Samoa Cupcakes – Oh Sweet Basil

Girl scout cookie meets cupcake in these rich chocolatey, caramel, and toasted coconut Samoa Cupcakes!

I’m so thrilled that stores have started making knock off Girl Scout cookies so that I don’t have to wait until March to devour all my favorite Girl Scout cookie flavors. Keebler has a version of the Samoa cookie and Walmart even has it’s own Great Value version. So you can make these Samoa cupcakes all year round!

Samoa Cookie Inspiration

I love cupcakes and Samoa cookies so why not mash the two together?! Voila! It’s seriously a party in your mouth. I chose to use a yellow cake for the cupcake to mimic the shortbread in the cookie and then I dipped it in ganache similar to how the bottom of a Samoa is covered in chocolate.  

I was going to top the cupcake with just a caramel/coconut mix but what kind of cupcake would that be without a buttery frosting?! The caramel buttercream is divine! I could eat it by the spoonful! And we top it with a sprinkle of toasted coconut!

Oh and for extra good measure I drizzled more caramel and ganache on top of the cupcakes creating a delicious mess.  These Samoa Cupcakes are going to blow your minds!  Enjoy!

Ingredients for Samoa Cupcakes

There are a few steps that go into making this cupcake recipe, but don’t worry, every ingredients and step is worth it! Here are the ingredients you will need:

Cupcakes:

• Dry Ingredients: All-Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt
• Wet Ingredients: Butter, Sugar, Eggs, Vanilla and Sour Cream

Ganache:

• Milk Chocolate Chips
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• Heavy Whipping Cream

Caramel Frosting:

• Butter
• Powdered Sugar
• Caramel Sauce
• Vanilla

Topping:

• Samoa Girl Scout Cookies
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• Caramel Sauce

The measurements for each ingredients can be found in the recipe at the end of this post. Keep scrolling down for all the details!

How to Make Samoa Cupcakes

Now that you know all the ingredients you need, here is the step-by-step guide to making them:

Cupcakes:

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Combine: Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.
3. Beat: Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until light and creamy.
4. Mix: Add the eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly between each egg. Then mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
5. Combine: Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs or clean. Let the cupcakes cool before dipping in the ganache.

Ganache:

1. Combine: Place chocolate in a bowl and pour the boiling hot whipping cream on top and then cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap and let sit for 2 minutes.
2. Whisk: Mix with a whisk until smooth.
3. Cool: Let it cool for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
4. Dip: Dip the tops of cupcakes in the chocolate and then let the chocolate set for 10-15 minutes before piping on the frosting.

Caramel Frosting:

1. Beat: Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until the butter becomes pale in color.
2. Mix: Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the rest of the ingredients for the frosting. Once the powdered sugar had mixed in, increase the speed of the mixer and beat until fluffy.
3. Frost: Place the frosting in a piping bag with a piping tip (I love the Wilton 1M tip) add the frosting to the top of the chocolate dipped cupcakes.
4. Finishing Touches: Drizzle the cupcakes with the any leftover ganache, the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the toasted coconut (see section below). Stick half a cookie into the top if desired.

The complete instructions can be found in the recipe card down below. You can also print or save the recipe there.

How to Toast Coconut

If you didn’t already know, toasted coconut is A-mazing!  All you do is spread your coconut on a baking sheet and bake it for 5-8 minutes on 350 degree F and you’ve created irresistible flakes of heaven. They give the cupcake so much flavor and a little crispy crunch. And if you know me, I’m all about texture.

What is Ganache?

Ganache is a whipped filling, glaze, icing, or sauce, for pastries made from chocolate and cream.

Is Confectioners Sugar the Same As Powdered Sugar?

Yes, they are the same thing. Sometimes it is also called icing sugar.

Why Do Cupcakes Stick to the Paper Liners?

A number of things can cause cupcakes to stick to the liners, so here are a few tips that I’ve found to help:

• Spray the liners thoroughly with non stick cooking spray.
• Sometimes the quality of the paper liners cause food to stick. Buy good quality paper liners.
• Slide a deep pan of water onto the lower rack of the oven, to add extra moisture and prevent sticking.
• Let the cupcakes cool completely before removing the paper liner.

Indulge in the delicious flavors of Samoa Girl Scout cookies with these decadent Samoa cupcakes. Topped with chocolate ganache, caramel buttercream frosting, and toasted coconut, they are the perfect treat for any occasion.

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Post originally written by Melanie from Garnish & Glaze.

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