Kendra's Treats

This isn’t the first s’mores cupcake that I’ve made. My first attempt was a graham cracker cake with a chocolate ganache filling and a marshmallow frosting. They looked good, but I wasn’t happy with the cake and the marshmallow frosting didn’t hold up until the next day. I did get to use my kitchen torch though ;). I meant to modify the recipe and get it blog worthy, but I never got around to it. And in all honesty, I kind of forgot about s’mores cupcakes until I bought the new Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook and saw a recipe for graham frosting. Immediately I thought about a recipe for toasted marshmallow filling I had bookmarked and combining the two in a s’mores cupcake. Best. Idea. Ever. =) I think this is my new favorite cupcake. My favorite chocolate cupcake recipe + toasted marshmallow filling + graham frosting = delicious! And you really do taste all the flavors of the traditional campfire s’mores. So far this is the only recipe I’ve made from my new cookbook. Primarily because all the recipes are kind of labor intensive with multiple steps – but man oh man if they’re all as good as this graham frosting it’s worth it! I have several more recipes from the cookbook lined up to make just as soon as surgery is over I have some free time. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Filling and Graham Cracker Frosting
Chocolate Cupcakes
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup Hershey’s special dark cocoa
3/4 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup bread flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line muffin tins with paper liners (15-18).
3. Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes in refrigerator. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
5. Bake for 13-17 minutes, or until edges are springy to touch and center is almost set.
6. Cool cupcakes completely.
*adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Toasted Marshmallow Filling
28-30 large white marshmallows
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla nut extract

1. Place marshmallows on cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Broil marshmallows until nice and brown on top, between 30-60 seconds. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, and broil until they are golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them–they burn very, very quickly.
2. Combine butter and powdered sugar in electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, on low until blended (about 1 minute).
3. Add vanilla and mix on high for about 3 minutes. Add toasted marshmallows, and mix on lowest setting for about 1 minute. At this point the icing may seem kind of melty – just keep beating until it cools slightly and it will thicken up.
*adapted from Sweetapolita

Graham Frosting
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/3 cup milk

6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 tbsp brown sugar, packed
3 cups powdered sugar

1. Combine the graham crumbs, milk powder, sugar, salt, melted butter and heavy cream in bowl. Stir to combine. Add milk and pour in blender. Puree until smooth and homogenous. It will take about a minute.
2. Combine the room temperature butter and brown sugar in bowl of stand mixer. Cream together on medium-high for up to 2-3 minutes, until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add graham mixture. After about a minute, crank the speed up to medium high and let her rip for another 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and beat another couple minutes until light and fluffy.
*adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar

Note: I used Watkins vanilla nut extract in both the cupcakes and the marshmallow filling. I think it makes a difference because it has kind of a nutty/caramely flavor. I found mine at wal-mart.