A S'mores Extravaganza!

The official start of summer is just about a week away - and nothing says summer to me quite like s'mores!  The gooey, melted chocolate, slightly cripsy and totally melted marshmallows and crunchy graham crackers?   Yes, please.

Today I have a twist on this popular campfire treat - s'mores cupcakes!  Don't be intimidated by the number of steps - each one is pretty easy, and the outcome is certainly worth it.  Wondering what the other treats are in the photo above?  In addition to the s'mores cupcakes, we have peanut butter crunch s'mores bars and s'mores pops - you'll learn how to make both later this month in my guest post on the Pure Joy Events blog!

S'mores Cupcakes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

Graham cracker crust

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs (approximately 1 package of graham crackers)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 5 T unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate cake

• 2 cups plus 2 T sugar
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1½ t baking powder
• 1½ t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Marshmallow frosting

• 8 large egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ t cream of tartar
• 2 t vanilla extract

Prepare Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat the oven to 350° F, and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

Finely process graham crackers in a food processor.  Once fine and uniform, add sugar and melted butter.  Process together until the mixture is moist and clumps together.  Drop about 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture into each cupcake liner, and press down to line the bottom of the liner (use the bottom of a shot glass or squeeze bottle).  Bake for 5 minutes, and remove from oven (maintain oven temperature).

Prepare Cupcakes

Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed to combine.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds.  Scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add the boiling water and stir just to combine (batter will be very thin).

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool in pans for 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare Frosting

Combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. (Note: I set my clean - bowl must be very clean, with no traces of grease - dry mixer bowl over simmering water).  Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it reaches 160° F on 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 and mixture is cool.  Mix in the vanilla until combined.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.  Brown with a kitchen torch (or brown under the broiler in your oven) and garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments.

Source
Adapted from Annie's Eats