If you’re looking for a show-stopping treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat, Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes are the answer! These cupcakes are out-of-this-world delicious: a rich chocolate base, a gooey Milky Way center, and a galaxy-inspired swirl of colorful buttercream on top. Each bite delivers chocolatey goodness with creamy, caramel-filled surprises, all wrapped up in a cosmic presentation that’s perfect for parties, birthdays, or just because you want to dazzle your family and friends. Get ready to bake up a batch that’s guaranteed to turn heads and spark conversation!
Ingredients You’ll Need
It’s amazing how a few simple ingredients come together to make these Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes so magical! Every item plays an important role: from the deep chocolate cake base, to the creamy Milky Way filling, to the vibrant frosting colors that create a true galaxy look.
- Chocolate cake mix: Provides a foolproof, moist base that lets you focus energy on the fun galaxy details.
- Eggs, oil, and water: Essential for preparing the cake mix according to package instructions.
- Chocolate chips: Add extra bursts of chocolate and gooey texture to every bite.
- Sour cream: Makes the cupcakes ultra-moist and adds a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor and adds warmth to the batter.
- Salt: Enhances all the chocolatey notes and prevents the cupcakes from tasting flat.
- Heavy cream: Creates a silky, decadent filling when combined with the Milky Way bars.
- Milky Way fun-size bars: The star ingredient, giving you those caramel and nougat pockets of joy throughout.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Provides the rich, creamy base for the galaxy buttercream frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting to the perfect piping consistency.
- Cocoa powder: Deepens the chocolate flavor in the frosting, giving it a cosmic richness.
- Milk: Helps achieve the perfect frosting texture—smooth, light, and pipeable.
- Purple, blue, and black gel food coloring: These bold, vibrant colors create the signature galaxy swirl.
- Edible glitter or star sprinkles (optional): Adds a twinkling starry effect that makes each cupcake look truly celestial.
How to Make Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes
Step 1: Prep Your Cupcake Liners and Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a cupcake pan with 24 liners. This helps your Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes bake evenly and makes cleanup a breeze. With everything set up in advance, you’ll be ready to fill your kitchen with the sweet aroma of chocolate in no time.
Step 2: Mix the Cupcake Batter
In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the box instructions—usually by blending in eggs, oil, and water. Once it’s smooth, stir in chocolate chips, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. The sour cream in this step is the secret weapon for super-moist, bakery-style cupcakes!
Step 3: Fill and Bake
Spoon the batter into your liners, filling each about two-thirds full. This gives the cupcakes room to rise without overflowing. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack; patience here ensures the filling and frosting won’t melt.
Step 4: Make the Milky Way Filling
While the cupcakes cool, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in 10 chopped Milky Way bars, mixing until melted and glossy. Let this mixture cool slightly—it should be thick but still pourable, perfect for filling your cupcakes.
Step 5: Core and Fill the Cupcakes
Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to cut out the centers. Spoon or pipe the Milky Way mixture into each hole, then gently replace the tops. This step adds a delightful, gooey surprise that sets Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes apart from the rest.
Step 6: Make the Galaxy Buttercream
Beat the softened butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk. Once fluffy, divide the frosting into three bowls. Tint each batch with purple, blue, and black gel food coloring for that cosmic look. Gel food coloring is ideal here—it gives vibrant color without thinning the frosting.
Step 7: Pipe the Galaxy Swirl & Decorate
Spoon alternating colors of frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star tip, creating a mesmerizing swirl effect. Pipe generous swirls onto each cupcake, then finish with edible glitter or star sprinkles for that starry-night vibe. Top with chopped Milky Way pieces if you’re feeling extra galactic!
How to Serve Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes
Garnishes
For that final celestial touch, sprinkle your Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes with edible glitter or star-shaped sprinkles. Not only do they look dazzling under the light, but they also bring out all the gorgeous galaxy colors in your frosting. If you’ve got extra Milky Way bars, a little piece on top makes each cupcake even more tempting.
Side Dishes
These cupcakes are rich and decadent, so pairing them with something light is a great idea. A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, some fresh berries, or even a tall glass of cold milk balances the sweetness and lets the galactic flavors shine. If you’re serving at a party, a platter of fresh fruit or a simple cheese board is always a hit alongside dessert.
