S’mores Cake

We created this cake in honor of one of our dearest friends who is s’mores obsessed. It got her stamp of approval as the best s’mores dessert we have created yet. This s’mores cake has all the components of a s’more layered into a cake. This cake starts with a layer of graham cracker crust. After the graham cracker crust is baked, the chocolate cake batter is poured on top. The cake gets baked and then filled with vanilla bean marshmallow. Then it all gets covered in chocolate ganache before being topped with more marshmallows. 

Components of the S’mores Cake:

1. Chocolate Ganache:

• A blend of dark chocolate, heavy cream, sugar, softened butter, salt, and vanilla.
• Adds a layer and enhances the creamy chocolate-y frosting.

2. Graham Cracker Crust:

• Made with a mix of melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and a pinch of salt.
• Provides a crunchy and flavorful base, reminiscent of classic s’mores.

3. Chocolate Cake:

• A moist and flavorful chocolate cake featuring a blend of all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, buttermilk, oil, and hot coffee.

4. Marshmallow Cream:

• Comprises whipped egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla or vanilla bean paste.
• Delivers a fluffy and sweet marshmallow layer that captures the marshmallow of traditional s’mores.

5. Topping:

• Marshmallows that are toasted on top add the final touch of this s’mores layer cake.

Ingredients in the S’mores Cake:

Chocolate Ganache:

• 5 oz dark chocolate
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons softened butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 1 ½ sticks butter, melted
• 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (around 15 sheets or a little less than 2 packages)
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup oil (canola or vegetable)
• 1 cup hot coffee

Marshmallow Cream:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Topping:

• Marshmallows for toasting

S’mores Cake FAQ:

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S’mores Cake

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Equipment

• 3 6" cake pans

Ingredients

Chocolate Ganache:

• 5 oz dark chocolate
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 tablespoons softened butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Crust:

• 1 ½ sticks butter melted
• 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs 15 sheets a little less than 2 packages that come in a box of 3
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour 210 g
• 2 cups sugar 400 g
• ¾ cup cocoa 75 g
• 2 teaspoons baking soda 10 ml
• 1 teaspoon baking powder 5 ml
• 1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
• 1 cup buttermilk 240 ml
• ½ cup oil canola or vegetable 120 ml
• 1 cup hot coffee 240 ml

Marshmallow cream:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Marshmallows for topping

Instructions

Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F
• In a food processor or with a ziploc bag/rolling pin, grind ~2 packages of graham crackers until fine
  
• As soon as the crackers are fine, measure out two cups. Combine 2 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, salt, and sugar. Mix until the ingredients are all incorporated.
  
• In the base of greased and parchment lined cake pans (we used 3 6" pans but 2 8” cake pans can also be used). Evenly distribute the graham cracker crust between the pans. After distributing, press the mixture down with a measuring cup or other flat surface until it forms a very compact layer
  
• Place the pans in the oven and bake for 10 minutes (or until slightly golden) and set aside to cool while you make the cake
  

Cake:

• Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Stir together with a whisk until evenly combined
• Add the vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and oil and stir until combined
• Once combined, add the hot coffee. Stir quickly to ensure the hot coffee is evenly distributed. The batter will be very thin
  
• Evenly divide and pour the batter over the cooked graham cracker crust and cook for ~25 minutes on 350 F (for 6" cake pans) – make sure a toothpick comes out clean
• Set aside to cool
  

Ganache:

• To make the ganache, add chocolate, butter, salt, and vanilla into a bowl. Set asideIn a small pan over medium heat, heat cream and sugar until hot but just before boiling
• Pour the heated cream and sugar over the bowl of chocolate and let it set for 1 minute. Stir until smooth
• Set in the fridge until cooled but not hard

Marshmallow frosting:

• Use a double boiler or create one using a bowl and pan. Fill the pan with ~1” warm water and place a bowl over the pan so it can heat the egg whites with the steam, but it should not touch the bottom
• Add egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar to the bowl. Place the bowl over the warm water. The pan should not touch the bottom but be heated by the steam
• On low, heat the egg white mixture stirring constantly until gently warmed and the sugar is dissolved. Be very careful at this stage to not let the egg whites cook. Scrape the sides of the pan, stir constantly, and remove when sugar dissolves
  
• Once dissolved, add in the vanilla and whip the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form. The mixture will be very glossy and thick. When you place the whisk into the eggs and pull up, it should create a peak.

Assembly:

• Place a layer of the cake graham cracker crust down. Pipe a layer of ganache around the rim of the cake layer then fill the middle with marshmallow cream. The ganache should act as something to hold in the marshmallow cream. Repeat on top of the second layer
  
• Coat the cake with chocolate ganache. (At this phase we also added the remaining marshmallow cream and toasted for additional decoration but this is totally optional)
• Optional: Top with marshmallows and toast