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S'mores Cupcakes

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These S'mores Cupcakes have it all: a moist chocolate cake, a rich, chocolate ganache filling, a buttery graham cracker crust, and the fluffiest toasted swiss meringue topping. They're delicious and each bite is packed with flavor thanks to all of the elements combined. Trust me, you need these in your life.

  • Author: Marisa Guerra
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 54 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Chocolate Ganache

  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 113 grams (1/2 cup) heavy cream

Graham Cracker Base

  • 9 whole graham crackers
  • 3 oz unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 135 grams (1 cup, 2 tbsp) flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 31 grams (1/4 cup, 2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 75 grams (5 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 148 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 84 grams (1/4 cup, 2 tbsp) buttermilk
  • 3 oz (1/4, 2 tbsp) freshly brewed hot coffee

Swiss Meringue

  • 4 egg whites
  • 198 grams (1 cup) sugar
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Chocolate Ganache

  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a heat safe bowl.
  2. Place the heavy cream in a smaller heat safe bowl and microwave for 10 second intervals, stirring in between until the cream is hot.
  3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until combined. Reheat for 10 seconds if the chocolate isn't fully melted..
  4. Let cool before covering with plastic wrap and placing in the fridge to chill.

Graham Cracker Crust

  1. Blend graham crackers in a food processor until they are a fine, sandlike consistency. Add in melted butter and sugar and blend until the crumbs start to clump together.
  2. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners and divide the crust evenly among them. Use a small, flat bottomed measuring cup sprayed with cooking spray to carefully press the crumbs down until they cover the bottom of each liner and are compact and level. Chill until needed.

Chocolate Cupcakes

  1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside.
  3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed. Add vanilla.
  5. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk.
  6. Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  7. Using a 2 tbsp cookie scoop, carefully scoop 2 tbsp of batter into each cupcake liner. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and split the remaining batter among the cupcakes until they look even.
  8. Bake for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Let the pan cool on the cooling rack for 15 minutes before gently pulling the cupcakes out of the pan and letting them cool completely on the cooling rack.

Swiss Meringue

  1. Once the cupcakes have started to cool, Stir together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a double boiler. Continue to stir constantly until mixture reaches 160º F on a candy thermometer.
  2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add in the vanilla, and mix with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes followed by high speed for another 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks have formed.

Assembly

  1. Use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut the center of each cupcake without cutting out the graham cracker crust. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.
  2. Add the chocolate ganache to a pastry bag and carefully pipe into the centers of each cupcake until they're 3/4 full. If your ganache is too thick, carefully reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds until it is a better piping consistency.
  3. Gently add the tops back so they cover up the chocolate ganache.
  4. Scoop the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco 807 or similar piping tip.
  5. Starting in the middle of the cupcake, hold the piping bag upright and apply pressure to pipe straight down until a dollop of meringue almost reaches the borders. Gently lift up in a swift swirling motion to leave a slight tip.
  6. Repeat this with the remaining cupcakes.
  7. Use a kitchen torch to carefully torch the meringue on each cupcake.
  8. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Cupcakes are best when eaten fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
  • I recommend waiting to fill the cupcakes with chocolate ganache and waiting to make the swiss meringue until closer to when you'll serve them as both elements are best when they're as fresh as possible.
  • If you don't have a round piping tip, you can cut a medium sized whole in the corner of a plastic bag.