I’ll never forget the first time I tried to toast a marshmallow over a real campfire. It caught on fire, turned into a ball of black ash, and I almost cried. I was seven.
Now, I’ve finally figured out how to get that perfect golden-brown marshmallow. And I figured out how to put that entire campfire feeling right on top of a cupcake.
This recipe is going to show you exactly how to make the coolest-looking (and tasting) campfire cupcakes ever. No crazy skills needed, I promise. It’s all about a few simple tricks that make a huge difference.
What You’ll Need
Getting all your stuff ready first is, like, the number one rule of baking. It just makes everything go so much smoother. I’ve broken it down so you can just grab what you need without having to read through everything ten times.
First up, the chocolate cupcakes. These are the “dirt” for our little campfire scene. They are super moist and chocolatey, which is exactly what you want.
For the Chocolate “Dirt” Cupcakes
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Granulated sugar | 1 ¾ cups |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | ¾ cup |
| Baking soda | 2 tsp |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Large eggs | 2 |
| Buttermilk, room temp | 1 cup |
| Hot coffee (or hot water) | 1 cup |
| Vegetable oil | ½ cup |
| Vanilla extract | 2 tsp |
Next is the fun part – the fire! This buttercream frosting is easy to whip up and even easier to color. Don’t worry, I’ll show you the simple trick to get that awesome swirled flame effect.
For the “Campfire” Buttercream
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1 ½ cups |
| Powdered sugar | 4 cups |
| Heavy cream | 3-4 tbsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
| Pinch of salt | ⅛ tsp |
| Red food coloring (gel) | A few drops |
| Orange food coloring (gel) | A few drops |
| Yellow food coloring (gel) | A few drops |
And finally, the stuff that really makes these look like tiny campfires. This is where you can get creative, but here’s what I use to really sell the look.
For the Campfire Decorations
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pretzel sticks | 1 cup |
| Mini marshmallows | 1 bag |
| Chocolate graham crackers | 4-5 crackers |
The Tools of the Trade
You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment for these. Just the basics will do the trick. A stand mixer is nice, but you can totally do this with a hand mixer or even a good old-fashioned whisk and some arm power.
| Tool | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Muffin tins | 2 |
| Cupcake liners | 24 |
| Large mixing bowl | 1 |
| Medium mixing bowl | 1 |
| Whisk | 1 |
| Piping bags | 3 |
| Large star piping tip | 1 (like a Wilton 1M) |
| Kitchen torch or broiler | 1 |
Let’s Make Some Campfire Magic
Alright, are you ready? We’re going to break this down into three easy parts: making the cupcakes, mixing the frosting, and then putting it all together. Just follow along, and you’ll be golden.
Making the Chocolate “Dirt” Cupcakes
Step 1: First things first, get your oven preheating to 350°F (175°C). Pop some paper liners into two 12-cup muffin tins. This recipe makes about 24 cupcakes, so you’ll need both.
Step 2: Grab a big bowl. Dump in the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Give it all a good whisk to break up any clumps. This is called sifting without a sifter, a little trick I use all the time.
Step 3: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, crack your eggs and add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Whisk this wet mixture together until it’s just combined. Don’t go crazy here.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on a low speed until everything is just starting to come together. You’ll still see some flour streaks, and that’s totally fine.
Step 5: Now, carefully pour in the hot coffee. The batter will be very thin, almost like water. Don’t freak out! This is the secret to a super moist cupcake. Just mix on low until it’s smooth.
Step 6: Fill your cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way full. Any more than that and you’ll have a cupcake explosion in your oven. (Trust me, I’ve cleaned that up before. It’s not fun.)
Step 7: Bake for 18-22 minutes. You can check if they’re done by poking one in the center with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to go. Let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whipping Up the Fiery Frosting
Step 1: While the cupcakes are cooling, let’s make the frosting. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until it’s creamy and pale.
Step 2: Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once it’s all in there, add the vanilla and the pinch of salt.
Step 3: With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Once it’s mixed in, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for a full 3 minutes. This makes it super light and fluffy. If it’s too stiff, add that last tablespoon of cream.
Step 4: Now for the colors. Divide the frosting evenly into three separate bowls. Add a few drops of red food coloring to one bowl, yellow to another, and orange to the third. Mix each one until the color is nice and bright.
Assembling Your Mini Campfires
Step 1: Time for the coolest trick. Lay a big piece of plastic wrap on your counter. Spoon the yellow frosting in a line down the middle. Now spoon the orange frosting in a line right next to it. Finally, do the same with the red. You should have three stripes of frosting sitting side-by-side.
Step 2: Carefully roll the plastic wrap up into a log, squeezing out any air bubbles. It’ll look like a big frosting sausage. Snip off one end of the plastic wrap with scissors.
Step 3: Place your star tip inside a piping bag. Drop the frosting log down into the bag, with the snipped end going into the tip. And just like that, you’re ready to pipe perfect fire swirls.
