Pumpkin S’mores Cupcakes.
Oooooh today. Hello three oh. Nice to meet you.
For as long as I can remember, I have ALWAYS wanted to be older. I wanted to be a grown up, if not only because it seemed super fun. You know, doing whatever you wanted and all, whenever you wanted. Doing things that people in movies do. People in books do. Nothing that people I know do, but still. Doing those things. As a kid, I was much more interested in hanging out with my parents and other adults. In high school, I wanted to be in college and in college, I wanted to be in my 20s or 30s, happily settled doing, well… anything else other than being stuck in school.
I don’t sound like too much fun now, do I? I’m really not. Maybe this year I will lighten up. Blame it on my first born child syndrome. But whatever! Right now, I’m exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. I’m not anywhere near what I thought I wanted, or where I thought I would be, but it turns out that right where I am… is perfect.
Even though I lambasted myself last year over the fact that OMGI’vebeenalivefor30years, that feeling didn’t stick around too long. Attribute it to a busy year or simply becoming too annoyed with myself to think about it any longer, I didn’t really consider my age too much these last 364 days except for when I found myself doing things like blasting Rod Stewart while working out or hopping in bed at 7:30 or writing old lady blog posts.
I spent most of my early 20s falling in and out of love Taylor Swift style (yeah yeah, I know… but I’m not gonna pretend to be somebody I’m not), with not only people but with things, careers, hobbies and preferences. I spent my mid 20s trying to decipher exactly which of those things I really loved Taylor Swift style (does she even know yet?) and seriously struggling to “find myself”…aka being born in the 80s and feeling entitled to having theeee perfect life and oh my god what does it all meeeeean. My late 20s consisted of figuring out just how the heck people stay married for real (um this is nothing like my favorite chick lit novels) and wondering how on Earth it will ever be possible to have a child (and actually… birth it) in my selfish world and still be able to lay on the couch for six hours at a time while simultaneously watching absolute trash on TV, talking on speakerphone, painting my nails and playing fruit ninja. Serious first world problems, I’m aware.
If you told me that at age 30 I’d be writing many fragmented and run-on sentences about the food I love to eat on the internet, sharing my life everyday with some invisible internet friends and taking pictures of things I’m about to put in my mouth… I would have clichély laughed in your face. In fact, I still am sort of laughing.
If you told me that at age 30, the age where my dad had two kids, the age where my mom was yet to be married, the age that a fabulous 80s drama was made after and the age that is prime time to be George Clooney girlfriend material… that I would be writing and doing what I wanted to do when I was eight years old, I’d clichély laugh in your face again.
Of course, I’ve learned many important things by this age, including but not limited to the fact that you should never drink a large open cup of liquid while sitting over your brand new computer, that you should always, always be yourself and own it, that way when people talk smack on you (which they always will), it doesn’t really matter because you’re being YOU, how to successfully poach an egg and feel awkward and alone in thinking that it’s really *not* that hard (sorry), the grass is always greener (though it’s truly green where you water it, thanks Justin Bieber) and that making your bed every morning really does make you feel better, as does NOT eating all of the foods or drinking all of the vodkas… all the time every time.
I think those make for an acceptable, fabulous life… right?
Oh and if you were looking for the longer token list of things I’ve learned by 30, I will leave you with perhaps the most important: if you find yourself baking s’mores cupcakes and you do not own a culinary blow torch because you a. are too poor to buy one 2. too lazy to buy one or c. would rather spend that money on shoes (duh), one of those long Bic candle lighter thingies works wonders. Tricks of the trade, my friends.
Pumpkin S'mores Cupcakes
Ingredients
graham crust
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
cupcakes
- 1 1/3 cups loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup milk
fudge ganache filling
- 4 ounces chopped milk chocolate
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
marshmallow frosting
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with lines.
- Combine the melted butter and graham crumbs together, mixing well until combined. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon into each cupcake liner, pressing with the back of a spoon to form a crust.
- To make the cupcakes, whisk egg and sugar together in a large bowl until combined and no lumps remain. Add in vanilla extract and butter, then whisk in pumpkin puree. Add in flour, baking soda, powder, salt and pumpkin spice, then add in milk and stir until combined and smooth. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter on top of each graham cracker crust, filling the liners 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until cupcakes are set and spring back at the touch. Let cool completely.
