Happy Wednesday! It dawned on me the other day that next weekend is our Canadian Victoria Day holiday, which is essentially our first, and very celebratory, long weekend of the year. For my family, it marks the beginning of summer, the beginning of weekends at the lake, and, for me, the beginning of attempts to figure out how to pack up and serve towering layer cakes at the cottage. I started thinking about what I was going to bake and bring for the holiday weekend, and I realized that cupcake versions of my favourite cake recipes and combinations just may be the answer. Typically, I tend to choose layer cakes over cupcakes for most occasions (and clearly blog posts–this is my first ever cupcake post in the 9 months I’ve had this blog), but summer weekends, camping, time at the lake, picnics–these may all be perfect reasons to add more cupcaking to my to-bake list. Once I started brainstorming and translating my layer cakes into cupcakes, there were a few I was eager to do right away, and this was the first one to come to mind. Actually, I have several more coming this week for you, so let’s call this part 1 of several cupcake-themed posts, so stay tuned!
You may recall the Campfire Delight: 6-Layer Chocolate Malted & Toasted Marshmallow Cake I posted a few months back–I hold this one close to my heart. Truly. It’s in my top 3 cakes of all time, with the dark richness of the chocolate cake paired with creamy malt-infused Belgian chocolate frosting, and fluffy (but decadent) toasted marshmallow filling using real toasted marshmallows. For my taste, the combination of flavours and textures is simply to die for, so to turn it into mini campfire delights was a sweet way to start the week! I should also note that turning some of the cakes into cupcakes works well for that extra batter when you do make the cake version, as well as the remaining frosting and filling. A perfect little way to taste test your cake, share with the kids, or gain some extra neighbour love.
Here was the original Campfire Delight Cake sliced, and as you can see, packing up this cake and serving summer-style may pose a few issues, so Campfire Delight Cupcakes it will be…
Essentially, a Campfire Delight Cupcake is the same rich, dark chocolate cake using premium Callebaut extra dark cocoa powder and buttermilk, injected with a dollop of Toasted-Marshmallow Filling, then frosted with a generous swirling of Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting, and finally, some Dutch dark chocolate sprinkles and a chocolate malt ball. Delightful and decadent, all at once. Camping and convenience aside, cupcake versions of some of my layer cakes may be just the answer when you want a quick and easy dessert with the same flavours, or, well, for anyone who has a touch of the cupcake fever. I can also imagine these stacked up and served on a rustic chic outdoor wedding dessert table. Ohh, yes, I love that idea…wedding do-over, please! Actually, wait, a wedding do-over has the potential for being a borderline scary thought.
Camping anyone?
Just a note that the recipes below are modified in quantity from the original cake recipe to create cupcakes.
Here are the recipes for the cupcakes, filling, and frosting:
Campfire Delight Cupcakes {click here for printable recipe}
Rich & Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield: ~24 standard cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong black coffee (can be hot)
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil cupcake liners. In bowl of electric mixer, sift all dry ingredients. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and with paddle attachment on mixer, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed (you may need the plastic splashguard that comes with mixer) and pour into prepared cupcake pan until 2/3 full (or just less). Batter will be liquidy.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until toothpick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs. Try not to overbake. Cool on wire racks in pans for 5 minutes then gently turn cupcakes onto racks until completely cool.
Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting
Yield: Frosting for ~18 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks or 1 cup) at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup Ovaltine (Classic) or malt powder (I use original Ovaltine Classic, brown in colour)
4 oz (125 g) Callebaut Chocolate – Pure – Bittersweet – 1 kg chocolate, chopped and melted
1/4 cup whipping (35% fat) cream
Method:
In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the icing sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute. Add vanilla and Ovaltine (I use original, brown in colour), and beat on low until well combined. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add whipping cream and beat on med-high speed for another minute. Best used right away, but once piped, keeps well at room temperature. *Note: Frosting will become a slightly richer brown tone a short while after making. If you are using a malt powder or Ovaltine that is not brown in colour, you can add an extra 3 oz, or so, of melted chocolate.
