The most incredible twist on your favorite campfire treat... aside from my S'mores Brownies, that is! Buttery brown sugar graham cracker crust, beneath a fudgy chocolate cupcake, topped with marshmallowy frosting and finished with a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs and a piece of good ol' chocolate.
S'mores Cupcakes
Yield: 14 cupcakes
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, plush extra for garnish
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (105g) all-purpose flour, weighed or spooned and leveled
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch processed or "Special Dark"
- 1 cup (200g) granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Meringue Marshmallow Frosting:
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate Bar for garnish
Directions
Prepare Crust:
In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press 1 tablespoon crust mixture into each baking cup.
Prepare Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with baking cups.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa and sugar. In a measuring cup whisk together oil, egg, vanilla and sour cream. Gently stir into dry ingredients. Dissolve instant espresso or coffee in the boiling water and stir into batter. Batter will be thin and liquidy.
Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full, about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (For mini cupcakes, fill with about 1 1/2 tablespoons batter each and bake for about 8-10 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa and sugar. In a measuring cup whisk together oil, egg, vanilla and sour cream. Gently stir into dry ingredients. Dissolve instant espresso or coffee in the boiling water and stir into batter. Batter will be thin and liquidy.
Fill cupcake liners just over 1/2 full, about 3 tablespoons of batter per cup. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (For mini cupcakes, fill with about 1 1/2 tablespoons batter each and bake for about 8-10 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare Frosting:
Before you start, make sure your mixing bowl and whisk/beaters are completely grease free, and when separating your eggs, make sure there is not a speck of yolk in your eggs whites.
Combine egg whites, sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium bowl placed over a pot simmering water. Top bowl should not be touching the simmering water underneath. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 2 minutes (mixture should reach 160 degrees on an instant read or candy thermometer). Do not stop beating or the egg whites will start to cook! Increase speed to high and beat for 5 more minutes, until frosting is glossy and stiff peaks form. Remove bowl from heat. Add vanilla and beat another 1-2 minutes, until frosting has slightly cooled.
Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and garnish with graham cracker crumbs and a piece of chocolate bar. Serve immediately.
For a real authentic look, place frosted cupcakes in the oven, under the broiler for about 20 seconds, until the tops are slightly toasted, or toast tops with a kitchen torch!
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