Samoa Cupcakes

So my absolute favorite cookies are Girl Scout Samoa cookies... so needless to say, Girl Scout cookie season is one of my favorite times of the year. I was inspired by the ingredients that combine to make a Samoa cookie and decided to make a Samoa-inspired cupcake. And let me say, they came out really great!

Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups sugar

3/4 cups cocoa powder

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra large eggs (room temperature)

1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

1/2 cup strong hot coffee

1/2 cup hot water

Graham Cracker Bottom:

1/2 stick salted butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup graham crackers (crushed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Then, slowly stir in the coffee and water.

Mix brown sugar and graham crackers in bowl.  Add melted butter and mix until completely combined. (You will need to repeat this recipe depending on how many cupcakes you need)

Put a thin layer of graham cracker mixture into each cup and fill the cupcake pans about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean - 9-11 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. Core out (with an apple corer or I used the large end of a pastry tip) the middle of the cupcake to fill with frosting.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

1/3 cup caramel topping

8 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Cream caramel topping and butter in bowl with an electric mixer on high speed. On low speed, add in sugar until combined and then beat on high until fluffy and smooth. Put in pastry bag and frost cupcakes (in middle and on top) immediately.

Toasted Coconut:

Spread coconut in an oven safe dish/baking sheet.  Toast in oven for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees. 

I topped the cupcakes with the toasted coconut as well as sprinkled it over the graham cracker bottoms before putting the cake mixture on top. Also, once I filled the cupcakes with the caramel buttercream, I also put a little on top around the hole before frosting the tops of the cupcakes.

Enjoy!