Get ready to bring the magic of the outdoors to your party dessert table with these cute campfire cupcakes!
With a rich chocolate cupcake, Nutella cream filling, orange fire frosting, and cute camp fire decorations, these camping cupcakes as fun to make as they are to eat.
Perfect for camping themed party food, bonfire party treats, glamping party desserts, and scout celebrations, these Nutella filled cupcakes are simple to make and unforgettable sweet treats that everyone will love.
If you love Nutella, try this Nutella frappe or this Nutella coffee ice cream.
Why You’ll Love This Campfire Cupcakes Recipe
Apart from the fact these cute gourmet filled cupcakes are easy to make, here are some more reasons to love them:
Fun & playful design: These camping themed cupcakes don’t just taste amazing – they look like miniature campfires! With creative campfire decorations, they’re perfect for adding a little personality to your camping party desserts.
Surprise Nutella filling: Each bite offers a delicious surprise with a creamy Nutella whipped cream center. It’s a delicious twist that makes these outdoor cupcakes perfect for special occasions and holiday camps.
Perfect for parties & themes: Whether you’re hosting a camping birthday party, summer bonfire, or adventure-themed party, these cupcakes double as both dessert and décor. They’re a crowd-pleasing hit for kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
To make these camp fire cupcakes you’ll need the following ingredients. A complete list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Betty Crocker cake mix: To make this recipe quick and easy we’re using a box cake mix to get started. I love the Devils Food cake mix, but any large chocolate cake mix is fine.
- Buttermilk: Instead of water, we’re using buttermilk for a rich and creamy flavor. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Vegetable oil: Adds extra moisture to the cupcakes. If you don’t have vegetable oil, any light flavored oil like grapeseed oil or canola oil is fine.
- Eggs: Bring to room temperature before using.
- Espresso powder: This is an optional ingredient, but I highly recommend you add it! Espresso powder doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it does enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Nutella: Used to flavor the creamy cupcake filling.
- Heavy cream: I recommend you use full fat heavy cream for the richest tasting filling.
- Powdered sugar: For both the nutella filling and the frosting, ensure you measure out separate amounts for each.
- Unsalted butter: To make the fire frosting. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Cream cheese: Used in the frosting, ensure it is room temperature otherwise it is very hard to whip.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor of the frosting, if you don’t have any don’t worry – it will still taste great!
- Food coloring: You will need either red and yellow food coloring, or orange food coloring to make the flame frosting.
- Wafer rolls: For our “campfire logs”, any brand (and flavor) of wafer roll is fine – you will break them down to smaller sections to create the campfire on top of the cupcake.
- Mini marshmallows: For our s’mores, use mini marshmallows or cut regular sized marshmallows into small pieces.
Equipment Needed
You will need 2 x muffin trays, cupcake liners, some toothpicks, a couple of large mixing bowls and a piping bag (or cupcake filler tool) to make these camping theme cupcakes.
How To Make Bonfire Cupcakes
Here’s a quick overview of how to make camp cupcakes at home. For the full recipe and ingredient list, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Step 1: Make the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners. If you only have one muffin tin, that’s fine – just bake one batch then the other.
In a large bowl add the cake mix, buttermilk, eggs, oil, and espresso powder. Mix until smooth. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer or a whisk for this step!
Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Nutella filling. While the cupcakes are baking, get started on the Nutella cream filling. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
Add the Nutella and continue whipping until firm peaks form. Transfer the cream to a piping bag with a narrow round tip, or fill a cupcake filler with the cream.
Step 3: Fill the cupcakes. Use a cupcake corer or a small knife to remove a small plug from the top-center of each cupcake and pipe the Nutella cream filling into the center of each cupcake.
Alternatively you can use a cupcake filling tool with narrow piping nozzle to fill each cupcake.
Step 4: Make Cream Cheese Frosting. In a large bowl add the softened cream cheese and butter and beat until smooth and creamy.
If using a stand or hand mixer, reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat well until smooth and creamy.
Make your fire colored frosting by adding small amounts of orange or red and yellow food coloring until you get your desired shade. If combining colors you will need more yellow than red color to make orange.
Step 5: Frost cupcakes. Transfer the orange frosting to a piping bag and pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of each cupcake to create a bonfire flame shape.
Step 6: Decorate cupcakes. Break the wafer rolls into shorter 2″ pieces to make logs. Arrange 3 wafer rolls on top of the cupcake to make a little campfire shape.
Thread two mini marshmallows on to a toothpick (or pretzel stick) and thread the marshmallow stick through the wafer logs on top of the cupcake.
Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions For A Camping Themed Party
Create a campfire dessert bar: Arrange the cupcakes on a rustic wooden tray or tree-slice platter with faux greenery and mini lanterns. Use crushed oreos or graham crackers as “dirt” and arrange the cupcakes on the platter to mimic a real campfire setup.
Individual camping kits: Pack each cupcake into a treat box or jar and include a mini flashlight or glow sticks along with some extra marshmallows for a cute night time treat.
How To Store Camping Cupcakes
These bonfire cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are decorated.
Store: Store leftover frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days – but note the wafer rolls may soften when stored in the fridge.
Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted and unfilled cupcakes for up to 1 month. Simply thaw completely before filling and frosting.
Adventure Cupcakes FAQs
Can I Make These Cupcakes Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can bake and fill the cupcakes a day ahead. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container. Frost and decorate the day you plan to serve.
Can I Freeze The Cupcakes?
You can freeze the unfrosted and unfilled cupcakes for up to 1 month. Thaw before filling and decorating. The Nutella cream and frosting don’t freeze well once assembled.
What Can I Use Instead Of Wafer Rolls?
Other options for the campfire logs include thin pretzel sticks or chocolate covered biscuit sticks, like Pocky.
What If I Don’t Have A Cupcake Corer Or Filler?
Just use a small knife to cut a small cone out of the center of the cupcake. If you don’t have a piping bag, just use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped to fill and frost.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
- Nutella lovers will adore these nutella dessert recipes.
- Discover cupcakes for every occasion in this collection of gourmet cupcakes.
Loved this recipe? Leave a review, and join me on Facebook and Pinterest for more tasty recipe ideas.
Campfire Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 1 box Betty Crocker Devils Food Cake Mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
FOR THE FILLING
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ cup Nutella hazelnut chocolate spread
FOR THE FROSTING
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 block, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- yellow and red gel food coloring
FOR THE DECORATIONS
- 48 mini marshmallows
- 24 wafer rolls
- 24 toothpicks or thin pretzels
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) and line 2 x 12-muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and espresso powder (if using) until smooth – about 2 minutes.
- Fill liners with cupcake mixture until 2/3 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
FOR THE FILLING
- While the cupcakes are baking, in a mixing bowl whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
- Add the Nutella and continue whipping until firm peaks form.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or cupcake filler with a narrow round tip.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a cupcake corer or small knife to cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Pipe the Nutella cream filling into the center of each cupcake.
FOR THE FROSTING
- With a stand or hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
- Reduce the speed to slow and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Add a few drops of yellow and red food coloring at a time until you reach your desired shade of orange. You will need more yellow than red coloring.
- Transfer the fire cream cheese frosting to a piping bag and using your preferred tip, pipe the frosting on top of each filled cupcake to create a small "bonfire" shape.
FOR THE DECORATIONS
- Break the wafer rolls into shorter pieces (about 2 inches long) to make "logs".
- Arrange 3-4 wafer logs on top of each cupcake to make a little campfire.
- Thread two mini marshmallows onto a toothpick or pretzel stick.
- Arrange the marshmallow roasting stick on top of the frosting, nestling it between the wafer logs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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