S'mores Cupcakes

S'mores is just about my favorite thing about summer!

But, it's still a little too chilly for me to really embrace the summer mindset and make some s'mores outside. Therefore, I have combined my two favorite desserts with all the delicious s'mores flavors but one that I can enjoy comfortably on my sofa!

Not only are these super easy to make, but they are so fun to assemble! The frosting is light and pillowy, which means you can pipe perfect little clouds right on top of the cupcake!

You could stop there, but I think they are perfect with a little bit of crushed graham cracker on top and a drizzle of melted chocolate! The melted chocolate adds that perfect melty messy moment that happens every time you eat a s'more!

The marshmallow cream is a perfect shortcut that allows you to have a super fluffy frosting with a ton of marshmallow flavor without having to whip any meringue!

On a side note, because of the butter content in the frosting, you won't be able to torch it or try to heat it up to get a burnt marshmallow flavor! Not exactly the melty moment we're going for!

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour

1 cup of sugar

6 tablespoons of cocoa powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 egg

½ cup of buttermilk

½ cup of oil

1 cup of boiling water

Frosting:

2 sticks of butter, room temperature

1 cup of powdered sugar

1 tub of marshmallow cream, about 15 ounces

A few drops of almond extract

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 graham crackers, smashed, for garnish

½ cup of chocolate chips, melted, for garnish

Sprinkles, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk together to fully combine the ingredients and break up any lumps.

Add in eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Stir until almost combined. There should still be some clumps of flour throughout.

Then stir in the cup of boiling water. Gently, stir in the water. Be careful! Some water may splash out on you while stirring!

Line a cupcake pan with liners and fill about ⅔'s of the way full.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.

While the cupcakes cool, let's make the frosting!

Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip up on a medium-high speed, using the whisk attachment.

When the butter looks fluffy and light, about 1 minute, turn down the speed and begin to add in the powdered sugar.

After all the powdered sugar has been added, add in the marshmallow cream. You can either fold in with hand, or mix on a medium-low speed until it's all incorporated!

To decorate, add the frosting to a piping bag. Cut off the corner edge and pipe a large dollop in the middle of the cupcake. Add a couple crushed graham crackers, a drizzle of melted chocolate, and a few sprinkles!

Ta-da! S'mores cupcakes that are party ready!

If you're craving s'mores, but don't feel like getting a campfire ready, then these are definitely for you! You get a perfect bite each time, with the chocolate cake, marshmallow frosting, and the perfect crunch from the crushed graham crackers! Gosh, these are good!

-Holly Michelle