Summer = camping = s’mores. Or something like that. I actually had a very short stint as a girl scout so many years ago so s’mores mean girl scouts to me. That whole fire and toasting marshmallows till the burn to be smashed between some graham crackers thing. Ah….memories.
Chocolate s’mores cupcakes from Glorious Treats are a bit less messy and won’t require a fire. Or a stick for the marshmallows. I’m betting eating one will bring back all those wonderful memories.
Chocolate S’mores Cupcakes
(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
3/4 cup boiling water
Directions-
1. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
5. Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
6. Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.
7. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Marshmallow Frosting
2 (large) egg whites
1 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. In a large heatproof bowl (the metal bowl of your electric mixer), combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt.
2. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat mixture, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160*F), about 3 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, microwave 1 cup mini marshmallows 30 seconds to 1 minute, until puffed, and starting to melt.
5. Add marshmallows to mixture in electric mixer, reduce speed to low and add vanilla. Continue beating (on low) until the marshmallows are melted and frosting is completely smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Use frosting right away.
Assembly
Frost cooled Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow frosting. I used a large french tip. If desired, use a kitchen torch to brown the frosting. Top frosted cupcakes with a piece of Hersheys chocolate, and a piece of graham cracker.
*Note- The graham cracker gets a bit soft from the frosting. If it’s important to you that it be nice and crisp, I would try baking the graham crackers (in a single layer on a baking sheet) about 5 minutes in a 325*F oven to dry them out a bit. I’ve never done this, but I will try it next time I make these.