S'mores Cupcakes

An old campfire classic brought back as a cupcake.A honey-tinged graham cracker cupcake, topped with a dollop of chocolate ganache, and finished with billowy marshmallow frosting--torched to perfection.
For more pictures and the recipe, click on "read more" below.
If you'll remember from my last post about Ultimate Brownies, I had some Super Bowl baking to accomplish this past weekend.  Cupcakes seemed like a perfect companion to a Super Bowl party.  These portable mini-cakes are perfect for satisfying everyone's cake-n-frosting craving.

While classic cupcakes are delicious, I needed something with a little more pizazz for the Super Bowl party.  For me, nothing says "pizazz" like some torched marshmallow!  Enter the S'mores Cupcake.  These graham cracker-inspired cupcakes are the perfect vessel for a dollop of sweet chocolate ganache.  And of course, it wouldn't be a "s'more" without some marshmallow frosting, toasted to light brown.

These cupcakes are deliciously moist--light from the marshmallow, with just a hint of richness from the ganache.  Though they're a bit time-consuming, they're easy to make.

I'd advise you not to torch your cupcakes until you're absolutely ready to serve them.  I torched mine about 30 minutes before the party, and they had lost their crisp upon arrival (although, they were still delicious).

Make these cupcakes right away--they're the perfect combination of nouveau cuisine and nostalgic comfort!

S'mores Cupcakesrecipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Graham Cupcakes1 1/2 cups AP flour1 1/3 cups graham flour (I use Bob's Red Mill.)2 tsp baking powder1 1/2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature2 cups packed light-brown sugar1/4 cup honey6 large eggs2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line 24-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Combine flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside.
Cream the butter, sugar, and honey together until light and fluffy.  Reduce the speed and add in the eggs and vanilla until completely combined.  Add the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Fill each baking cup about 3/4 full, and bake for 25 minutes (or until toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs).  Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in their pans before turning them out to cool completely.
Top cupcakes with chocolate ganache and marshmallow frosting.
Chocolate Ganache2/3 cup heavy cream6 oz semi-sweet chocolate1 TBS light corn syrup
Bring the cream to a simmer.  Pour the chocolate and corn syrup in--and allow the chocolate to sit for about 1 minute before stirring.  Whisk the mixture together and allow to firm slightly before topping each cupcake with about 2 tsp of ganache.
Marshmallow Frosting1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 scant TBS)1/3 cup cold water1/4 cup cold water1 cup sugar
Dissolve the gelatin into 1/3 cup water and allow to soften for about 5 minutes.
Combine 1/4 cup water and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Stop stirring and heat the sugar until it reaches soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (238 degrees Fahrenheit).  Make sure to brush down the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.  Once the sugar reaches the right temperature, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the softened gelatin.  Whisk mixture for about 1 minute by hand to cool.  Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to whisk the mixture until soft, glossy (not dry) peaks form--about 8-10 minutes.  Use the frosting immediately.