At its base, this S'mores Cupcake recipe is a chocolate espresso cupcake, which has been called "the most delicious chocolate cupcake I've ever had" topped with a marshmallow-style meringue frosting and a graham cracker sprinkle. Super easy, nothing fancy, just delicious fall fun!
I made these for my son's class at the beginning of the school year with about 2 hours' notice. The fact that I took pictures throughout this process and they actually turned out half decent is a miracle.
The S'mores Cupcake Base
The chocolate batter I use has a little secret ingredient behind it. Espresso. Now, if you aren't a coffee lover don't worry. It isn't overpowering. It adds a deep flavor profile that makes you wonder "Why is this so GOOD?!" without punching you in the face.
Now, if you are a coffee lover, good news. You can make the espresso flavor stronger and you won't be hurting the recipe. I generally use what is the equivalent of a standard cup of coffee, or you can use a shot of espresso and then use water to dilute. In reverse, you can use all espresso.
Fluted Cupcake Wrappers
A perfect cupcake wrapper that folds out into its own little plate. They come in white, black, and tan. Pretty obsessed with them.
The Marshmallow Meringue
The marshmallow meringue is a classic recipe that serves as the perfect topping for this s'mores cupcake. It is very similar to making marshmallows itself but significantly easier to work with. Overcoming the fear of using egg whites is probably the biggest hurdle most face. Don't worry! I promise it isn't as hard as it sounds.
You'll end up with a super light, fluffy, cloud of sweet vanilla goodness. It's the right choice. PLUS, you get to torch it for some added flair which is my favorite part!
Turning it Into a S'mores Cupcake
You have a few options to finish off this recipe. You can stay simple with graham crackers and some chocolate shavings or sprinkles, OR you torch it! This is always 100% my favorite part. It isn't every day we get to use our mini torch (creme brulee is also a fan favorite around here). It absolutely adds the toasted marshmallow flavor, and it makes it look wildly gourmet in my opinion.
Mini Kitchen Torch
Under $20 and will make your cake or cupcakes look like they are straight from a professional bakery.
S'more cupcakes are the top pick at all the fall weddings I used to bake for, and are still requested frequently by friends and family. I hope you find someone to share this amazing recipe with and please let me know how you liked it. Enjoy!
Making it a Cake vs a Cupcake
Using the exact same recipe, I have also made a s'mores cake! Add a little graham cracker sprinkle in between each layer and boom, you get this show-stopper. You can find full videos of how I stacked and layered this beauty in the recipe below!
📖 Recipe
S'more Cake & Cupcakes
Equipment
- Mini Torch optional
Ingredients
Meringue Frosting
- 5 Egg Whites
- 1 ¼ cup Sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
Chocolate Espresso Cake
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 cups Flour
- ¾ cup Cocoa
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Milk
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Coffee
Instructions
Chocolate Espresso Cake
- Let's start by getting your cake or cupcakes ready! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. This would include your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, & salt.
- Add the coffee/espresso, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla to the dry ingredient bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Note the batter will be thin.
- Pour into prepared cake pans or cupcake liners.
- Bake 30-35 minutes for 9" round cakes OR 20-25 minutes for cupcakes.
- While your cakes or cupcakes are baking & cooling, let's work on the frosting!
Meringue Frosting
- Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. I highly suggest doing this in a small bowl one by one, then adding them to your larger bowl. This will prevent you from accidentally getting any yolk mixed in.
- In a medium/large glass bowl, mix together the sugar, cream of tartar, and egg whites.
- Place your bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. An inch of water will do here. We are looking for a double-boiler kind of situation.
- Using a small whisk or spatula, mix the egg whites slowly until it reaches around 155 degrees. I highly recommend a digital thermometer for this!
- Once you're at temp, remove your bowl off the stove (be careful the bottom and sides will be hot) and add your vanilla extract.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk your sugary egg whites for 8-10 minutes or until you have nice stiff peaks.
- Make sure your cake or cupcakes are completely cooled before adding your frosting.
- Note: Use a pastry bag & simple circle tip for decorating the cupcakes!
- If you'd like to toast your marshmallow meringue, decorate your cake or cupcakes as desired, and then using a mini torch toast the edges/sides/peaks until you are happy with your masterpiece.
Video
Nutrition
Handy Tools
Want to take your cooking game to the next level? Here's a list of some of the tools I use every time I make this recipe that help make this a breeze!
