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
Did you make this recipe?
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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.”
Wishing you the best year yet! Happy Birthday, Jess. Love you!
welcome to your 30’s! they have been the best 2 years of my life so far:o)
Happy Birthday! There’s nobody on the web who owns the right to do what she wants and happily share it in a humorous and soul-bearing way than you do lady. Believe me, 30’s are awesome and you can still think you’re young enough to be attractive to all of the Twilight boys and that Justin Timberland might leave Jessica Biehl for you as you rock the next Taylor Swift incarnation. Your name is Jessica afterall.
Happy Birthday!!! You were the first blog I started reading many moons ago and I still come back every day to read your witty words and swoon over your scrumptious creations. Thanks!
Whoops I forgot to ask my question… How long does the frosting last? I piped with a meringue very similar to this and it oozed all over the place. Does this one hold it’s shape?
Yes!! This frosting held up like a dream. I made the cupcakes early in the morning and we didn’t eat them until late at night – they were still perfect. I loosely placed a piece of plastic wrap over top of the cupcakes in a tupperware container and days later – still perfect. I actually still have the leftover frosting in my fridge and it is great too! Slightly less fluffy and together but still really awesome!
Happy Birthday!! I really enjoyed reading this post I turned 30 a few weeks ago and am struggling to decide what on earth to do with my life and realising it is in fact nothing how I thought it would be when I was younger! I love baking and wish I was in your shoes doing it everyday and taking pics of it all!! Best of luck for the next year, I can’t wait to read more!
First of all Happy Birthday beautiful! You look great and should be proud of everything you’ve accomplished thus far.
Secondly… are you kidding me with these? Literally dream come true. Also, I can’t help but love the lighter tip!
Happy Birthday! I’m only at 24, but I think about how different things will be by 30 alllll the time!
Happy Birthday Jess! I hope you have a wonderful, sugar-infused birthday. XOXO!
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a fabulous day!
Happy Birthday Jess!! And thank you for doing what you do. We’re all very grateful!
Happy, happy birthday, Jessica. 30’s are waaay better than 20’s anyways!
Happy birthday! So much of what you shared here is true. I always wanted to be an adult, and sometimes now, I wish I was still a kid.
A. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You are going to LOVE your 30’s! I promise!
B. The cupcakes are AMAZING!
C. Um, I went to Sur La Table to buy one of those blowtorches and totally cheaped out. And I just happen to HAVE a Bic candle lighter *angels singing*
D. I hope you have the best day/year/DECADE….and it only gets better!
*mwah*
Happy birthday! Welcome to the other side of the BIG 3-0. It’s not so bad!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Also you are brilliant because all the way through this post I was thinking “what could I use instead of a blow torch?” and you answered me by the end! The best :)
Happy Birthday Jessica! Hope you have a very special 30th! Now I gotta get off your site…my dress fitting is today for my wedding! ha! :) I’ll be back after December 22 ;)
Happy birthday, Jessica!
Happy birthday Jessica!! I don’t comment very often, but I want you to know that you were the first blog I started reading religiously (like RELIGIOUSLY) and also the reason for my now insatiable desire to pour over recipes on the internet (totally a good thing).
Anyways, hope you have the best birthday ever!!
Happy Birthday dear Jessica! I hope you’re so proud of everything you’ve accomplished this year – so many wonderful recipes, a beautiful site re-design/launch, fabulous/flawless pictures, quirky Tuesday things, and clever blog writing. Take today to celebrate EVERYTHING, Jessica because you deserve it. Lots of sprinkles for you today, ok? :)
These cupcakes. I’m drooling on my keyboard. Pumpkin + s’mores.. fall and summer in ONE. looove. <3
Happy birthday! I dreaded turning 30 last year but it turned out to be a supremely awesome year, so I wish the same for you :)
Happy birthday!! Ditto Melissa two comments or so above me…I don’t comment that often but I read every.day. I put your blog up there with Smitten Kitchen and Joy the Baker. You are awesome and cook the most delicious things and are such an entertaining writer! Also I’m fairly sure my first ever blog post included our take on your cake batter pancakes. Yum. Hope you have a great day!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I hope it’s as awesome as you are :D and uhhh, I can’t stop drooling over these cupcakes. I must make them now!
Happy Birthday! Own your life, own your age! Congrats!
happy birthday! these cupcakes look like the perfect way to celebrate!
No but seriously, how exactly am I supposed to birth a child and still do all the fun things?
Happy birthday! Love you! xo
A perfect recipe to celebrate your 30th birthday! Happy Birthday!!
Happy birthday to my favorite blogger ever!
Love,
One of your invisible online friends
Happy birthday! Those cupcakes look delicious.
Have a wonderful birthday! I’m actually old enough to be your mother so 30 seems really young to me. I love reading your blog and trying out your delicious recipes. You are very entertaining and a day brightener! Many happy returns and enjoy your day!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wishing you a year full of cupcakes like those and more goodness :)
Happy Birthday! Wishing you a year full of happiness, delicious food without calories, and more love than you could have ever imagined. :)
Hope you’re having an excellent birthday! I LOVE your blog and recipes! :)
Happy happy birthday lady!! Hope you have a day as FABULOUS as you are.
P.S. Bic lighter blowtorch? SAME HERE. #loveit
Happy Birthday to my favorite blogger. :)
Happy Birthday!! Have a wonderful Day!!
PS. I had a hard time when I turned 30 but honestly my 30’s have been the BEST time ever!! So Enjoy!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Happy Birthday!! It is wonderful to hear that you are exactly where you want to be. I also LOVE that you used a bic lighter/torch thingy on these cupcakes. Have a fantastic year!!
You’re amazing and these cupcakes look to die for. Happy Birthday!!!
Happy happy birthday, Jessica! Hope you have a sweet one : )
Yes, by all means YES may your upcoming years and the many years that follow be filled with fudge ganache and topped with something fluffy and light!!!
Happy Birthday, girl!
Sending you MUCH love and many, many wishes for a very wonderful day and year! You’ve brought so much joy and happiness to so very many people that you deserve it to be returned to you tenfold, Jessica.
Happy Birthday Jessica! Celebrate like a rock star! hehe*
Those cupcakes are LOVELY and super yummy cute!
& thanks for the lighter tip!
Happy Birthday Jessica! Hope you have an awesome day and get to eat lots of these cupcakes :)
Happy Birthday!! Welcome to the 30’s….it’s fun and you feel instantly wiser.
These look absolutely perfect–Happy birthday to YOU!!
Happy birthday! Those look amazing, enjoy :)
Happy Birthday!! Your 30’s really aren’t that bad!! Celebrate them and own them! Love the recipe and the blog, glad you made this choice!!
Happy BDAY!!!!!
And this is too weird but today my post is pumpkin cupcakes with marshmallow frosting! And I never make cupcakes. It’s not my ‘thing’ – too fussy usually but I was inspired. Yours look amazing. Perfect cupcakes for your special day.
I hope your year, and decade, is everything you dream it to be and more :)
And I saw Bridget’s post for you – amazing!
Happy Birthday! What a wonderful treat to celebrate with, I can’t wait to make them! Have a wonderful day!
Happy birthday! May you continue regaling us with delicious food for years to come! :)