These are the perfect s’mores cupcakes: a graham cracker base, soft and decadent chocolate cake, gooey Hershey’s chocolate buttercream center, and toasted marshmallow frosting.
It’s week four of my June Barbecue Menu where I’ve spent the month putting together an entire meal’s worth of BBQ courses. I started with Strawberry Limeades, followed that up with Loaded Baked Potato Salad with Yogurt as the side, used some Basil and Garlic Steak Marinade on some gorgeous rib-eyes for the main course, and now it’s time for dessert!
And surprising absolutely no one in the world who knows me, it’s s’mores themed. S’mores Cupcakes!! I love s’mores. They are the best part of summer and if I can s’moreize anything, I will.
I just typed the word “s’mores” so many times it doesn’t look real any more.
S’mores.
These cupcakes are total show stoppers. I’ve tested them a couple times since they are multi-step cupcakes, and every time leftovers go out into the world, they are met with rave reviews. They even got a “this is the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted” from one taste tester. Sooooooo.
There’s a lot going on with these cupcakes, so I’m going to break it down for you.
We start with a brown sugar graham cracker base. It’s a little crunchy, a little crumbly, and the beeeeeest thing. I’m obsessed with it.
On top of that, there is the chocolate cupcake. This cupcake is moist and chocolatey and amazing.
Inside of the cupcake, we have more chocolate. Here’s the thing about s’mores. A classic summer s’more HAS to use Hershey’s chocolate bars. I will fight you on this. So of course, for the inside of my s’mores cupcakes, I used Hershey’s bars to make the 2-ingredient chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s my favorite part of the cupcakes.
Finally, there is the marshmallow frosting. This stuff is beautiful and fluffy and a perfect marshmallow dream sitting on top of the cupcakes. Sadly, for those of us who like to make our s’mores by setting our marshmallows on fire, it is not the right type of flammable to do this with–I did not try to set my cupcake on fire (I did), but they do toast up absolutely beautifully.
And yes, these S’mores Cupcakes are what I like to call “project cupcakes.” They are kind of involved but so much fun to make and so satisfying.
Like my Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes, making these cupcakes is a multi-step process, but none of the steps are hard, and I wrote an entire post walking you through making the easy marshmallow frosting. If you are a s’mores lover or one of those people who likes weekend baking projects with impressive results, you have to try these.
Gooey Chocolate S’mores Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 Hershey's Bars 3oz of chocolate
- 8 tablespoons (4oz) unsalted butter
Graham Cracker Layer
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (2 1/2) graham crackers
- 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (1.5oz) melted butter
Cupcakes
- 4 tablespoons (2oz) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (1.5oz) semi-sweet chocolate chopped (high-quality chips are fine)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot coffee 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
Nutritional Information
Cupcakes Adapted From Baker by Nature
Chocolate Buttercream Adapted From Cookies and Cups
This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of the links. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.
Sarah says
These look amazing! Would like to make them for my daughter’s graduating party. Could i make the cupcake and freeze it, then frost them a day or two before party?
Tracy says
Hi, Sarah, I’ve never frozen these cupcakes before, but it should work just fine.
Katie says
Can I leave the chocolate buttercresm in the refrigerator more then 1 hour how about like 6 hours?
Tracy says
Absolutely! Just make sure to let it soften after refrigerating (as per the recipe) before whipping up into frosting.
Katie says
He became very hard what can I do
Katie says
*it
Tracy says
Hi Katie, that’s normal! You have to treat it like butter and let it soften before you can beat it into frosting. Usually about an hour, maybe a little more if it is very cold in your house. Once you can easily leave an indentation in it with your finger, you can start the next step. Good luck!
Heidelind says
I made these last week for a party and making them again today just for the family. I love everything about these cupcakes! Brilliant!
Tracy says
This makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Marlena says
If I make the meringue in advance and leave it in my piping bag will it hold for a day or two?
Tracy says
Hi Marlena, it should be used right away (it holds up fine on the cupcakes, but in a piping bag, it tends to separate after a while). If you’re looking to break up the making process, I would make the cupcakes and filling the day before, store in an air-tight container and then make the frosting the day of.
Emily says
Does anyone know if the frosting would hold up well if these were frozen for up to a week?
Tracy says
Hi, Emily. I wouldn’t freeze this frosting. It’s basically a meringue, and while you can freeze meringues, the texture tends to change (not for the better) once frozen and defrosted.
Kari says
Hello. I will be making these later this week. I am a little confused by the chocolate buttercream. Have you forgotten to add the icing sugar and milk? or is this just a filling of melted chocolate? Do these come across as very sweet cupcakes?
Tracy says
Hi Kari. Nope, recipe is correct! And it’s not just melted chocolate (I promise). When you whip the butter/chocolate mixture (after chilling completely and then bringing to room temperature) you get a nice creamy chocolate buttercream that you could pipe if you wanted to.
