Low FODMAP S’Mores Cupcakes
We have S’Mores Chocolate Chunk Cookies and S’Mores Brownies, so what was next? Low FODMAP S’Mores Cupcakes, of course! They start with a low FODMAP, gluten-free graham cracker crust baked underneath moist, dark chocolate cake that is so easy to make, you can whisk it up by hand in a bowl. The crowning glory is a homemade, fluffy, marshmallow frosting. Leave as is or garnish with a small piece of milk or dark chocolate, graham cracker and mini marshmallows.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 15 cupcakes; 15 servings; 1 cupcake per serving.
Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust & Cupcakes:
- 3 ½ - ounces (100 g) Nairn’s Gluten Free Oat Grahams
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- Half batch Easy Chocolate Cake batter, raw
Marshmallow Frosting & Decor:
- 3 large egg whites
- ¾ cup (149 g) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Extra Nairn’s Gluten Free Oat Grahams
- Low FODMAP miniature marshmallows, such as Kraft
- Thin slabs of chocolate, milk or dark
Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 15 cupcake wells with fluted paper liners. I know this means that you are going to have empty wells, but there was no getting around the fact that the recipe makes 15 cupcakes!
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For the Crust: Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the graham crackers into very fine, evenly ground crumbs. Pulse in the sugar and melted butter until evenly moistened.
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Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the crumb mixture into each cupcake liner and pat down firmly to create an even layer of graham cracker crust.
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For the Cake: Have the Easy Chocolate Cake batter prepared as directed. Divide the batter into the cupcake wells, on top of the graham crusts. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick just tests clean. Cool completely on rack. Cupcakes may be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
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For the Frosting: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl – I use my stand mixer bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with a couple of inches of simmering water. Do not let the bowl touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and mixture is very warm; I like to check with my instant read thermometer and bring it up to 160°F (71°C). A little higher is okay, but cooler is not. Place bowl on stand mixer base and beat with whisk attachment on high speed until thick, glossy and cooled. Beat in vanilla. (You can do this with a hand mixer, but it might take a long time for the marshmallow meringue to cool down a bit). Now you have a choice of how to finish them. At their simplest, pipe or spread marshmallow meringue on each cupcake and brown with a kitchen torch, either butane or propane. At their fanciest, add a few mini marshmallows on top of the frosting. Brown with torch, then add a piece of graham cracker and a piece of chocolate, as shown in images. Best served the same day. Cupcakes are ready to serve. The optional chocolate, graham crackers and mini marshmallows have not been taken into consideration for FODMAP load.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Chocolate: Monash University has lab tested dark, milk and white chocolate all have low FODMAP amounts: 85% dark at 20 g; dark at 30 g; milk at 20 g; white at 25 g.
• Cocoa: Monash University has lab tested what they call “cocoa” and also “cacao” and they show different FODMAP content. The problem is that from the chocolate manufacturing industry’s perspective, there is no difference between cacao and cocoa powder. The FDA, The Food Standards for Australia and New Zealand, the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) and the National Confectioners Association do not even recognize the term “cacao” to describe cocoa powder. We have an article, All About Cocoa, that we encourage you to read. It attempts to explain the discrepancies in the Monash lab testing.
• Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
• Oats: Both Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested oats. FODMAP Friendly gives rolled oats a “Pass” at ½ cup or 43 g servings. Monash has several app entries and some are country specific. Here we present their “basic” app entries which are not country specific (use your app to look up the other entries). For their main entry called “rolled oats” they say a Green Light low FODMAP serving is ½ cup, which they peg at 52 g. For “quick oats” they state that a low FODMAP serving is only ¼ cup at 23 g, becoming moderate Yellow Light at ½ cup or 47 g.
• Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is 1/4 cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.