I love to bake! In fact I do it each week for my husband’s team meeting at work. There is a group of about 6 of them, but I usually just bake one batch of whatever the recipes is that I’m making if it makes more than 6 servings. In the past I’ve made Margarita Cupcakes for my Roundabouts cupcake sleeve review and Diane Henderik’s Strawberry Cheesecake using Nature’s Path cereals. So I thought I’d share my love with you with Tasty Treats Thursday. If you need a treat for something this week, or there’s a school or church bake sale coming up then you can WOW them with something fun. Not everything I make is glamorous as I actually bake for me – just for the fun of it.

This week’s goodness is best served warm, but my husband’s colleagues had to deal with fresh made but reheated to desired temperature.

S’more Cupcakes Please!

WARE

double boiler (I don’t have one so I used a bowl balanced on a pot … be careful if you do the same!)
4 – 4oz. ramekins
medium size mixing bowl
wood spoon OR rubber spatula
4 serving dishes
electric handheld mixer
piping equipment
plastic bag (to crush graham crackers inside or 2 bags if you use a bag instead of piping equipment)
metal spoon(I used the back to crush graham crackers, and the spoon to place them on the cakes.)

CHOCOLATE – from allrecipes.com is “Chocolate Cakes with Liquid Centers”
This recipe makes four cakes. I had to make two batches to serve all 6 people – I’m not a fan of doubling recipes I’ve never tried in the past; so I literally made two batches.

½ cup butter
4 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate (I used Kraft’s Baker’s chocolate which is what I had on hand in my pantry)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 450^oF (230^oC). Butter and flour four 4oz. ramekins or custard cups.

2. In the top half of a double boiler set over simmering water, heat the butter and the chocolate until chocolate is almost completely melted. (I don’t own a double boiler so I microwaved all if it for one minute and stirred, then a second minutes and stirred. Everything was all melted at this point).

3. Beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together until light colored and thick.

4. Beat together the melted chocolate and butter. While beating, slowly pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour and mix until just combined.

5. Divide the batter between the four molds and bake in preheated oven for 7 minutes. The centers of the cakes will still be quite wet. Invert cakes on serving plates and let stand for 15 seconds, then unmold. (Typically you would serve immediately.)

MARSHMALLOW – I got a marshmallow tasting frosting recipes from a MOMS Club friend.

1 ³/₄ cups sugar
¹/₄ cup water
3 egg whites
¹/₄ tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Put sugar, water, egg whites, and cream of tartar in a heatproof container or on top of a double boiler and beat with electric mixer on high until opaque, white, and foamy, about 1 minute. (As mentioned, I don’t own a double boiler so instead I use a pot with a boil on top. If you too use this method because as it may not be sturdy.)

2. Put the bowl over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water or the bottom of a double boiler. The top container should sit firmly over the pan of hot water. Beat on high with electric mixer until frosting make stiff peaks that stand straight up when you stop the beaters and lift them out of the mixture, about 12 minutes.

3. Remover the container from the water, add the vanilla and continue to beat for 2 more minutes this frosting will become more firm as it cools on the finished cake.

GRAHAM CRACKER
My graham crackers aren’t homemade. I used La Panzanella Cinnamon Sweet Crisps which I love and buy in bulk from Costco. La Panzanella is local for me as they’re made in Tukwila, WA. I placed about 3 crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush to desired crumb size. I sprinkled them on top of the frosting as well as on the serving plate. I also garnished the top with a ½ La Panzanella Sweet Crisps.

I drizzled the plate with honey, as I typically used honey graham crackers in my s’mores, though this was more esthetic than for flavor.

About Summer:

Summer is the President of our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living.