S’mores Cupcakes

This is my favorite cupcake ever…so far. The first time I made these cupcakes were for this bake sale.  Maybe you remember the Go Autonation fundraiser?  Jackson looks to be doing great by the way.  :)The cupcakes were such a hit that they were requested for Anna’s little shindig. Note: If you live near me or are my neighbor you reap the benefits of leftovers.  Just an FYI.  :) Not only were these cupcakes really fun to make, but they tasted great too!  It made me kind of want to go camping. Should we get started?    There is a small crust to these cupcakes.  It provides a nice little surprise when you bite into it.This awesome chocolate will go on top of the crust.  It’s perfect.  Really.  Just wait and see. Let’s make that crust.  Melt your butter and mix in the sugar. Then add your graham cracker crumbs. Scoop a little of that mixture into each cupcake wrapper. Then find something to press the crust down a little.  My kids’ little tupperware cup was the perfect size. Now take that chocolate that you chopped up and sprinkle it over each little cupcake.Stick the cupcakes as is into your preheated oven for about 5 minutes.  This will make the chocolate perfectly soft and melted.While that’s in the oven lets make the cake part!  Mix your wet ingredients together, except the boiling water. Save that for a little later.  I love having this big measuring cup.  It works really well for things like this.Mix your dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Then slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  After that is well mixed slowly pour in boiling water. Your batter will be a little thin.  No worries though!Fill the cups about 3/4 full and stick them in the oven to bake.    While your cupcakes are baking you can go ahead and start making the marshmallowy frosting.   Start by mixing together egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar.  Place the mixing bowl over a pot of simmering hot water- kind of like a double boiler. Whisk the mixture until the temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Then remove the bowl from the pot. Mix it on super high until the frosting starts forming stiff peaks…     Just like this.  It should take about 10 minutes.    Once the cupcakes come out of the oven and have cooled down go ahead and frost them.  It’s super fun!Then, after you frost the cupcakes, find a handsome stud with a torch.     Smokin’

  These are from Anna’s birthday.  I liked them better the second time around.    I used a different tip to frost them. I made these for the bake sale. Cute aren’t they?

This is what the cupcake looks like when it’s been dissected.  Graham cracker crust, chocolatey surprise, chocolate cupcake, marshmallowy frosting.  Mmmm…..

This was Anna’s ginormous cupcake.  I made in a coffee filter which I placed in one of my small pyrex bowls.            

S’mores Cupcakes:

Ingredients:
For the graham cracker crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the cake:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder (2tsp. high altitude)
1½ tsp. baking soda (1tsp high altitude)
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Directions:
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. 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. 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).

*I made just slight adjustments for altitude purposes.  I’m not sure if they made a difference or not.