Sinfully decadent, these over-the-top s’mores cupcakes are a summer dream.
It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for s’mores. I’ve already shared recipes for my s’mores cake and s’mores ice cream, but now we’re getting serious. Next level serious, with CARAMEL.
I’m trying to remember when I first fell for s’mores. Like many of you, it was a childhood favorite. But while I can conjure up a few recollections of stabbing a marshmallow and holding it over a flame, I can’t remember the moment when cupid’s arrow struck. I swear I can’t remember anything these days (is this happening to you?) and I’m constantly laughing about these memory lapses with my girlfriends.
When I get together with my college girlfriends over dinner, we spend half the evening piecing together our swiss cheese memories into one complete story. It always starts with one of us saying “Do you remember that time…” and the rest of us staring back blankly. We can no longer blame it on “baby brain” and I’m seriously hoping it’s not age just yet, perhaps it’s the haze of carpooling whines and evening wine. But I digress…
Was it s’mores we were talking about?
What makes a perfect s’more?
It’s all about ratio my friends. We want that perfect balance between graham cracker, chocolate, and toasted marshmallow. It should be gooey. It should be messy. It should be decadent.
So how do you turn that into a cupcake?
Let’s take it step by step:
- Let’s start with a graham cracker base. I press a simple graham cracker crust into the bottom of lined muffin cups, bake, and cool.
- Next stop chocolate. I use my favorite one-bowl chocolate cake recipe, but (and here’s where it gets exciting) layer one half the batter over the graham cracker crust, then pop in a Ghirardelli chocolate caramel square and top with the remaining batter. (We are seriously addicted to these candies in my house and always have them tucked inside the candy jar when we need a chocolate fix.)
- Now we bake, cool, and then frost the cupcakes with marshmallow frosting. This frosting needs a fair amount of beating, so make it while the cupcakes bake and cool. Dollop on the frosting and pop a regular size marshmallow on the top.
- Grab that kitchen torch and brown the tops, especially that marshmallow. Top with another chocolate caramel square (why not, we’ve gone this far), unwrap, and enjoy.
These cupcakes are BEYOND. The frosting is appropriately ooey, gooey, toasty, and sticky. The graham cracker crust has just enough salt to help balance the sweet, and the cake? The chocolate caramel square bakes into the batter but leaves the center with a soft pocket of caramel.
My memory might be going, but I guarantee these cupcakes will be unforgettable.
Sinfully decadent, these over-the-top s'mores cupcakes are a summer dream.
- 5 large graham crackers, ground (about 1 cup)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 Ghirardelli Caramel squares
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 12 marshmallows
- 12 Ghirardelli Caramel squares, for garnish (optional)
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Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcakes liners and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Combine the ground graham crackers, sugar, salt and melted butter in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
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Divide the graham cracker mixture evenly in the bottom of the cupcake liners and tamp down to form a crust. Bake for 5 mins and remove to a rack to cool slightly.
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Whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk in the buttermilk, egg, and canola oil.
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Slowly whisk in the boiling water and stir in the vanilla.
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Divide HALF of the batter evenly in the cupcake liners over the graham cracker crust. Place an unwrapped chocolate caramel square over the batter and evenly divide the remaining batter over the candies.
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Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
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Place all ingredients, except the marshmallows, in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Be sure the water does not touch the bottom of the pan.
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Beat with an electric mixer until thick and glossy, about 7-8 minutes.
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Add in the marshmallows and continue to beat until marshmallows are melted, about 3 mins.
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Remove from heat and beat for an additional 4-5 minutes, until cooled and thickened.
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Fill a piping bag fitted with a large round tip about 2/3 full with marshmallow frosting. Pipe frosting in concentric circles on top of the cupcake, creating a peak. If you don't have a pastry bag, simply mound the frosting on top with a knife or offset spatula.
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Press one marshmallow lightly in the center of the frosting. Use a kitchen torch to brown the marshmallow and the frosting until golden brown.
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Place an unwrapped chocolate caramel square into the icing and serve. (optional)
- Special equipment: kitchen torch, 12 cupcake liners, a pastry bag (optional)
- Ghiradelli squares work perfectly in this recipe, but you can substitute your favorite caramel chocolate candy.
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