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Layers of fluffy graham cracker-flavored cake and toasted marshmallow mousse frosted in a milk chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and enrobed in a rich chocolate ganache! Oh, and don't forget about the ooey gooey s'mores!

S’more Cake

Layers of fluffy graham cracker-flavored cake and toasted marshmallow mousse frosted in a milk chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and enrobed in a rich chocolate ganache! Oh, and don't forget about the ooey gooey s'mores on top!
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 33 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 3 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10 Servings

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 9 full crackers)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Toasted Marshmallow Filling:

  • 5 ounces marshmallows (I used miniature)
  • cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

  • 8 ounces milk chocolate chopped or chips
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cup unsalted butter sliced into about 20 pieces and at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Ganache:

  • 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped or chips
  • cup heavy cream

For Decorating:

  • S'mores
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Toasted Marshmallows

Instructions
 

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF degrees. Line three 6-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, crushed graham crackers, and both sugars together until well combined. Add the oil, yogurt, and milk and continue stirring with a whisk. Stir in the egg, followed by the vanilla.
  • Pour batter into prepared baking pans and bake in the oven for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Filling:

  • Preheat the broiler. Evenly scatter the marshmallows on a baking sheet. Place the sheet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 1 to 2 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, so that they don’t scorch since it can happen pretty quickly. When the marshmallows are golden brown, remove the pan from the oven; set aside to cool slightly.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl, then return bowl to mixer. Switch to the paddle attachment.
  • To the bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high until smooth. Add in the toasted marshmallows, and beat on high until marshmallows have broken up and mixture is smooth.
  • Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl and continue beating until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the rest of the whipped cream. Transfer filling to a pastry bag or a gallon-sized ziploc bag with the tip of the corner cut off; refrigerate until cake assembly.

Make the Buttercream:

  • Place milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat in the microwave until smooth and melted. Set aside to cool slightly while you work on the rest of the frosting.
  • Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place the bowl over a simmering pot of water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and the temperature registers 150-160°F on a candy thermometer, about 3 minutes.
  • Secure whisk attachment onto stand mixer, and beat the egg white mixture on high speed until cooled and fluffy. Add the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, that’s totally normal--just keep beating until it becomes smooth and satiny.*
  • Stir in the vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure that there's no melted chocolate stuck to the bowl. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
  • Transfer about a cup of the frosting to a piping bag, fitted with a round tip.

To Assemble:

  • Place a cake layer on a cake plate or pedestal. Pipe a border of buttercream along the perimeter of the cake to prevent filling from peeking out of the sides. Using a spiral motion from the outside in, pipe a third of the filling on top and inside the buttercream border. Repeat steps with the remaining cake layers and filling, ending with a layer of filling on top. Chill cake in the freezer for 1 hour.
  • Once chilled and solid, frost the cake with the buttercream--this will act as the crumb coat. Chill cake in the freezer for another 30 minutes to set the buttercream. Remove the cake from the freezer and frost it with a final layer of buttercream. Return the cake to the freezer while you make the ganache.
  • Make the ganache by placing the chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the heavy cream into a glass measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until it starts to boil. Pour hot cream over the chocolate, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and stir until smooth.
  • Using a small spoon, carefully ladle the ganache along the edges of the cake, allowing the ganache to drip down the sides.** Once the sides are done, pour a few tablespoons of the ganache into the center of the cake, and use an offset spatula to fill in the top of the cake.
  • Decorate the cake with homemade s'mores, toasted marshmallows, chocolate, and leftover chocolate buttercream. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
  • Cake will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

*If you find that your buttercream still hasn't come together properly, refrigerate the bowl for 10-15 minutes then continue to beat until smooth.
**If the ganache runs down the sides of the cake too quickly, return the cake to the freezer for about 15 minutes. Chilling the cake will slow down the drip.