Drop of Disney

Adventure is out there! Up is one of my favorite Pixar movies, despite the fact that I sobbed through the first 5 minutes of the movie. I really loved the characters, especially Dug, and the idea that even though life might not go exactly how you thought it would, there’s still plenty of adventures to have. In the spirit of adventure and exploration, I’m so excited to share these delicious s’mores Wilderness Explorers cupcakes inspired by Russell and the Wilderness Explorers! S’mores are a well-loved and often requested dessert at my house. As I typically associate them with summer and campfires (although we definitely enjoy them year round), these cupcakes are campfire themed, with a graham cracker crust, chocolate ganache, fluffy marshmallow frosting and some roasted marshmallows.

To start, make the graham cracker crust. The crust is very similar to the crust for a cheesecake, as it’s just graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Once combined, press about a spoonful into each cupcake liner. Set aside, as you’ll bake the crust and the cupcakes together.

Once the cupcake batter is made, pour it into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Tap the pan to bring out any air bubbles and then bake. While the cupcakes are cool, make the chocolate ganache and frosting.

To make the ganache, I used equal parts semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it is just about to boil and then pour it over the pieces of chocolate and let sit for 3-5 minutes, until the chocolate is melted. Gently stir together until the cream is fully combined and you have a smooth chocolate sauce. Place into a piping bag with a round tip and set aside until you’re ready to fill the cupcakes.

Once the frosting is combined, divide it into two bowls. Add desired amount of orange frosting to one bowl and desired amount of yellow frosting to the other. For the colors, I used gel food coloring in a standard orange and bright yellow. Once mixed, place the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip, alternating scoops of orange and yellow. To frost, pipe a large swirl on top of each cupcake.

For the decorations, I added four pretzel sticks to each cupcake to resemble the wood on a bonfire. I then added a toothpick with some roasted marshmallows. To roast the marshmallows, I first put them on a metal skewer and carefully roasted them over my gas burner. You can also use a culinary torch if you have one, or just use regular un-roasted ones!

Enjoy these Wilderness Explorers Cupcakes! Adventure is out there!

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Wilderness Explorers Cupcakes

Adventure is out there! Join Russell and the Wilderness Explorers on a camp out with these delicious s’mores campfire cupcakes! With a graham cracker crust, chocolate ganache and fluffy marshmallow frosting, these chocolate cupcakes will keep you nice and toasty while exploring the great outdoors!

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup + 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup boiling water

Marshmallow Frosting

• 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 7.5 oz jar marshmallow fluff or creme
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• yellow gel food coloring
• orange gel food coloring

Chocolate Ganache

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into pieces

Graham Cracker Crust

• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• pinch salt

Decorations

• pretzel sticks
• mini marshmallows
• toothpicks

Equipment

• 2 piping bags
• 1 large star tip
• 1 medium round tip

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt.
3. Press about 1 tablespoon of crust mixture into each cupcake liner. Set aside.

Cupcakes

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add in eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin and runny).
4. Pour into prepared muffin pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
7. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Frosting

1. On medium speed, beat butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add in marshmallow fluff and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
3. Gradually add in sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Make sure not to overbeat the frosting as it will become tough.
4. Divide frosting into two bowls. Mix yellow food coloring into one bowl and orange food coloring into the other bowl.
5. Alternating between scoops of orange and yellow frosting, fill a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Ganache

1. Place chocolate pieces in a heat-safe bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, heat cream until it comes to just under a boil.
3. Pour cream into the bowl with the chocolate and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
4. Stir until smooth.
5. Pour into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.

Assembly

1. Cut a small hole into the top of each cupcake. Pipe a good amount of ganache into each cupcake. Smooth the tops of the cupcakes with an icing spatula or knife.
2. Pipe frosting in a swirl onto each cupcake.
3. Arrange four pretzel sticks, standing up, around the frosting swirl to look like sticks in a bonfire.
4. Skewer two mini marshmallows onto each toothpick and stick a toothpick into each cupcake. If you would like toasted marshmallows, first place marshmallow on a metal skewer. Using a culinary torch or holding over the flame from a gas burner, carefully toast each marshmallow. Once toasted, transfer to a toothpick and place onto cupcake.