Description
These Camp Fire Cupcakes bring the cozy charm of a campfire right to your dessert table! Featuring moist French vanilla cupcakes topped with a rich buttercream frosting that mimics flickering flames in vibrant yellow and orange hues, complete with graham cracker ‘dirt’, pretzel ‘logs’, and toasted mini marshmallows on sticks. Perfect for camping-themed parties or a fun family treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 box French Vanilla cake mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
Campfire Base
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
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
Garnishes
- Pretzel rods
- Mini marshmallows
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners to ensure the cupcakes don’t stick and bake evenly.
- Mix cupcake batter: In a standing mixer, combine the French vanilla cake mix, butter, whole milk, and eggs. Mix on medium speed until the batter is smooth and fully combined.
- Fill cupcake liners: Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about 3/4 full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Bake cupcakes: Bake the cupcakes for 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream together until stiff peaks form. This creates a fluffy, creamy frosting perfect for piping.
- Color 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 each until the colors are vibrant and consistent.
- Create campfire base: In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and cocoa powder to mimic dirt and charcoal for the campfire setting.
- Prepare marshmallow sticks: Assemble mini marshmallows on toothpicks by placing two marshmallows on each toothpick, resembling marshmallows on roasting sticks.
- Frost cupcakes: Generously frost each cooled cupcake with the buttercream and then dip the bases lightly into the graham cracker and cocoa powder mixture to create a textured ‘campfire dirt’ effect around the bottom.
- Pipe flames: Using a piping bag fitted with a medium star tip, pipe alternating colors of the yellow and orange frosting in the center of each cupcake to create the look of flickering flames.
- Assemble campfire: Arrange pretzel rods around the frosted flames to mimic logs and then place the marshmallow sticks on top to complete the campfire aesthetic.
Notes
- You can toast the mini marshmallows briefly under a broiler for a more authentic roasted effect if desired.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- Gel food coloring is preferred to achieve vibrant colors without thinning the frosting.
- If you don’t have a standing mixer, a hand mixer or whisk works fine but may require more time to achieve stiff peaks in the frosting.
- For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free cake mix and gluten-free graham cracker crumbs.