Step 4: Pipe a tall swirl of frosting onto each cooled cupcake. The colors will magically twist together and look just like flames. It’s so satisfying to watch.
Step 5: Crush the chocolate graham crackers into a fine dust. This is your “ash.” Sprinkle a little bit around the base of the frosting flames on each cupcake.
Step 6: Take a few pretzel sticks and break them in half. Gently poke a few into the frosting on the sides of each cupcake to look like logs of wood.
Step 7: The grand finale! Place a mini marshmallow on a toothpick or a heat-safe skewer. Using a kitchen torch, carefully toast the marshmallow until it’s golden brown. (If you don’t have a torch, you can put them on a baking sheet and broil them for about 30 seconds, but you have to watch them like a hawk!).
Step 8: Gently place one toasted marshmallow right on top of your frosting flames. And you’re done! You just made a campfire you can eat.
My Secret Pro Tips (You Won’t Find These Anywhere Else)
Over the years, I’ve made every mistake in the book. So here are a few things I’ve learned that make these cupcakes basically foolproof.
- Coffee is Your Secret Weapon: Using hot coffee in the chocolate cupcake batter does two things. It makes the chocolate flavor deeper and richer, and the hot liquid helps create a super tender, moist crumb. If you don’t like coffee, hot water works too, but the coffee really makes a difference.
- The Plastic Wrap Frosting Trick: The method I described for getting the swirled frosting is the absolute best way to do it. Trying to spoon three different colors into one piping bag is a nightmare and just makes a muddy mess. The plastic wrap log keeps the colors separate until the very last second.
- Don’t Toast Marshmallows in Advance: If you toast the marshmallows and let them sit for too long, they can get a little weird and soggy from the moisture in the frosting. Toast them right before you plan on serving the cupcakes for that perfect, slightly melty texture. It makes all the difference.
- Cool Cupcakes are Key: Never, ever try to frost a warm cupcake. I know it’s tempting. But the frosting will melt right off and you’ll have a sad, soupy puddle. Make sure they are completely cool to the touch before you even think about getting the piping bag out.
Swaps and Fun Twists
One of the best things about baking is making a recipe your own. Here are a few ideas if you want to switch things up a bit.
- Change the Base: Not a chocolate fan? You can use a vanilla cupcake recipe instead. A graham cracker-flavored cupcake would also be amazing and give it a real s’mores vibe.
- Gluten-Free Campfires: This recipe works really well with a good 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Just swap it for the all-purpose flour and you’re good to go.
- Different “Logs”: Instead of pretzel sticks, you could use Pirouette cookies or any other long, skinny cookie. Chocolate-covered pretzels also add a nice touch.
- Add Some Spice: For a Mexican hot chocolate twist, add a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to your dry ingredients for the cupcakes. It gives them a subtle, warming kick.
Making Life Easier (Make-Ahead Tips)
If you’re making these for a party, you can totally get a head start so you’re not rushing around at the last minute.
The cupcakes can be baked up to two days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Don’t put them in the fridge, or they can dry out.
You can also make the buttercream frosting up to a week ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit on the counter for about an hour to soften, then give it a quick whip with your mixer to make it fluffy again before you color it.
I’d wait to assemble and decorate the cupcakes on the day you plan to serve them for the best results, especially with the toasted marshmallows.
What to Do with Leftovers
If you happen to have any of these amazing cupcakes left over, which is rare in my house, storing them is easy.
Place them in an airtight container tall enough to not squish the frosting. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because of the butter and cream in the frosting, you definitely want to keep them chilled.
When you want to eat one, just let it sit on the counter for about 20-30 minutes to take the chill off. The cake and frosting will taste much better when they aren’t ice-cold.
Your Questions, Answered!
Here are some questions I get asked all the time. Hopefully, these help you out!
Q1. Can I use a boxed cake mix instead of making the cupcakes from scratch?
Ans: Absolutely! If you’re short on time, a good quality chocolate cake mix is a great shortcut. Just prepare it according to the box directions.
Q2. My frosting seems too soft and won’t hold its shape. What did I do wrong?
Ans: It probably just needs to be chilled. Pop the bowl of frosting (or the filled piping bag) in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes. That should firm up the butter and make it perfect for piping.
Q3. How do I get the food coloring so bright without making the frosting taste weird?
Ans: The trick is to use gel food coloring, not the little liquid drops from the grocery store. Gels are super concentrated, so you only need a tiny amount to get a really vibrant color, and they won’t water down your frosting.
Q4. Are these cupcakes safe for kids to help with?
Ans: Yes, kids love making these! They can help mix the batter, put the liners in the tins, and decorate. Just make sure an adult handles the oven and the kitchen torch for the marshmallows.
Wrapping Up
See? You can totally bring the fun of a summer campfire right into your kitchen. These cupcakes are so much fun to make, and people’s faces always light up when they see them. They just look so cool.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes! If you have any questions while you’re making them, just drop a comment below. I always love to see pictures of how yours turned out, too