I don’t find the cupcakes to be overwhelmingly sweet, but everyone has different sweet-level preferences. I’d characterize them more as RICH, but in a good way. 🙂
Terrie says
I made these today. They were very yummy. I had the same problem with the frosting, it was too runny. It was white and had the consistency of marshmallow cream but no where near the consistency for frosting. I beated the frosting on high for close to 10 minutes. I added powder sugar and a 1/2 of a pack of cream cheese to it after beating it. It was really yummy but still had to be spread on instead of pipped.
Tracy says
Hi Terrie, thanks for reporting back! I’m sorry the frosting didn’t quite work out for you, but I’m glad you were still able to enjoy them!!
Paula says
I have a friend who would like serve these at her wedding reception (150-200 guests). How long would the toasted frosting hold up if I make them in advance, or should I take my kitchen torch and toast them on site (I don’t think I will have access to a broiler)
Tracy says
Hi Paula, I would definitely toast them in advance, because the frosting is very sticky until toasted. They held up just fine all weekend in my refrigerator (I wouldn’t leave them at room temperature for more than a couple of hours and definitely not in a hot environment for very long), but for an event that important, you might want to make a test batch and see how they hold up. It’s pretty dry here in California, and I’m not sure how different humidity, etc. might affect that.
Ashleigh Burgess says
Oh wow if this recipe doesn’t make it to my table soon I might cry, it looks delish!
Tracy says
Ha! Thanks, Ashleigh!!
Nikki40004 says
Can you make the frosting the night before, then frost them the next day?
Tracy says
Hi, Nikki. Sorry this response is so late! I missed your comment. This frosting should be made right before frosting the cupcakes. It can start to weep and deflate if left overnight, though it seems to hold okay once it’s actually on the cupcakes, especially if you torch them. Hope that helps.
Lisa says
Can we substitute chocolate milk for the coffee. I don’t care for coffee
Tracy says
Hi Lisa, you can substitute the same amount of hot water for the coffee. I’ll edit the recipe to make note of this. I always forget how many people aren’t a fan of coffee. 🙂
Susie says
Hi Tracy! How is the marshmallow icing tasting like marshmallow if there aren’t any in it? And can I replace the 1/4 cup of coffee with whole milk? I’m not a big coffee drinker.
Tracy says
Hi Susie, the frosting tastes like marshmallows because that’s basically what homemade marshmallows are made out of, minus some gelatin and a bit of corn syrup. I wouldn’t say it tastes exactly like the ones you get out of the bag, but the texture and taste is really like biting into a big marshmallow that’s been turned into frosting, and when toasted, you definitely get that toasted marshmallow taste.
For the coffee, you can replace it with the same amount of hot water. You can’t really taste the coffee in these, it just gives the chocolate a richer flavor, but if you don’t keep it handy, there’s no reason to run out an buy some. 🙂
Kristy says
do these need to be eaten immediately? Or can you keep them in the refrigerator after making them?
Tracy says
Hi Kristy, they keep just fine in the refrigerator for a day or two. The only thing is the chocolate buttercream center firms up when it gets cold so it won’t be gooey, but it’s still yummy. 🙂
Val says
So I tried to make these. The cupcakes turned out amazing, but my frosting was all runny. 🙁 What can I do next time so my frosting holds up?
Tracy says
Hi, Val. I’m glad the cupcake base worked for you. As for troubleshooting the frosting, if it was the chocolate frosting that was runny, next time make sure it is completely solid in the refrigerator before letting it come to room temperature on the counter. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t become too soft (this can be tricky during the summer). You want a consistency that is soft enough to whip, but not melted, and you can always put it back in the fridge if it does become too soft.
If it was the marshmallow, I’m guessing it wasn’t beaten long enough. You want to beat the egg and sugar mixture until it is bright white and very fluffy. You can test whether it’s ready or not by stopping your mixer and lifting the beaters straight up out of the frosting. The frosting should stand up before flopping over at the tip. If it won’t hold its shape in the bowl, it won’t hold up on the cupcakes.
Hope that helps!
Rahul @samosastreet.com says
wow these look so decadent ! I love all the ooey gooey goodness in this cake!
Tracy says
Thanks, Rahul!!
Sarah @ What Sarah Bakes says
So, I’m pretty sure you’re a genius! Best cupcake idea ever 🙂
Tracy says
Thank you, Sarah!!
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
My Monday is suddenly looking better, Tracy! These definitely do look like a show stopper! S’mores are awesome and to combine it in cupcake form takes it to another level. These look almost too pretty to eat…almost 😉 Wishing I had one (or 3) right now 🙂 Pinned!
Tracy says
Thank you, Dawn! And thanks for pinning!!
Nancy says
I just made these and they are soooo good… Do I have to keep them refrigerated ?
Tracy says
So glad you’re enjoying them, Nancy! And yes, refrigerate if they’re not going to be eaten within a couple of hours. The chocolate buttercream inside will firm up (like butter) but soften again if left at room temp for a bit before eating.