These fun Campfire Cupcakes will bring you joy as you wait to take your next camping trip. Made with chocolate cupcakes, fiery frosting, mini pretzel sticks and mini marshmallows, these are a fun addition to any summer party.
Campfire Cupcakes
Our family loves going on camping trips and spending time in the great outdoors but where we live, it’s not the ideal camping weather until about mid-July when the snow on the mountains has melted.
That is why I love these cute little campfire cupcakes so much. They capture the essence of camping in a fun little treat. They are great for a camping party or any summer themed parties.
The best part is, they are easy to make and even the kids can help!
Want more camping recipes? Try our Campfire Cones recipe and our list of The Best Camping Meals for Kids!
What You Need to Make Campfire Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cake Mix – I prefer Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker cake mix. You can also use your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe. (You will also need the ingredients for the cupcakes such as eggs, vegetable oil, water, etc.)
- Powdered Sugar
- Unsalted Softened Butter – You will want your butter softened prior to mixing to get the right consistency for the vanilla buttercream frosting
- Vanilla – I prefer pure vanilla extract but you can use imitation vanilla too
- Milk – You can use a milk substitute
- Orange and Red Gel Food Coloring – I prefer gel colors but you can use regular food coloring as well
- Pretzel Sticks – You will need about 6 pretzel sticks per cupcake
- Miniature Marshmallows – You will need one mini marshmallow per cupcake
Tools Needed:
- Large Piping Bag
- Large Star Tip
- Saran Wrap
- Cupcake Liners
- Cupcake Pan
- Electric Mixer
What is the trick to buttercream frosting?
The trick to making the perfect buttercream frosting is to follow the directions carefully. Never add too much liquid to it and ensure your butter is softened prior to making it. You also want to avoid overbeating your frosting or it will become runny and watery.
How to store buttercream frosting
Buttercream frosting can be stored at room temperature for a few hours. If making in advance, place into the fridge in an airtight container away from moisture and allow to get to room temperature (or close to it) before piping.
Can I use yellow frosting?
Yes! I used red and orange frosting but you can also in yellow frosting if you want more a tri-colored frosting effect. Just follow the same steps as below.
How to Make Campfire Cupcakes
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Add cupcake liners to 2 muffin tins, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, prepare chocolate cake, according to box directions.
Bake for the time suggested on the box, then allow cupcakes to cool completely.
For decorating the cupcakes, in a large bowl, beat softened butter until light and creamy.
Add powdered sugar, and beat until sugar and butter are combined.
Add vanilla and milk. Mix on medium speed until frosting comes together and is smooth.
Divide buttercream frosting into two mixing bowls. You will make two different colored frostings to create the fire effect in the frosting.
Add several drops of orange food coloring to one, and several drops of red food coloring to the other bowl. Mix both well until food coloring is combined and there are no streaks.
Add a dab of frosting to each cupcake in the center. Break your pretzel sticks in half, and create 6 “wood” pieces to sit under your frosting. Sit them into the dab of frosting to hold them in place.
For the frosting flame, you’re going to take two large sheets of plastic wrap. Add 3-4 big spoonfuls of red frosting to the wrap, fold the edges over to make a tube of icing, and twist the ends. Repeat this for the other color and set aside.
Snip off one end of the twisted plastic wrap for each color.
Prepare your frosting piping bag with your favorite frosting tip (I like to use a large star tip), add both colors, side by side, with the end you trimmed off down towards the frosting tip.
To frost, squeeze the colors evenly and swirl on top of the cupcakes.
For topping, take 24 pretzel sticks, trimmed about ¾, and push a miniature marshmallow on the end.
Add the “toasting marshmallow” to the top of your cupcakes.
Serve and Enjoy your fun campfire cupcakes!
Campfire Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix + ingredients from the back water, oil, eggs
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
- Orange and Red gel food coloring
- 1 bag Pretzel sticks
- 24 Miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Add cupcake liners to 2 muffin tins, set aside.
- In a large bowl, prepare chocolate cake, according to box directions.
- Bake for the time suggested on the box, then allow cupcakes to cool completely.
- For decorating the cupcakes, in a large bowl, beat softened butter until light and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar, and beat until sugar and butter are combined.
- Add vanilla and milk. Mix on medium until frosting comes together and is smooth.
- Divide batter of the frosting, half in one mixing bowl, and half in another.
- Add several drops of orange food coloring to one, and several drops of red food coloring to the other bowl. Mix both well until food coloring is combined and there are no streaks.
- Add a dab of frosting to each cupcake in the center. Break your pretzel sticks in half, and create 6 “wood” pieces to sit under your frosting. Sit them into the dab of frosting to hold them in place.
- For the dual colored icing, you’re going to take two large sheets of plastic wrap. Add 3-4 big spoonfuls of frosting to the wrap, fold the edges over to make a tube of icing, and twist the ends. Repeat this for the other color and set aside.
- Snip off one end of the twisted plastic wrap for each color.
- Prepare your frosting piping bag with your favorite frosting tip (I like to use a large star tip), add both colors, side by side, with the end you trimmed off down towards the frosting tip.
- To frost, squeeze the colors evenly and swirl onto the cupcakes.
- For topping, take 24 pretzel sticks, trimmed about ¾, and push a miniature marshmallow on the end. Add the “toasting marshmallow” to the top of your cupcakes.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition information is a rough estimate only; actual values will vary based on the exact ingredients used and amount of recipe prepared.