Cosmic cupcakes take two classic desserts and combines them into one delicious treat everyone will fall in love with. Moist, tender cupcakes with deep chocolate flavor are topped with a rich, fudgy frosting and candy sprinkles, creating cupcakes that taste just like Cosmic Brownies.
Growing up, Cosmic Brownies were always a part of our lives. Our mom has a particular fondness for them, so of course, we grew up enjoying them, too. Those little squares are always so moist and chocolaty, and come on, sprinkles make everything better!
While we love the packaged brownies from the store, we also love making our own versions of our favorite recipes at home. That’s why we put our heads together and decided that cupcakes would be the perfect vehicle for the super-chocolaty flavor of Cosmic Brownies. Guess what? We weren’t wrong! We love serving these for family desserts or parties. They’re easy, tasty, and always a hit.
What We Love About This Recipe
- Every bite is full of Cosmic Brownie flavor.
- They use simple baking ingredients found in your kitchen or a quick trip to the grocery store.
- They’re moist, rich, and fudgy, with delicious frosting and fun sprinkles.
- Their festive look and chocolate flavor make them perfect for any occasion, from weeknight desserts to birthday parties.
Ingredients for Cosmic Cupcakes
- Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder: Hershey’s Dark cocoa powder gives the cupcakes deep chocolate flavor without bitterness.
- Vegetable Oil: The addition of vegetable oil adds more moisture and fat to the cupcakes, making them extra tender.
- Boiling Water: The secret to really tasty baked goods, boiling water helps the ingredients come together more quickly and helps activate the leavening agents in the batter.
- Cocoa Powder: Coco powder gives the frosting its classic flavor.
- Melted Butter: Melted butter adds the fat necessary to make the frosting fudge-like.
- Powdered Sugar: You can’t have frosting without powdered sugar!
For a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Variations
- Use a 9×13 baking pan to make Cosmic Brownie cake!
- Chopped nuts add extra flavor and texture to the cupcakes. Just sprinkle them on top after frosting them or fold them into the cupcake batter.
- Use cream in place of whole milk for super-rich chocolate frosting.
- Try using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for the most tender cupcakes you’ll ever make.
How to Make Cosmic Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with baking liners. Set aside.
- Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Step 3: Mix all the wet ingredients except the boiling water until smooth. Then, add the boiling water and stir until combined.
- Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Step 5: Divide the batter evenly between the liners and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Step 6: Set the baked cupcakes aside to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- Step 1: Mix the melted butter and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
- Step 2: Alternate adding a little powdered sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture, mixing after each addition until the frosting is well blended.
- Step 3: Add the vanilla and mix again until combined.
- Step 4: Frost the fully cooled cupcakes and top them with candy sprinkles. YUM!
How to Store Leftovers
Store these cupcakes at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 2 days. If you won’t be able to finish them within that time, you can refrigerate them for up to a week, although they’ll dry out a bit. You can also freeze them for up to a month by wrapping the chilled cupcakes in plastic wrap and storing them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Defrost them in the fridge overnight and bring them to room temperature before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Whisk the wet ingredients vigorously while adding the boiling to them to prevent curdling.
- Use a stand mixer for the easiest mixing.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them. Otherwise, the frosting will begin to melt and slide right off of them!
- Err on the side of less liquid when mixing your frosting. You can always add more milk, but you can’t take it out.
How to Serve Cosmic Cupcakes
Just like the brownies that inspired them, these cupcakes are fantastic with a glass of milk for the kids or a cup of coffee or tea for the grownups. You can also pair them with some fresh fruit or make them part of a larger dessert spread at parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cosmic cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes topped with a fudge frosting. They’re super-moist cupcakes that deliver the flavor and texture of classic Cosmic Brownies.
Cosmic Brownies taste like childhood! These pre-packaged brownies are super-dense and fudgy and topped with an equally chocolaty icing. Of course, we can’t forget the fun sprinkles added to the top.
First and foremost, be sure you measure your dry ingredients correctly. Never scoop your measuring cup into the flour. Instead, loosely spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a knife to prevent packing. Second, mix your batter ingredients until everything is combined and moistened, but don’t go any further. Overmixing makes brownies dense and tough.
If your frosting is made with cream cheese, you’ll have to refrigerate your cupcakes for safety. Otherwise, don’t do it! Refrigerating the cupcakes will dry them out. Popping them in the fridge is a last resort if you won’t eat them all within a couple of days, but you didn’t make enough to warrant freezing them
Try These Cosmic Cupcakes Today
If you’re like us and grew up on Cosmic Brownies, then these cupcakes are going to be a regular on your dessert list. They’re rich, fudgy, and packed as full of nostalgia as they are chocolaty flavor! They’re also so easy to make, and you’ll be glad to have them in your repertoire. With so much flavor and such an easy recipe, there’s no reason not to whip up a batch today!
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Cosmic Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Frosting
- ½ cup butter melted
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Candy sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with baking liners. Set aside.
Chocolate Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add boiling water, stir until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until fully combined.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a medium size mixing bowl, add melted butter. Mix in cocoa powder.
- Next, add in some powdered sugar and then milk, then some powdered sugar, then milk. Repeat until all is well mixed.
- After frosting is well blended, add in vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
- Once cupcakes have cooled completely, frost with the chocolate frosting and top with rainbow candy sprinkles.
Notes
- Whisk the wet ingredients vigorously while adding the boiling to them to prevent curdling.
- Use a stand mixer for the easiest mixing.
- Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting them. Otherwise, the frosting will begin to melt and slide right off of them!
- Err on the side of less liquid when mixing your frosting. You can always add more milk, but you can’t take it out.
