Looking to add a little fun to your next outdoor celebration or camping themed party? These campfire cupcakes are the perfect way to bring some adventure to your dessert table!
With a rich chocolate cupcake, Nutella cream filling and cute campfire decorations, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat. Whether you’re planning a cozy backyard bonfire, a camping themed birthday, or looking for unique bake sale treats with a playful touch, these camping cupcakes are guaranteed to steal the spotlight.
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 cupcakes don’t just taste amazing – they look like miniature campfires! With creative touches like wafer roll logs, marshmallow roasting sticks, and orange cream cheese frosting designed to look like a glowing flame, they’re perfect for adding charm and personality to any outdoor-themed event.
Surprise Nutella Filling: Each bite offers a delicious surprise with a creamy Nutella whipped cream center. It’s a delicious twist that makes these gourmet cupcakes perfect for special occasions and school bake sales.
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!
Bonfire Cupcake Ingredients
To make these bonfire 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 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: Any light flavored oil like grapeseed oil or canola oil if you don’t have vegetable oil.
- Eggs: Bring to room temperature.
- 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.
- 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: For our 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 campfire cupcakes.
How To Make Campfire Cupcakes
Here’s a quick overview of how to make campfire 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 do one batch then another.
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!
How To Store Camping Cupcakes
These bonfire cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are decorated.
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.
You can freeze unfrosted and unfilled cupcakes for up to 1 month. Simply thaw completely before filling and frosting.
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.
Cupcake 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.
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Campfire Cupcakes
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 1 box Betty Crocker Devils Food Cake Mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional
For The Nutella Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ cup Nutella
For The Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese 1 block, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- yellow food coloring
- red 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 cupcake liners 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 to cool completely on a wire rack.
For The Nutella 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.