- While cupcakes are baking, heat the heavy cream until warm. Pour over the chopped milk chocolate in a large bowl, then use a spoon or whisk to stir until melted and combined. Let sit until cupcakes are cool, then fill a pastry bag with the chocolate and insert the top straight down into the cupcake, squeezing the ganache inside. You can also use a ziplock bag as your pastry bag or a small spoon – cutting off a small hole in the top of the cupcake and spoon the mixture down in.
- To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heat-proof bowl, preferably the bowl of your electric stand mixer. Place over top of a double-boiler that contains simmering water, and whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are slightly warm. Immediately remove the bowl and place it on your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beating slow at first and gradually increasing the speed to high. Beat for 6-7 minutes until glossy and thick, then beat in vanilla extract for another minute until combined. Frost cupcakes! You can torch the frosting if you’d like, as well as cover the top in additional graham crumbs. I stored these at room temp in a large tupperware container with the layer of plastic wrap over top.
Notes
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I appreciate you so much!
K. Done talking about being 30. Oh except that I hope this year is EXACTLY like these cupcakes. Injected with fudge ganache and topped with something fluffy and light.
235 Comments on “Pumpkin S’mores Cupcakes.”
Happy birthday my love :)
Happy birthday! You’re where you want to be through determination and fearlessness, as well as an awesome palette, perfect food photography and an infectious writing style. Go you for being you!
I couldn’t have said it better, Rebecca! Ditto from me, Jessica!
Happy birthday Jessica! For someone smack dab in the middle of her quarter life crisis (helllllllooooooo 25), I can’t tell you how refreshing your blog has been to read!! And your recipes are pretty fab too ;)
Happy Happy Birthday, I’d love to help you celebrate by eating these cupcakes:-)
Joyeux anniversaire!!
I read your blog every day from my little studio in Nice, France and I absolutely adore your posts and pictures! Wishing you a wonderful day!
Happy birthday lady! I hope it’s fabulous and you get to eat all the cupcakes your little heart desires. :)
This post made me happyyyyyyy. Happy Birthday!!! I love visiting here on the daily, love how your recipes are always successfully amazing when I make them, love your reflections on nail polish and other such life altering things. So anyway- have an awesome birthday and THANKS!!
happy happy birthday! the cupcakes look awesome – i am usually indiifferent to s’more flavored things, but pumpkin takes them to a whole new level!!
Happy 30th Birthday, Jessica! I hope your day is as AWESOME as you are!
You sold me and all you needed to do is show my the picture with the marshmallow frosting on the beater! OMG!!! I love these cupcakes! They sound amazing!! Nothing like pumpkin, chocolate and marshmallow!!!
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday you young thing!!! Have a fabulous day!
Happy birthday! I’m not far behind you … here’s to our 30’s!
Happy Happy Birthday!! I celebrated last night by eating a whole pan of your butternut squash penne. No shame here. Hope you have a super amazing day, even if Miranda couldn’t be there :)
Happy Birthday! These babies are the perfect way to celebrate. (Well for my tastes coat the whole thing in ganache on a stick and we’re good to go but yeah…)
Happy happy birthday Jessica! I can’t even explain how much I enjoy reading your blog. You are an inspiration- your blog is uniquely you and brings joy to others. I aspire to have my own food blog. I hope I find the courage to do it. Yay 30 and yay for these cupcakes!
Your cupcakes are adorable! I want to smash my face in that marshmallow frosting. Again… we were both thinking pumpkin and chocolate today. Soul sistah!
Happy Happy Happy Birthday! Muuuuuuah!
p.s. I’m still totally going to sing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” for you Friday night.
happy birthday!
I loved this. It reminds me just of a close friend of mine and ia girlfriend I lived with in college (and a bit too much like myself…). I love that we all want to be grown up, wear lipstick and real clothes everyday, do what grownups do…but we ARE grownups. Whoops! Ha.
Happy Birthday! Beautiful treats!
oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Duh. 30 is a totally big deal. Work it.
Happy Birthday and I would LOVE to see a pic of the browning/flaming process in action with the lighter!
HA the first thing I thought when I saw these photos was “Hmmm.. I wonder if she did that toasting with a blowtorch?” LOVE that you used a lighter and I’m totally going to do the same! I also spent a large chunk of my kid years wishing I was older (mainly so that I wouldn’t have to ask my mum’s permission to have friends sleep over, or sneak into our TV room to watch Friends because I wasn’t actually allowed to do so) but some days I’d give anything to go back to being a kid and being so innocent. I hope you have an awesome, amazing birthday Jess, and light a candle (or two) while you’re at it with that Bic lighter!
