For Christmas I also made these Smore's Cupcakes seen on Annie's Eats. She raved about how good they were and really I have been dying to use the kitchen torch I bought. So this was the perfect excuse, plus smores's cupcakes...yes please!
So as I was baking these Christmas Eve day I was getting more excited by the second to pull out the kitchen torch, when it finally was the time, I pulled it out and realized I need to put butane gas in it. Umm, what's a girl to do when its Christmas Eve and she is running late and has no butane for the kitchen torch...I called my mom to see if she had any she could bring me. She didn't have any and couldn't really tell me where to go that late in the day on Christmas Eve. I was defeated and had no time for a store run. So I ended up using the broiler to torch the marshmallow frosting. Just be careful and keep an eye on them, it works really quickly!
These little cakes were perfection, the graham cracker crust with the moist chocolate cupcakes and the toasted marshmallow frosting....heaven! If you like smore's you will definitely love this recipe, so get in the kitchen and make this soon!
Smore's Cupcakes from Annie's Eats originally adapted from Lovin from the Oven and attributed to Trophy Cupcakes
Graham Cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 1/3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the cake:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 plus 1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
For the frosting:
8 large egg whites, at room temp
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter, mix well with a fork.
To make the cake batter, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with 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.
Divide the batter evenly between the liners, filling each about 3/4 of the way full. Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to cooling racks.
To make the frosting: combine the eggs, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double broiler. (I just used a clean, dry mixer bowl over simmering water) Heat the mixture, whisking frequently until it reaches 160 degrees F with an instant read thermometer. Transfer the mixture of an electric bowl with whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.
Brown with kitchen torch or use the broiler. Just make sure to watch this only takes about 45 seconds to a 1 minute.
Garnish with chocolate or graham crackers as you wish!
I took a bite out of one, simply for picture purposes :)
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