S’mores Cupcakes

“Please sir, may I have s’more”

Welcome to the summer season! There is nothing that screams summer more than some warm roasted marshmallows (ok – maybe grilling screams summer pretty loudly too, but I grew up in a house where dad grilled in a winter coat). There are so many awesome S’mores inspired recipes out there (none of them for that winter-grilling father of mine who hates them) and I finally had to pick one and make them.

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We went to a BBQ with some friends and I decided these would be perfect to bring (especially after my amazing baker co-worker made some a few weeks ago for us). These cupcakes were voted “best dessert at the bbq” (which I think is a pretty big compliment since almost everyone there is very into mountain/road biking and very health-conscious, so these can even convert your ‘healthy friends’ to the ‘dark side’)

RECIPE

S’mores Cupcakes 

(adapted from 6 Bittersweet’s as she adapted it from lots of other places)
Makes 18 cupcakes

• 1 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs (from about 16 squares/8 crackers)
• 3 Tbsp sugar [you can skip if using cinnamon/sugar crackers]
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• [6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped] – SKIPPED

• 1 cup PLUS 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp flour
• 7 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners; set aside. Place the graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined. Place 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture prepared earlier into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping. [Place 2 teaspoons of chocolate in each muffin cup.]  Place the pans in the oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes.

Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl. Mix these together until evenly combined. In a separate large bowl, mix together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Get your prepared graham cracker crusts cupcake pans & fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with [the remaining chocolate and] graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer muffin pans to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream
(as adapted from Creative Loafing)

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme (or more)
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. milk

Beat butter until fluffy. Beat in marshmallow creme until incorporated.
Add sugar and beat until fluffy (3-5 min). Add the vanilla extract and beat another 30 seconds, taste & decide if you want/need more marshmallow or if needed, add milk to get desired consistency.

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Now that these cupcakes are done, I came across Domestic Fits Smore’s Cheesecakes which I look forward to brining to my next (indoor) summer event  – not sure how well cheesecakes would do outside. I wonder if maybe even my cheesecake loving but s’mores hating father would like these!?

I leave you with a question to ponder… One of the joys of S’mores is their simplicity, whereas these cupcakes take them to a different level of preparation and difficulty – which do you prefer!?

Tags: baked, campfire, camping, chocolate, cupcakes, dessert, entertaining, food, marshmallow, s'mores, s'mores cupcakes, summer