Gooey Chocolate S’mores Cupcakes
User Reviews
4.9
Gooey Chocolate S’mores Cupcakes
Description
These cupcakes start with a chocolate base where butter, semi-sweet chocolate, oil, and cocoa create a moist, tender crumb. Coffee or hot water enhances the chocolate's richness. Batter includes flour, baking powder, baking soda, eggs, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla to balance texture and flavor.
The graham cracker layer is made from finely crushed graham crackers combined with flour, brown sugar, and melted butter, pressed into the cupcake liners and lightly baked to create a crisp base. This adds a subtle sweetness and crunch reminiscent of s’mores crust.
Chocolate buttercream is prepared by melting butter with chocolate and cooling until firm, then whipped until creamy. The cupcakes are finished with a generous marshmallow frosting, combining smooth sweetness and the nostalgic flavor of campfire s’mores. Grease-proof liners are recommended to prevent grease stains from the buttery crust.
The contrast of textures—from the soft cake to the crunchy graham layer and creamy frostings—makes these cupcakes a unique and indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 Hershey's chocolate bar 3oz of chocolate
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 4oz
Graham Cracker Layer
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (2 1/2) graham crackers
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 30g
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter 1.5oz, melted
Cupcakes
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, 2 oz
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped (high-quality chips are fine, 1.5 oz
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 60 g
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted, 20g
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1 egg at room temperature, large egg and 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup coffee hot, or hot water
- 5 cups marshmallow frosting see recipe for when to start the frosting
Instructions
Start Chocolate Buttercream
- Start the buttercream about an hour before you are ready to make your cupcakes. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt together butter and chocolate until completely melted. Stir together and then remove from heat.
- Allow to cool on the counter for 10 minutes before placing in the refrigerator until solid, about 1 hour.
Graham Cracker Layer
- Preheat oven to 350° Line cupcake pan with grease-proof liners.
- In your food processor, pulse graham cracker pieces until they are a fine crumb. Add in flour and sugar and pulse until combined. Drizzle in butter and continue to process until completely incorporated. If you don't have a food processor, you can crush the graham crackers with a rolling pin in a plastic bag and mix everything in a bowl.
- Divide graham cracker mixture between cupcakes cups, a little less than one tablespoon per cup, and use your fingers or a shot glass to press mixture down firmly.
- Bake for 5 minutes until tops look set.
Cupcakes
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter until almost completely melted. Add chocolate and oil and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for an additional 15 seconds if necessary, until chocolate is completely melted. Stir until well-combined and set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk in cooled chocolate mixture. (It can be warm, but if it is hot to the touch, set aside for another couple of minutes. You don't want to scramble the eggs!)
- Whisk in half of the flour mixture until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and mix. Whisk in the last of the flour, mixing until just combined.
- Whisk in the coffee (or water). The batter will be thin and runny. It's supposed to look like that.
- Fill cupcake tins just under 3/4 of the way full (if you transfer the batter to a liquid measuring cup first, it makes filling easier). Don't overfill--you might have a tiny bit of batter left over.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Take chocolate frosting mixture out of the refrigerator and set on the counter to soften while your cupcakes cool.
Finish Chocolate Filling and Assemble
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely, about half an hour. Once cupcakes are cool, use a handheld electric mixer, or scoop softened chocolate mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer and use the whisk attachment, to whisk mixture on medium-high until light in color, about 2 minutes.
- Using a serrated knife with a sharp tip, cut a cone-shaped piece out of the center of each cupcake. You don't have to be neat about it, and you can discard (or eat) the cone.
- Transfer chocolate frosting to a plastic bag by placing the bag over an empty cup and scooping the mixture inside. Seal bag and snip off one of the corners. Use the bag to "pipe" chocolate mixture into the cupcakes and fill to the top.
- Make marshmallow frosting and top cupcakes with big swirls using a piping bag.
- Turn broiler on high and place cupcakes on a tray in the oven. Watch closely and do not walk away from the oven. Leave cupcakes in just long enough to toast the marshmallow frosting, 2 to 4 minutes.
Notes
- Use grease-proof cupcake liners to prevent dark grease marks from the buttery crust.
- Press the graham cracker layer firmly for a distinct crunch that holds up during baking.
- Prepare the chocolate buttercream in advance allowing it to solidify before whipping for best texture.
- Use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor in both cupcakes and buttercream.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12cupcakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 349 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 349kcal | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.