Toasted-Marshmallow Filling
Yield: Enough to fill ~18-24 Campfire Delight Cupcakes
Ingredients:
8 large white marshmallows
1/2 cup icing sugar (confectioners’ or powdered)
1/4 lb butter (1 stick, or 1/2 cup) at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 oz of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Cream (or Marshmallow Fluff)
pinch of salt
Method:
Place marshmallows on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place on lower rack of oven, and broil marshmallows until nice and brown. Be sure to keep an eye on them–they burn very, very quickly. Combine butter and icing sugar in electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, on low until blended (about 1 minute). Add vanilla and mix on high for about 3 minutes. Add marshmallow cream, toasted marshmallows, and salt, and mix on lowest setting for about 1 minute.
Assembly of the Campfire Delight Cupcakes
1. Once cupcakes are cool, cut a cone shape hole from the top centre of the cupcake downward, using a sharp paring knife.
2. Using a small spoon, or piping bag fitted with plain round piping tip, fill the cupcake hole with Toasted Marshmallow Filling until it’s level with the top of the cupcake.
3. Fill a large pastry bag (18″) fitted with Ateco #887 (or the decorative tip of your choice) about 2/3 full and swirl the Malted Belgian Chocolate Frosting in a circular motion, beginning on the outside rim of the cupcake and moving inward. Gently release pressure when you reach the top of your swirl.
4. Top with real chocolate sprinkles and chocolate malt candy, such as Whoppers or Maltesers.
Cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made, but these keep particularly well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (however, I’ve been known to eat them up to a week later, and they taste great!). If you do refrigerate, serve at room temperature.
Good luck & enjoy! I’ll be back tomorrow night with another summer-friendly cupcake version of one of my favourite cakes!
How super duper fun are these cupcakes. Glad to see you crammed all the fabulousness of that cake into a hand held treat :) xo
Gurrrrlll. DANG! These are simply divine. Wish I could share one with you and our littles!
I love your blog!!
I live in Mexico and we don`t have malt powder, what can I use instead?
Sigh. I wasn’t going to bake this weekend. Now, it seems I have to. =) These look FANTASTIC. Can’t wait to try them myself!! Do you order your dutch process cocoa online? I can’t seem to find it in stores here so was just wondering.
Omg, this looks amazing!!!
Wow, your cakes and cupcakes are amazing! They make my mouth water! And now, here I am, at 11pm, craving these cupcakes!
These look delightful and packed with yummy summer flavor!
Rosie, I have been making this cake almost every single week since you posted the original recipe in the layer version. I cannot believe how good this recipe is! I have tried it with your icing, with simple melted chocolate and cream ganache, and with cherries and cream. We have even had it with coffee icing and also served hot, with strawberries and ice cream. I make it with espresso straight from the coffee machine, it’s strong!
So I will certainly be trying this variation too!
Oh Rosie…oh Rosie…your husban is the LUCKIEST man in the world!
Ah yes, who could forget that showstopping cake! I love the styling on that last picture, beautiful.
Waaww, these photographs are stunning, love the cake fillings.. so gorgeous :)
Your photos are amazing and these cupcakes sound out of this world!
I’m not even much of a cake person, but you have me drooling every time!!! How do you do it? ;-)
Great. Now I’m craving cupcakes for breakfast.
These look fantastic, Rosie. I love malt flavor with chocolate – one of my favorite sweets combinations.
I recently used your marshmallow filling as a frosting for some s’mores cupcakes. But now of course I want to make these!! I could eat the marshmallow frosting by the bowlful…so delicious :)
Maria@ Love & Sugar Kisses
They look so rich and decadent! I’m not sure which one I want to make first – cake or cupcakes! Possibly both with that left over batter you mentioned. :)
AMAZING! I think I’ll take these camping this summer! My family will love you :) They will be a perfect pairing to the s’mores cookies I was already planning.
Is that a cast iron cupcake mold? Perhaps it isn’t, but that would sure up the rustic! I like the cutouts on it:)
Thanks Emma–it’s a vintage Griswold cast iron muffin pan. Thanks for noticing! :)
Rosie, seriously – do you remember what I said about getting a Cake Book done. It’s time – past time! I need MORE time. Time to make these amazing treats. The only problem is I don’t know which one to start with. This is right up there I think at the top. Incredible lady!
I don’t know about anyone else, but I gained about 20 pounds *just* by reading the menu and drooling over the pictures!! Now if I can just stop licking my computer monitor……
Oooh yes please! We love these…and how perfect for summer!?
