S'mores Cupcakes

Are you tired of this winter yet? I have been for some time now. Even our vacation in Florida last month with temperatures in the high 70's didn't help me to feel better about this bitter, cold, snowy mess that won't quit. So, I decided to bring a little summer into the kitchen. Actually, this recipe was my daughter's idea. We have been working on it off and on for some time now. The cupcake flavor was a bit of a challenge, but we figured it out.

The cupcakes are graham flavored. Most people make graham crackers and graham flavored things with graham flour; but as you might guess, it is not gluten free. So, we tried a couple different things before we got it right. Then we filled the cupcakes with chocolate filling and frosted them with toasted marshmallow frosting. They are crazy good. I mean crazy good! 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Brown Sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup Honey

1 1/2 Tablespoons Molasses

2 Large Eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon Vanilla

3/4 cup Soy Flour

1/2 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour

1/2 cup Potato Starch

2 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Xanthum Gum

1/2 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup Milk, hot

Chocolate Filling

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
2/3 cup Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Milk Chocolate
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Milk Chocolate
Marshmallow Frosting
4 Large Egg Whites, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Set aside

In stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat butter, sugar, honey and molasses until smooth.

Mix in eggs.

Mix in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together soy flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum and salt.

With mixer on low, slowly add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, 1/2 the milk, 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the other half of the milk, and the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Using a medium scoop, scoop batter into lined cupcake tins. Bake for 20 minutes.

Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.

While cupcakes are cooling, make chocolate filling. 

In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix together cocoa powder, brown sugar, milk, salt and milk chocolate until boiling.

Remove from heat; add butter, vanilla and milk chocolate; and stir until completed mixed. Let cool and thicken.

When chocolate filling has cooled, fill cupcakes. We put the chocolate filling in a squeeze bottle, and used the handle of a spoon to create a whole in the cupcakes. (When I make these again, I will fill the cupcakes with more chocolate filling than this time.)

To make the marshmallow frosting, fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.

Place the eggs whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in the stand mixer bowl and whisk by hand to combine. Place the bowl in the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Heat the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot to the touch (about 120° F) about six minutes.

Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to medium and whisk for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Add the vanilla and whisk until just incorporated, about 1 minute. 

Transfer frosting to a gallon size zip-top bag and snip a corner to use as a pastry bag. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.

Using a kitchen torch, lightly toast the marshmallow frosting. There you have it - S'mores Cupcakes! Share with your friends and family to bring some sunshine into your life. Enjoy!

After all, "Sunshine is the best medicine!"

~Sheryl

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