Creative Ways to Present
Display your Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes on a black or navy-blue cake stand to really make the colors pop. Arrange them in a spiral to mimic a galaxy or scatter edible stars around the base for extra effect. For birthdays or themed parties, add tiny astronaut or planet toppers to transport your guests straight to outer space!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you have any Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes left (which is rare!), keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. The creamy filling and buttercream frosting stay freshest this way, and the cupcakes will be just as delightful for up to three days.
Freezing
To freeze, arrange the unfrosted cupcakes in a single layer and wrap them tightly. You can also freeze the filled cupcakes before adding frosting. The buttercream, once piped, might lose some of its swirl detail after freezing, but the taste will still be stellar! Thaw overnight in the fridge before decorating or serving.
Reheating
If you prefer your cupcakes slightly warm (for that gooey Milky Way center), pop an un-frosted or filled cupcake in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Add the frosting and toppings after reheating so they keep their beautiful galaxy appearance.
FAQs
Can I use homemade chocolate cupcake batter instead of a box mix?
Absolutely! If you have a favorite scratch-made chocolate cupcake recipe, go for it. Just make sure you end up with about 24 cupcakes so the measurements for filling and frosting still work out perfectly.
Do I have to use gel food coloring, or will liquid work?
Gel food coloring is best for Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes because it gives you vibrant, deep colors without thinning out the frosting. Liquid colors can make the buttercream too runny and may not achieve that bold, cosmic look.
Can these cupcakes stay out at room temperature for a party?
They can sit out for a few hours, but because of the creamy filling and butter-based frosting, it’s safest to keep them refrigerated if you won’t be serving them right away. Just bring them to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
What’s the easiest way to core cupcakes for the filling?
If you don’t have a cupcake corer, a small paring knife or even a sturdy piping tip works great. Just twist gently to remove a plug from the center, being careful not to cut all the way to the bottom.
How do I get that perfect galaxy swirl on the frosting?
To create the signature look, spoon stripes of each colored frosting side by side in your piping bag rather than mixing them together. As you pipe, the colors will swirl together beautifully, giving your Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes that unmistakable cosmic effect!
Final Thoughts
There’s just something magical about baking (and sharing) Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes. Whether you’re making them for a birthday, a themed party, or just a random Tuesday, you’re guaranteed big smiles and lots of “Wow!” moments. Give them a try—you’ll be amazed at how fun and surprisingly easy it is to bring a little slice of the cosmos to your kitchen!
Print
Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes Recipe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Milky Way Galaxy Cupcakes combine rich chocolate cake with a luscious Milky Way candy filling and a mesmerizing galaxy swirl frosting. Perfect for parties or space-themed events, these cupcakes feature a moist chocolate base enhanced with chocolate chips and sour cream, a creamy Milky Way center, and a vibrant, colorful buttercream top decorated with edible glitter and star sprinkles for a celestial finish.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box: eggs, oil, and water)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 10 unwrapped Milky Way fun-size bars, chopped
Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Purple, blue, and black gel food coloring
- Edible glitter or star sprinkles (optional)
- 10 remaining Milky Way fun-size bars, chopped (for topping, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 24-cup cupcake pan with liners. This ensures your cupcakes bake evenly and are easy to remove.
- Make Cake Batter: In a large bowl, prepare the chocolate cake mix according to the package instructions, then fold in chocolate chips, sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Filling: In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in 10 chopped Milky Way bars until fully melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly so it thickens enough to fill cupcakes without spilling.
- Core and Fill Cupcakes: Use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully remove the center of each cooled cupcake. Fill each cavity with the Milky Way cream mixture, distributing evenly among all cupcakes.
- Make the Frosting: Beat softened butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and milk, beating until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth.
- Color the Frosting: Divide the frosting equally into three bowls. Tint each portion with purple, blue, or black gel food coloring to create vibrant galaxy colors.
- Pipe the Frosting: Spoon the colored frosting alternately into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a swirling galaxy pattern on top of each cupcake to resemble a cosmic sky.
- Decorate: Optionally, sprinkle edible glitter or star-shaped sprinkles on the frosting and top each cupcake with a small piece of chopped Milky Way candy for extra flair.
Notes
- You can substitute the cake mix with your favorite homemade chocolate cupcake recipe if preferred.
- Use gel food coloring to maintain the frosting’s texture and vibrancy without thinning it out.
- Due to the creamy Milky Way filling, refrigerate cupcakes if not serving within 24 hours.
- Allow frosting colors to combine in the piping bag carefully to achieve a beautiful swirl without mixing into a muddy color.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