What fun flavor combos! And I think the contrasting layers in the cake are absolutely stunning.
Goodness, Rosie, first off DELICIOUSNESS! And then, wowza to the photos! I love the styling and the lighting.
I haven’t baked since Friday, my husband just asked me today if I was in withdrawal. I wasn’t until I saw these cupcakes. So looking forward to your upcoming cupcake posts ;)
Hey Rosie!
Thanks for the fabulous recipe!
I was thinking of making the cupcakes for my brother’s birthday but he is allergic to marshmallows, can these be made without them??
Thanks, love your blog!
~Ashley
Thanks Ashley! Sure, you can make the recipe without marshmallows. You can just do a vanilla frosting in place of it, or you can do all chocolate. I recommend the vanilla frosting for some of the inside layers!
Good luck and Happy Birthday to your brother!
The photos of these chocolaty delights takes me straight away to the camp fire! Thank you for the fabulous post, the recipe and the nostalgia.
These make me extremely happy! Love these.
Fabulous! I have to make an attempt at this. Looks so yummy:)
I just found you via Foodgawker and this entire post just blows me away. Your pictures are breathtaking and this recipe sounds incredibly delicious. Subscribing to you right now!
You kill me! Everything you post is so beautiful! I want to make every recipe you post. I made my husband look at all of your beautiful cakes the other day, he was like WOW! I love to bake and thought I was pretty good at it ,then…..I found your blog! Thank You so much for sharing these delightful recipes!
These look so amazing! I’m not sure which version is prettier…the cupcake or the regular cake. Either way, I’m going to have sweet dreams about these tonight. :)
I want to go camping now:)
It must be officially summer with this post. LOVE your idea. Snow just came off the ground here, so I’ll wait awhile to enjoy these delicious treats on a warm evening.
Firstly beautiful photos! I wanted to know, do you think I could do half of what the recipe calls for, like a mini version?
Thank you! I’ve never tried to half the cake recipe, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work; the frostings in half are just fine! Good luck!
Beautiful cupcakes.
I made these this weekend. Oh my gosh! They are incredible!! Heaven in my mouth. I don’t even like chocolate cake, and I loved them. Thanks for your blog. It’s so much fun to read, the pictures are wonderful to look at, and the recipes are fantastic to eat!!
I made these for the adult volunteers in our church children’s program yesterday. I used your chocolate SMB for the frosting and they were incredible. I received lots of rave reviews! Thank you so much for the recipe and for the tutorial on the SMB. That was so much fun to make!
I made these over the weekend – amazing. Thanks Rosie, for the inspiration!
These cupcakes pretty much just made me die and go to heaven, and I haven’t even tried them yet. Thanks for continuing to share such beautiful and delicious treats!
Hi Rosie – thanks for the recipe! I made these for a Memorial Day BBQ and they were a hit. I shared them on my blog with all credit back to you – hope that’s alright!
Hi Rosie. Is it indeed 3 teaspoons in total of baking soda and powder? Yesterday I filled my cupcake tray up 2/3 and they completely spill over :(
Hi Rosie,
I love looking at the gorgeous photographs of your baking! I happened upon your blog searching for an old fashioned recipe for cinnamon buns. I tried your recipe and they were AMAZING! They lasted a day, and there are only four in my family. They tasted just like my Grandma’s! Maybe better;)
I want to try these cupcakes for some children. My daughter is crazy over S’mores. Is the coffee flavour very noticable? It’s perfect for me, but maybe not my children. Can you suggest another liquid to add?
Thanks so much for sharing your creativity, talent and knowledge. You’re an inspiration!
Wow, I made these this week and they were amazing! I stayed up wayyyyyyyyy to late making these on a weekday, I used dark chocolate since I didnt have bittersweet for the frosting and it was great.
Hi there! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful site! I’m not sure if this has been asked before, but what type/brand of muffin pans do you use for your cupcakes? I have a few different pans (a Wilton one, an archaic 17th century looking one, etc) that I am incredibly disappointed in and am looking to buy new ones. All of your cupcakes throughout your site look so gorgeous and although it has so much to do with the batter, I also think it has to have something to do with the pans! Any and all help or recommendations would be very much appreciated! Thanks!
