Description
These Camp Fire Cupcakes are a fun and creative dessert that mimics the look of a cozy campfire. Featuring moist French vanilla cupcakes topped with a graham cracker ‘dirt’ base, vibrant orange and yellow frosting flames, pretzel ‘logs’, and mini marshmallow ‘campfire sticks’, they are perfect for camping-themed parties or family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box French Vanilla cake mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter
Campfire Base
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Decorations
- Pretzel rods
- Mini marshmallows
- Toothpicks
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter (softened)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Yellow gel food coloring
- Orange gel food coloring
- 1 large piping bag fitted with a medium star tip
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners to ensure the cupcakes don’t stick during baking.
- Mix the cupcake batter: In a standing mixer, combine the French vanilla cake mix, unsalted butter, whole milk, and eggs. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Fill cupcake liners: Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each approximately three-quarters full to allow space for rising.
- Bake the cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Prepare the frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until stiff peaks form, indicating a firm and pipeable consistency.
- Color the frosting: Divide the frosting into two separate bowls. Add yellow gel food coloring to one bowl and orange gel food coloring to the other, mixing until the colors are evenly blended to create vibrant campfire flames.
- Make the graham cracker crumb base: In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and cocoa powder thoroughly. This mixture will create the ‘dirt’ base around the cupcakes.
- Assemble marshmallow sticks: Place two mini marshmallows on each toothpick to resemble marshmallows roasting on a stick.
- Frost and coat cupcakes: Spread a layer of the prepared frosting on top of each cooled cupcake. Immediately dip the frosted portion into the graham cracker and cocoa mixture to cover the frosting base, simulating campfire dirt.
- Pipe the flames: Using the piping bag fitted with a medium star tip, pipe the colored yellow and orange frostings onto the center of each cupcake in flame shapes to create a realistic flickering effect.
- Decorate with pretzels and marshmallows: Arrange pretzel rods around the frosting flames to look like firewood logs. Place the marshmallow sticks on top to complete the campfire appearance and bring the design to life.
Notes
- Use softened butter to ensure smooth frosting.
- For best results, allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- Adjust heavy cream quantity to achieve desired frosting consistency.
- The graham cracker and cocoa powder mixture can be adjusted for more or less ‘dirt’ coverage.
- Gel food coloring produces more vivid colors without altering frosting consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
