Smores Cake Recipe
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4.8
98 reviews
Excellent
Smores Cake Recipe
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The Smores Cake Recipe creates layered chocolate cake bars with a graham cracker crust, chocolate cake batter, toasted marshmallow filling, and chocolate buttercream frosting. It combines classic s'mores flavors in rich, moist cake layers topped with marshmallow and chocolate ganache for a decadent dessert.
Description
This dessert starts with a graham cracker crust made by mixing crumbs with melted butter and sugar, then baking it briefly to set. The chocolate cake batter blends oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, leavening agents, buttermilk, and hot water for moistness and a tender crumb. The batter is poured atop the crust in multiple 8-inch pans and baked until a toothpick comes out clean.
The filling and topping layers include toasted marshmallow filling made from marshmallows, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla, as well as a chocolate ganache made from milk chocolate chips and heavy cream. The cake is finished with a rich chocolate buttercream incorporating cocoa powder, powdered sugar, butter, cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. The assembly layers cake, marshmallow filling, and chocolate frosting to recreate the classic campfire treat as an elegant dessert.
This cake is suitable for celebrations or special occasions and can be served sliced. It offers a combination of crunchy crust, moist chocolate cake, gooey marshmallow sweetness, and smooth chocolate frosting for a multi-textured treat.
Leftover cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen in individual portions; thaw at room temperature before serving for best texture.
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Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted, salted
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 egg large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 cup water hot
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips or semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Toasted Marshmallow Filling
- 24 marshmallows large
- 1 cup butter room temperature, salted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 marshmallow fluff jar
Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 cups butter room temperature, salted
- 1 1/3 cups cocoa powder unsweetened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Marshmallow Fluff
- 3 egg room temperature, white
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For decoration (optional)
- graham crackers additional
- Hershey bars broken up, additional
- marshmallows large, additional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper circles and set aside.
Graham Cracker Crust
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar together in a bowl, then divide evenly between the bottom of each pan. Press down, then bake for 8-10 minutes.
Chocolate Cake
- Beat the oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, half at a time, mixing just until combined each time and scraping the sides of the bowl.
- Add the hot water right at the end and mix well. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, pouring it right over the graham cracker crumbs.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Cool the cake layers completely and level with a sharp serrated knife.
Chocolate Ganache
- Heat the cream in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until hot. Pour over the chocolate chips in a small bowl, then let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Let cool while preparing the marshmallow filling.
Toasted Marshmallow Filling
- Set oven to broil with a rack set 2/3 of the way up. Spread the marshmallows in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Toast the marshmallows until they start to brown (watch them closely! This can happen in just a few seconds!), then remove them from the oven and flip. Toast again on the other side. Let them cool for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy and smooth.
- Add the cooled marshmallows and jar of marshmallow fluff, then beat well until combined.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and cocoa powder until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed to combine.
- Add the vanilla, heavy cream, and pinch of salt and beat well for 3-4 minutes until creamy and smooth. The frosting should be a nice, thick consistency that is spreadable but also holds its shape. Add a little more cream, a teaspoon or two at a time, to get it to the desired consistency.
- Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to stir the frosting, pressing it against the sides of the bowl for a few minutes, to knock out some of the air bubbles for a smoother appearance on the sides of the cake.
Marshmallow Fluff
- Whisk egg whites and salt on medium speed in a mixer until frothy. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 20 seconds between each addition.
- Add 2/3 cup of the sugar to a small saucepan along with the corn syrup. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 240°F.
- With mixer running on medium-low speed, very slow pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream over 1-2 minutes until it has all been added. Add the vanilla extract.
- Whisk on medium-high speed for 5-10 minutes until thickened and cooled.
Assembly
- Set bottom cake layer, graham cracker crust side down, on a cardboard or acrylic cake disc for easier decorating, or directly onto a cake plate.
- Transfer some of the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a wide tip and pipe a thick ring of frosting around the rim of the cake.
- Spread half of the chocolate ganache on top of the cake inside the ring of frosting. Transfer to the freezer for 5 minutes to set the ganache layer.
- Spread half of the toasted marshmallow filling on top of the ganache layer. Gently place the next layer of cake on top of the marshmallow filling, then repeat piping a ring of chocolate buttercream, filling with the remaining ganche, chilling to set, then adding the remaining toasted marshmallow filling.
- Place the final cake layer on top and frost the outside of the cake with a thin crumb coat of chocolate buttercream frosting. Transfer the whole cake to the freezer for 15-30 minutes to set up.
- Remove the cake from the freezer and top with another acrylic cake disc or cardboard cake round. Frost the outside edges of the cake with the chocolate frosting, using a cake scraper to scrape the sides smooth. You may need to fill in holes with additional frosting and repeat the process of dragging the cake scraper around the cake to get a smooth finish. Place the cake back in the freezer for another 10-15 minutes.
- Use a thin, sharp knife to separate the cake disc or board from the top of the cake. Spread the remaining chocolate frosting on top.
- Assemble graham cracker halves, squares of Hershey's chocolate, and large marshmallows into s'mores and place them on top of the cake, if desired.
- Fill a large piping bag fitted with a large tip with wide teeth with the marshmallow fluff. Pipe the marshmallow fluff all over the top of the cake.
- Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow fluff and marshmallows in the s'mores decorating the top of the cake, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Slice leftover Smores Cake into individual servings, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for later enjoyment.
- Thaw frozen slices at room temperature before serving to restore texture.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
1361kcal
(68%)
Carbohydrates
186g
(62%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
72g
(111%)
Saturated Fat
44g
(220%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
19g
(95%)
Trans Fat
2g
(100%)
Cholesterol
210mg
(70%)
Sodium
1132mg
(47%)
Potassium
460mg
(10%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
155g
(310%)
Vitamin A
2010IU
(40%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
125mg
(13%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12-14 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1361 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1361kcal | 68% |
| Carbohydrates | 186g | 62% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 72g | 111% |
| Saturated Fat | 44g | 220% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 210mg | 70% |
| Sodium | 1132mg | 47% |
| Potassium | 460mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 155g | 310% |
| Vitamin A | 2010IU | 40% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 125mg | 13% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
98 reviews
Excellent
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