Happy Birthday Jessica! I hope you have an amazing and fun day and eat all those cupcakes, I know I would.
I love this, everything about it. The recipe, the pictures, and of course…your thoughts on entering a new decade of life. You just rock. Happy birthday, Jessica!
Happy Birthday! I bet these cupcakes make for a fabulous celebration :)
Happy Birthday, Jessica! As someone who is currently trying to find out what I truly love with the passion of T. Swift, I love reading your blog and realizing that life is life at any age! Thanks for all of your humor and delicious recipes!
Happy, happy birthday! My parents had me when they were very young and I spent my childhood thinking that you just “turned into” a grownup at 30. All of the sudden acted like a grownup. To this day I still relate that to sitting in a normal way in chairs and on sofas. Neither of my parents would sit backwards on a chair or wallow on the sofa or spin around in the office chair, and so I sort of thought of that as “maturity” when I was a kid.
Now that I too am approaching 30, I am happy to have learned that no matter your age, you can always sit like an idiot. And you’re always still you, there is no magic turning-into-a-grown-up going on! And like every life lesson I have learned, it seems totally common sense now. Have a great one!!!
Happy Birthday! I love your blog, thanks for doing what you do!
Happy birthday sweet friend! Enjoy your day to the fullest! Honestly, I love being in my thirties. And YOU will totally rock them. <3
Happy Birthday!!!
I don’t know how you come up with this combinations sometimes – these sounds fabulous and that frosting looks amazing!
Happiest of birthdays to you Jess! Here’s hoping the next 30 are just as fabulous, sugar coated, and chocolate filled as these! Keep up the FANTASTIC work, you’re an inspiration!
I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and I WILL be making these for Thanksgiving. Wow – great job! Happy Birthday!! You share it with my husband – a very special day! :) Enjoy it. And never ever (haha….) apologize for liking Taylor Swift.
You forgot to mention how important it is as an adult to contribute and leave a positive mark. You do that in spades everyday for so many people. Happy Birthday Jessica!! The 30’s are very cool :)
This post, it speaks…Happy Birthday!
Those look absolutely delicious! And wishing you a very happy birthday!
I had a post today on pumpkin muffins too. Pumpkin is still defiantly in the air.
definitely*
Happy happy birthday, Jessica! You’ll do 30 justice; I am sure of it. After all, you’ll still be you. Age is just a number. Hope you have a wonderful day! :)
Happy Birthday Jess! I am sooooo trying that candle lighter thingy. Boom!
Happppppy Birthdayyyyyyy!!
Happy Birthday, How Sweet! I adore your blog and wish you the best 3-0 possible!
Happy Birthday! I too am turning 30 in just a few short weeks, and I dont’ think I could have said it better! Hope you have a fabulous time celebrating!! One of my friends and I think you are just hysterical and that the 3 of us could be the best of friends…is that weird?!
Happy happy birthday!! Hope you have the best day :)
Thanks for being yourself, it’s a lot of fun ;-)
Happiest birthday to you my friend! You are inspiring to me and I am so glad we are internet friends.
(Also, I KNEW It was that frosting on IG. It’s my all-time favorite.)
I KNOW… #soulmatesforlife
I am already 3 years into 30 and it is exactly as this cupcake, so nothing to worry about. You’ll see. Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday from a fellow Pittsburgher who shares the same birthday!
Happy happy Birthday Jessica!!!!! I read your blog everyday and it always makes me day! Thank you so much for this and enjoy your day :)
Happy birthday lady! I hope it’s a great one!
Ha! When I saw the very first picture in this post, I thought, “well that looks amazing, but I’ll never be able to make it right because never in a million years would my husband allow me to use a blow torch in the house.” (And also, I like shoes…) I’m pretty excited to whip out that little BIC lighter now!
More importantly, though — happy birthday!!! I hope you have a day as fantastic as you are. So glad that at 30 you are doing what makes you happy… and sharing it all with us!
Eeek! Happy Birthday, Jessica. Like you, I’ve always wanted to be an adult. But now I kind of want to embrace my 20’s so I can (dorky alert!) be like you in my 30’s :) Have an awesome day!