Description
S’mores Layer Cake brings campfire magic inside! Imagine fluffy chocolate cake, gooey marshmallow, and crunchy graham cracker. A sweet, nostalgic treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Moist Chocolate Cake Layers:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed recommended)
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) hot water or hot coffee
- For the Crunchy Graham Cracker Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- For the Gooey Marshmallow Frosting:
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Rich Chocolate Ganache & Topping:
- ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 6–8 graham cracker squares, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the Cake Pans & Oven:: First things first, let’s get those cake pans ready. I always grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. This prevents sticking, a lesson I learned the hard way when a beautiful cake decided to stay stubbornly glued to the bottom of the pan—major oops moment! Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven warms up, I usually gather all my ingredients, because there’s nothing worse than realizing you’re out of baking soda mid-mix!
- Mix the Dry Ingredients for the S’mores Layer Cake:: In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Give it a good whisk, making sure there are no lumps of cocoa powder. This step, honestly, is where I usually get a little cloud of flour on my shirt, but it’s all part of the baking charm, right? Ensuring everything is well combined now means you won’t overmix later, which can lead to a tough cake. I’ve been there, trust me, a tough cake is a sad cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients & Add to Dry:: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until they’re just combined. Now, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix here! Then, slowly add the hot water or coffee, mixing until the batter is smooth and runny. It might look thin, but that’s exactly how it should be. The smell of this chocolate batter is just divine, a promise of the S’mores Layer Cake goodness to come.
- Bake the Chocolate Cake Layers:: Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans. Pop them into the preheated oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. My oven runs a little hot, so I always start checking around the 28-minute mark. Once they’re done, let them cool in the pans for about 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is key here; trying to frost a warm cake is a recipe for disaster, I’ve learned that one the hard way!
- Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust for the S’mores Layer Cake:: While your cakes are cooling, let’s make that glorious graham cracker crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Mix it all together until it resembles wet sand. Press this mixture firmly into a third 8-inch round cake pan (or a springform pan if you have one, it makes removal easier). Bake it for 8-10 minutes, just until it’s slightly golden and fragrant. Let it cool completely. This crust adds that essential S’mores Layer Cake crunch and flavor, you won’t want to skip it.
- Whip up the Marshmallow Frosting:: For the marshmallow frosting, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water!). Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. This is where your S’mores Layer Cake truly comes to life! It should be thick, shiny, and smell just like toasted marshmallows. Honestly, I always sneak a little taste at this point!
- Assemble Your S’mores Layer Cake:: Once everything is cool, it’s assembly time! Place one chocolate cake layer on your serving plate. Carefully top with the cooled graham cracker crust. Then, spread a generous layer of marshmallow frosting over the crust. Place the second chocolate cake layer on top. Cover the entire cake with the remaining marshmallow frosting, making beautiful swirls. This is the fun part, don’t worry about it being too perfect, a little rustic charm is wonderful! I usually use an offset spatula to create those lovely peaks. Your S’mores Layer Cake is almost ready for its close-up!
- Garnish and Torch:: Melt your chocolate chips and heavy cream for the ganache. Drizzle it over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Then, arrange mini marshmallows and graham cracker squares on top. Now for the best part: grab your kitchen torch and carefully toast the marshmallows until they’re golden brown and slightly gooey. Oh, the smell! It’s pure campfire magic. Honestly, this step makes the S’mores Layer Cake an absolute showstopper. Be careful not to burn them, a light toast is what we’re after. And there you have it, your masterpiece!