Now, I'm aware that this is not an uncommon concept in a cupcake. However, I've always been disappointed with the execution. Usually, it's a chocolate cupcake rolled in graham cracker crumbs (or a graham cracker crust for the adventurous) with a marshmallow frosting. The frosting, at least, makes sense to me. A 7-minute or Swiss Meringue frosting is pillowy soft and very much like a marshmallow. That's clearly the best place for the marshmallow component. However, I've always wondered why no one makes a purely graham cupcake. After all, there is graham flour, and graham crackers can easily be crushed into flour.
I found a couple graham cupcake recipes, but they were either inaccessible or used with completely different fillings and toppings. I decided on Vanilla Garlic's Graham Cupcake to start with. I've made some alterations and decided the best filling is, without a doubt, a simple semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Sure, I love bittersweet as much as the next guy, but I only ever make s'mores with semi-sweet chocolate.
S'mores Cupcakes
Graham Cracker Cupcake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp granulated sugar + 2 tbsp honey
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs*
1 tsp baking soda**
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 graham crackers, crumbled but coarse
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lining the cups with cupcake liners.
First, crush the graham crackers until they are fine and powdery (a food processor works wonders here, but they can be crushed by hand as well). Measure out 1 1/2 cup. Sift the graham cracker flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Next, in a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Scoop into the prepared cupcake cups. Top batter with crumbled, coarse graham cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 18 - 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Because of the graham crackers and the honey, these cupcakes will get a bit darker than you might expect.
*2 packages totaling about 16 rectangular graham crackers will give you enough for the crumbs and the crumbled ones
**Note to self: the original recipe had this, but without any acid in the rest of the recipe, I'm not sure it does anything...
Chocolate Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp fresh brewed coffee
Heat the cream until it's near a boil. Pour over the chocolate chips and let it sit for a minute or two. Stir or whisk until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the vanilla and coffee. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use.
Marshmallow Frosting
3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine the sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer, set over simmering water. Whisk for about 5 minutes until the egg whites are hot. The mixture should loosen up and be fairly white. Place mixer bowl in mixer and beat whites for about 5-7 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla and mix again. Use frosting immediately; it begins to harden after it has been exposed to air for a bit. Not harden in a bad way, but the texture definitely changes.
Assembly
Core out the cupcake, fill with the ganache and drop the frosting on top in large, luscious mounds. The frosting is delicious, it's amazing, and it's fat free. Yay frosting!
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