Share a S'mores-a-licious Mini Cake!

Psssst...come closer I have something to tell you.
This is a partial re-post from a guest post I did in March...
It was never published here...
just warning you in case you read the guest post,
and do not want to spend the day thinking "this sounds familiar." 
 S'mores-a-licious Mini Cakes
The kitchen and I have not always been BFF's!
When I got married, it was an accomplishment to make a lasagna,
and that was usually accompanied by
"See you later honey...I have an appointment...
we'll be having lasagna ALL week!" 
Poor hubby. Thankfully, things have changed..
I now love to cook and bake, and create new recipes,
but baking is still what I love the most.
These days I try to bake only on special occasions -
I cannot control myself and do not want to spend
each minute of every day exercising...I have a blog to write!

I try to limit my baking to special occasions {boring}!

But that does not mean a few treats do not magically appear on the counter. Unless I am trying a new healthy substitution on a recipe or I am making a healthy yummy treat.
However on  birthdays and such all bets are off!

A few years ago, my son was really into planning a surprise for his Dad. We started searching for a recipe and came across Joe's Molten Marshmallow-Chocolate Cake from Sunset Magazine. My son, being named Joe, thought this cake was perfect for his Dad...because it had Joe in the title, and so we made it and it has become one of our favorites!

Well, we have made this numerous times,
so I wanted to mix things up a little.
We all love s'mores at our house...
so here is my creation...inspired by the original!

S'mores-a-licious Mini Cakes

Makes 12+

{I had some left over chocolate...you could probably get about 15-16 mini cakes or 6 large cakes out of this recipe}

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

-1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

-1/4 cup butter

-1/3 cup granulated sugar

-2 large eggs

-2 teaspoon vanilla

-1 cup all-purpose flour

-2+ teaspoons cinnamon {Optional..we love cinnamon and it makes for a nice flavor!}

-6 large marshmallows, cut in half or 48 mini marshmallows

-Powdered sugar, optional

CRUST

-4 Whole Graham crackers, crushed

-3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Mixing, CAKE

-Add the cinnamon to the flour and stir to combine.

-In a 3 or 4 quart sauce pan, over low heat melt the butter and chocolate chips until smooth.

-Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar eggs, and vanilla until well blended.

-Stir in flour mixture. 

Mixing, CRUST

-Add the melted butter to the crushed graham crackers and mix thoroughly.

Baking

-For the mini cakes, I used a mini muffin pan. You can use either ramekins or a large muffin tin to make larger cakes.

-Butter the muffin tin.

-Place about one teaspoon of the graham cracker mixture into each muffin cup and press down firmly to form a crust.

-Fill each cup about halfway full with the batter, about a heaping teaspoon of batter.

-Place a half or a large marshmallow or about 4 mini marshmallow in the center of each cup, pressing down into the batter slightly.

-Evenly divide remaining batter {about another heaping teaspoon of batter} amongst the muffin cups and spoon on top of the marshmallow, covering it.

-Bake in a 350 degree oven until puffed and crackly for approximately 10-12 minutes {it may take up to 15 minutes...but start checking at 10}.

-Let cool for 10 minutes +/-.

-Run knife along edges to release.

-Dust with powdered sugar, optional.

 
{They look just as good w/o powdered sugar!} 

Serve with a VERY cold glass of milk! 
Or if you want to be super decadent...hot fudge sauce...
but you may have chocolate overload {is that possible?}

 
P.S. I hope to be visiting you all tomorrow {I hope - fingers crossed}.
Thanks for listening to me vent yesterday! I by no means think I am the only one who is busy and realize my "issues" are really not that bad. After I read it I thought I sounded whiny. Anywhoo...I have a migraine...I am going to bed and hope to be back happy and chipper on Friday to Tickle you Pink!