Smores Cupcake Recipes From Scratch

S'MORES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line one 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
• In a small bowl, whisk the flour, ground graham crackers, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture and milk, alternating, starting and ending with the flour mixture, until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until golden brown, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cool in the tin 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the filling: While the cupcakes cool, prepare the filling: Combine the chocolate, cream and corn syrup in a medium bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals on high, stirring, until smooth. Set aside until cooled and thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.
• For the meringue frosting: Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a saucepan that can hold a heatproof stand mixer's bowl above the water. Combine the egg whites, granulated sugar and cream of tartar in the stand mixer bowl. Set the bowl above the simmering water and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the egg whites are warm to the touch, turn white and are beginning to get fluffy. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, and whip on high speed until the meringue is cooled, fluffy and very thick. Beat in the vanilla.
• To assemble: Place the chocolate filling in a pastry bag or re-sealable plastic bag fitted with a small round tip (about 1/8-inch diameter) and snip the end. Pierce the center of each cupcake with the pastry tip and gently squeeze in the chocolate filling until it begins to come out of the top of the cupcake. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.
• Pipe or swirl the meringue frosting onto each cupcake. If desired, brown the meringue with a kitchen torch or place briefly under the broiler. Garnish with a chocolate square.

S'MORES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line two cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. (Note: I found the bottom of my squeeze bottle to be the perfect size to do this job neatly and quickly.) Sprinkle a small amount of the chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.
• To make the cake batter, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just to combine. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir just to combine (batter will be thin).
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Return the pans to the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I just set my clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water, to avoid dirtying two bowls.) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Brown with a kitchen torch and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments (optional).

S'MORES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.
• 2. In a small bowl, combine crust ingredients and mix well.
• 3. Press about 1 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
• 4. Bake crusts for 7 minutes then remove and set aside.
• 5. To make the cupcakes, add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
• 6. Add egg, buttermilk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• 7. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well.
• 8. Pour batter into cupcake pan, filling a little more than half way, and bake at 300 degrees for about 17-19 minutes.
• 9. When done, remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Then remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool.
• 10. While cupcakes cool, make the meringue frosting. Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and vanilla extract in a metal, heatproof mixer bowl.
• 11. Place over a saucepan with simmering water (or use a double boiler).
• 12. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm, to between 120 and 140 degrees on a thermometer, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
• 13. Using the whisk attachment, beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.
• 14. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes (I used Ateco tip 808) and top with chocolate sauce and graham cracker crumbs, if desired.