S'mores Cupcakes, Per request

Aunt Terry requested the recipe for the s'mores cupcakes so here it is:

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Yields: ~24 Cupcakes

Found at Martha Stewart, with notes by: Amy Hansen

For the cake: (Can use a box chocolate cake… that’s what I did!)

2 cups and 2 tbsn. sugar

1 3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup and 1 tbsn. cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk (MS suggests 2%)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup of boiling water

For crust:

1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, about 20 squares

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces of bittersweet chocolate chips

For the marshmallow frosting: 

4 large egg whites

1 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 cupcake pans with liners and set aside. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and mix together. In a large bowl mix the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Add the wet mixture to the dry, making sure everything is well incorporated. Next add the boiling water and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Stir until well combined. Add 1 tbsn. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake cup and pack them in using the bottom of a small cup. Next, sprinkle 2 tsp. of the chocolate chips into each cup and then bake for about 5 minutes or until the graham crackers are golden. Remove from the oven and then fill them 3/4 full with the cake batter. Return to the oven and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.

For the frosting, place the whites, sugar and tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly until sugar has dissolved and the eggs are warm to the touch. Transfer the bowl back to the machine and whisk, starting on low speed then eventually moving to high speed. Whisk until glossy peaks form, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add vanilla, mix until combined. Now frost your cupcakes! You can spoon the mixture on or use any tip you like. You can also either broil the cupcakes to toast the marshmallow or use a blow torch. (I broiled them, on high, as I watched carefully. I found I got a nice golden color that way.) Enjoy!