cupcakes, um no but they are still so good. The Ganache is a little on the rich side, you can always sub in milk chocolate chips or maybe do a half milk half semi sweet chocolate combo. But still give them a try you won't be disappointed!

Here's what you'll need:

1box chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup butter melted
1 cup Milk
3 eggs

Filling:
4TBSP Butter
1cup Powdered Sugar
3TBSP Heavy Cream
7 oz jar Marshmallow cream
2tsp Vanilla

Ganache:
1bag semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
1tsp Vanilla
1TBSP Butter

Frosting:
1 cup Powdered sugar
1-2 TBSP Milk
1/2 stick of Butter

Here's how you make it:

Combine cake mix butter, milk and eggs mix until combined. Pour batter into lined cupcake pans.Bake for 20 min @ 350 degrees.
While the cupcakes are baking make the filling. Cream the butter in a mixer until it is fluffy add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and the heavy cream. Mix until combined. Beat in the Marshmallow cream, refrigerate until you are ready to fill the cupcakes. 
When the cupcakes are cool slice off a little piece of the top in a circle, remove it and fill the gap with the cream, place the top piece back on.
For the ganache place the half and half Ina small sauce pan heat just until warm DO NOT BOIL! Add in the butter just until it melts. add in the vanilla and stir. Place the chocolate chips into a small bowl, pour the half and half over the chocolate chips stir until melted and combined let cool then spread on top of the cupcakes. Then to make them look like the hostess cupcakes make the frosting by adding all the ingredients and mixing until they are combined, spoon the frosting into a ziplock bag and cut off the tip.
Draw a squiggle on the top of each cupcake you can also write a word or make a different design if you are talented like that! I tried and it worked ok BUT definitely would need a little practice!

ENJOY!