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Gus Gus Cupcakes

Happy 70th Anniversary Cinderella! Celebrate with these copycat Gus Gus cupcakes! Just like the ones at Disney World, these chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting are filled with marshmallow fluff and topped with fondant ears and a piece of white chocolate cheese!
Course Dessert
Keyword Chocolate Cupcakes, Gus Gus, Peanut Butter
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup + 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup boiling water

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup natural peanut butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk

Buttercream Frosting

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Filling & Decoration

  • 1 7.5 oz jar of marshmallow fluff or creme
  • 2 oz white fondant
  • pink gel food coloring
  • teal gel food coloring
  • red gel food coloring
  • ½ cup yellow candy melts

Equipment

  • 3 piping bags
  • 1 large round piping tip
  • 1 medium round piping tip
  • 1 small round piping tip
  • 1 ¼ inch round cookie cutter
  • yellow scalloped cupcake wrappers or free standing cupcake liners

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or place self-standing cupcake liners on a baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
  3. Add egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin and runny).
  5. Pour batter into prepared cupcake liners and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
  6. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Once cupcakes have cooled, use an apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake.
  8. Transfer marshmallow fluff to a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip.
  9. Pipe marshmallow fluff into the center of each cupcake. Set aside until ready to assemble.

Peanut Butter Frosting

  1. In a medium bowl, beat butter and peanut butter until fully combined.
  2. Add powdered sugar and milk and beat until fluffy. Add more milk if needed.
  3. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip.

Buttercream Frosting

  1. Beat butter and vanilla until smooth.
  2. Add the powdered sugar and milk and beat until combined.
  3. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
  4. Take a scoop of frosting and place it into a small bowl. Stir in red food coloring and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
  5. Stir teal gel food coloring into the remaining frosting and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a medium round piping tip.

Fondant Ears

  1. Wearing disposable gloves, add a couple drops of gel food coloring to the white fondant. Aim for a light pink color.
  2. Knead the fondant until the color is evenly distributed.
  3. Place onto a flat surface lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Roll out to about ¼ inch thickness.
  4. Cut out circles using a 1 ¼ inch round cutter. Gently pinch one side of the circle to make the edge of the ear.
  5. Place ears on a sheet of wax paper until ready to assemble.

Candy Cheese

  1. Place a sheet of wax paper on a flat surface.
  2. Place candy melts in a microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
  3. Spread the melted candy melts onto the wax paper. Aim for a square shape about ¼ inch thick. Leave to set, about 15 minutes.
  4. Once the candy has set, use a medium piping tip to press circles into the candy. Try not to make a complete hole.
  5. Brush off candy shavings and cut into small triangles. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Assembly

  1. If using yellow cupcake wrappers, assemble them and place cupcakes inside.
  2. Pipe a large swirl of peanut butter frosting onto each marshmallow filled cupcake.
  3. Pipe a small swirl of teal buttercream frosting on the top of the peanut butter swirl to make Gus’ hat.
  4. Pipe a small dot of red buttercream frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting on one side of the cupcake.
  5. Place a fondant ear on each side of the cupcake and a small piece of candy cheese on the right side.