S'more Cupcakes

Photo: Jonna Warnke

Ingredients

CAKE:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa powder

1 cup Crisco Oil

2 eggs

1 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Hot tap water

2 teaspoons Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

2 teaspoons Vanilla

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or you can also use Milk chocolate

MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:

2 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light Karo Syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

To make a sheet cake instead, simply grease and flour a large deep cookie sheet.

The amazing thing about this cake recipe, is that you put all the ingredients in your bowl at the same time. Using a hand mixer, blend the ingredients until well mixed. Don't over blend, a few small lumps are fine.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture.

Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING:

Beat together 2 egg whites & 1/4 tsp. salt with a mixer until very frothy. Add 1/4 cup sugar very SLOWLY, and beat until smooth & glossy. SLOWLY, add 3/4 Cup light Karo Syrup, & beat until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake.

Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.