S'mores Minicakes

I remember as a kid the first time I ever learned what a s'more was.  I was amazed at the combination of chocolate, graham crackers and toasted marshmallows.  After the first camping trip where I got to experience it, I tried desperately to recreate the flavor in the microwave.  Not sure if any of you have ever tried but it doesn't work very well.  My friend Cruz challenged me to recreate this combination in cupcake form and this is what I came up with.

Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. graham crackers (crushed)
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter (melted)

To crush the graham crackers, put them into a ziplock bag and smash them until crumbs. (I used the side of a meat tenderizer.)

Mix the melted butter, sugar, and graham crackers together in a bowl. Press crust into each of the cupcake liners. (For minicakes, I used 1/2 tbs. Regular cakes should use approximately 1 tbs.)

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. oil

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 c. hot coffee

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Add remaining ingredients (keep coffee aside). Beat with electric mixture for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of mixing bowl with rubber spatula making sure to incorporate all the ingredients. 

Add coffee slowly while mixing for one more minute until smooth. 

Fill cake cups to 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes for regular sized cupcakes or 10-15 minutes for minicakes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Once cakes are completely cooled, top with marshmallow cream. (I used Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow creme and put it into a plastic bag, cut off the corner and squeeze a dab on each cake.)

Suprise! Yummmmm!

Once the cupcake are topped with marshmallow, if you want, you can decorate them with more graham crackers. I used the leftover crumbs and dipped the tops in them. Then I took a small piece and stuck them in the top. When you unwrap them, you get a layered effect.



Okay so I admit, they may not be the original, but the next time you have a sleep over or if the rain ruins a planned camping trip (It's been coming down a lot here lately)  you can whip up a batch of these and bring them out after the pizza - before the popcorn and movie of course. Or, you can save them for a late-night snack!

Before you make these, I gotta warn you. The marshmallow creme melted for me. I took them to work and it wasn't too particularly warm in my office (Actually I thought it was pretty chilly in there)  but it slowly started melting and dripping down as the day went on. I think if I were to make these again, I would inject them with the marshmallow instead and make some other kind of graham cracker frosting or something. They looked like something out of Alice in Wonderland (Even though my boss said, "It's artistic," I wasn't really happy with it.). So yes, they are delicious (my friend Tyler's review, not my personal review - although I think they were pretty yummy too)  just keep in mind, if you make them like this, it will probably turn into a big mess.