Hi!
Thank you so much for all the amazing recipes you share with us! :)
I wonder, can I put these cupcakes with the frosting and filling in the freezer?
Love from Norway
Hi Lena! Thank you for the sweet words! I have never actually attempted to freeze these cupcakes fully assembled/frosted, but if they are in an airtight container, I would imagine they would likely do just fine for up to a month or so. Please let me know how it goes, if you do. Hope this helps!
This is perfect timing. I’ve been asked to make chocolate cupcakes for a friend and these are perfectly indulgent. Also many thanks for the lemon curd advice to flavour Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I made 180 lemon drizzle cupcakes with your SMB for a wedding at the weekend and the taste was delicious. Thank you so much for your helpful advice and inspirational posts.
Love! Love! Love! These cupcakes were such a hit! What a perfect combo of textures and flavors! The chocolate mixture was such a great balance, being moist yet light and of course so flavorful without being too sweet. And the frosting….OMG….I couldn’t keep my fingers out of the bowl! Really enjoying your blog – finding baking inspiration almost daily. My husband and little boy are loving it xx
hello, i would like to know how i can replace the ovaltine powder, since i dont have that product in my country…
thank you for any help.
I didn’t have much faith in the runny cake batter but it turned out beautifully! Moist, light and flavourful. I substituted the ovaltine powder with another chocolate drink powder (Milo) and it was fine. I have tasted both ovaltine and Milo so I know they taste similar. Have gotten rave reviews from my friends who have tried it :)) Another substitution that I made was unsweetened chocolate instead of bittersweet. Good recipe!
I found your site from kay over at Pure Complex! So glad I stopped by, I just signed up to your posts too! Stop on over to say hello sometime at smartfoodandfit.com! My kids would go crazy for these cupcakes!
Hi, I just found your blog today and I can’t wait to make these cupcakes! I have a question about using the coffee, though. I’m not a big coffee drinker, and typically don’t like the bitter taste. But this is the second time I’ve heard of using coffee to make chocolate cake. (When I was in Spain a couple of years ago, I went to a bakery in Barcelona (Bubo, if you’re curious) that had what is supposedly the best chocolate cake in the world – and it was made with coffee, so I didn’t try it.) Do you taste the coffee in the finished product, and if so, can I replace it with something else? And why coffee in the first place – what does it do for the taste of the cake?
Thanks! I’m sure I’ll be trying many of these recipes in the next few weeks!
Yum!!! I made these for a work potluck and everyone was amazed, thanks for posting such deliciousness!
Another winner! I made these over the weekend and everyone devoured them. I honestly think this had the best marshmallow filling I have ever tasted in my life. Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Going to make these soon – I’ll let you know how it goes!
Here’s a link!
http://www.ironwhisk.com/2012/03/chocolate-marshmallow-cupcakes/
I want to make these for a friend’s birthday but I do not know if I can should make the frostings in advance since I still have to work. Rosie, Can I make the chocolate frosting in advance (2 days before) and store it in the fridge?
Looks yummy! How would these taste with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream instead (I’ve got extra laying around I want to use up)? Thanks!
Thanks, Katie! It would taste incredible that way–you really can’t go wrong. I often pair the chocolate Swiss buttercream with this chocolate cake and I love it. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the quick reply…made them today and they taste wonderful!! One more question…I have quite a bit of leftover filling, do you know if it will freeze well?
Great! Sadly, I found that the filling doesn’t freeze that well. So happy you enjoyed the cupcakes!
Hi Rosie,I always love your blog! It’s so beautiful and never fail to surprise me. May I know roughly how many teaspoon of coffee/espresso powder do I need to put in 1 cup strong black coffee? Thank you :)
hi, rosie!
this recipe looks amazing. just wondering, since cacao barry is so expensive, can regular or dutch process cocoa be used instead? or do you have another option for me?
thanks!
Hi Rosie,
The cupcakes are looking so yummy. May i ask if i can replace the vegetable oil with a good quality butter instead?
If it is possible, how much butter should i use?
These cupcakes sound delectable. I am happy you decided transform your layer cake recipe into cupcakes. Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Hi, can I substitute more marshmallows for the marshmallow fluff?
Tks!