Down Right The Best Churro S'more Cake

I'm combining two of my favorite summer things in my new Churro S'mores Cake, churros and S'mores. Last summer our local pier had a little churro shop and one of their menu items was a churro S'mores sandwich. It was a two flat churros with a toasted marshmallow filling. It was incredible. The only think that I thought could have made it any better would have been just a little bit of chocolate. So I added the missing chocolate in the churro S'mores sandwich in my new cake.

What's in my new Churro S'more Cake? It starts with a soft and moist cinnamon cake layer with a crunchy cinnamon layer baked right into it. The layers also have a cinnamon swirl in each cake layer. Then there is a chilled chocolate ganache and a toasted marshmallow filling. It's then coated in a chocolate graham cracker frosting. This cake is dense, to say the least, but with every bite you will want to keep on coming back for more! 

This cake all comes together perfectly. I can guarantee that it will be at the top of your go to baking list!

For more cake recipes, here are some below. 

Gooey Cinnamon Roll Caramel CakeGraham Cracker S'mores CakeDelightful Lemon Blueberry Cake 

Why this recipe works 

• Layered cake-This cake has three 8-inch layers and is big enough to feed 14-18 people, depending on how big your cake slices are. But I wouldn't blame you at all if you decided to make these slices big! 
• Cinnamon cake layers-This cake has cinnamon swirls throughout the whole cake and extra ground cinnamon in the cake batter. It will definitely be cinnamony, just like your favorite churro.
• Toasted marshmallow- I used a torch to toast my marshmallows, but only because my oven's broil feature is non existent. I do have instructions for toasting them both ways in my instructions. 
• Chocolate ganache-In my opinion, the only thing missing from the churro S'mores sandwich I had at the pier was some chocolate, so I made a chocolate ganache the filling for my cake.
• Chocolate graham cracker buttercream- I decided to go light on the chocolate flavor for the frosting because the main ingredient in  S'mores are the graham crackers… in my opinion ;).
• No skills required- If you think that you needs to be a professional, stop it. This cake requires no skill and once you make it and taste it, you will never go back to a boxed cake again. 

Ingredients you will need

Here are some ingredients that you will need for this recipe that you may not have on hand. For a complete list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below. 

• Graham cracker crumbs- I use Keebler Graham Cracker crumbs that come prepackaged. If you don't want to use those, I have listed how many graham cracker rectangles you will need for this recipe in the recipe card down below.
• Unsalted butter- You will use a lot of butter for this cake. I think it's a total of 9 sticks. I suggest buying 3 pounds of unsalted butter. (Don't worry, you won't use all 3 pounds).
• Heavy cream- You will use this in the frosting and a little in the filling. 
• Brown sugar- I always use light brown sugar.
• Eggs- Pull these out 2-4 hours before baking. I use large eggs.
• Buttermilk- I also pull this out 2-4 hours before baking. I try to find high fat buttermilk, but any kind of buttermilk will work.
• Large marshmallows- Small marshmallow will do, but I highly suggest using the big ones for this recipe.
• Marshmallow fluff- I use one whole 7 oz jar of it!
• Dark chocolate wafers- My favorite brand is Ghirardelli, but any high quality brand will work. 

Step by step instructions 

This cake makes either three 8-inch layers, or four 6-inch layers. I use my favorite brand of cake pans from fat daddio's. They are lined with parchment paper, which you can find find precut HERE.

STEP 1: Pull out the cold ingredients. This will be the first thing that you will do. The butter, buttermilk, eggs, and sour cream all need to be at room temperature. 

STEP 2: Cream the butter and sugar. Cream the butter and the sugar on high for 5 minutes. It should lighten up in color.

STEP 3: Add the eggs. Add them in one at a time, scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl after each addition.

STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.

STEP 5: Pour into prepared pans. I used about 17 ounces in each pan. If you don't have a kitchen scale, just eyeball it.

STEP 6: Bake. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

STEP 7: Toast the marshmallows. Toast the marshmallows and allow them to cool completely.

STEP 8: Make the marshmallow filling. Make the filling by combining and beating the filling ingredients.

STEP 9: Make the chocolate buttercream- To prevent chunks, I make a ganache out of the chocolate and the cream and then I combine it with the butter. I beat them together on high, and then add the powdered sugar, salt, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and vanilla.

STEP 10: Assemble the cake- For all of my tips and tricks on cake assembly, head over to my instagram. I have so many posts about how I assemble my cakes. If you want written instructions instead of videos, I will give detailed instructions below. 

Assembly

• Level the cakes with a cake leveler if needed.
• Place the first cake layer on a cake board, top side up, with a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cake board to act as a glue. Pipe a rim of chocolate around the edge of the cake. 
• Spread half of the chocolate ganache on the cake layer and then freeze for 5 to 10 minutes to set the ganache a little.
• After the ganache has set a tad, spread half of the marshmallow filling on top of the set ganache, within the piped chocolate rim.
• Repeat with the second layer of cake.
• Place your final cake layer, with the top side down on top of the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of the chocolate buttercream around the entire cake and freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting and decorating the cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream. Serve at room temperature.

FAQ

Can these be turn into cupcakes?

Yes, you will need to half the marshmallow filling and then cut a small hole in the middle of each cupcake and fill it with the marshmallow filling. Top with the chocolate buttercream and a small drizzle of the ganache. 

What size cake can this recipe make?

This recipe can make three 8-inch pans, or 4 6-inch pans. It can also be turned into a 9x13 cake. If you want to do half a recipe, it can do an 8x8 pan as well!

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

Yes, I high suggest making this cake ahead of time and freezing your cake layers. You can also make the fillings ahead, as well as the chocolate buttercream.

Expert Baking Tips

1. When you are making the cake batter, make sure to really cream the butter and the sugar. I can't stress this enough! This helps create air pockets in your cake layers that also helps it rise. 
2. Use high quality cake pans. This helps prevent your cake layers from browning on the sides. I always use Fat Daddios cake pans. You can find the ones I use here.
3. I say this a lot because I think it's really important… USE ROOM TEMP ingredients! Making sure all of your ingredients are the same temp is a must!
4. To get a creamy and smooth buttercream, add a Tablespoon of whipping cream once you done mixing the buttercream. Then beat, by hand, with a rubber spatula to get all of the air bubbles out. 
5. Do a crumb coat. Don't skip out on this step. It totally helps secure the crumbs onto the cake and makes decorating easier.
6. Use a turn table to help decorate your cake. You can find the one I use here.
7. I love using an offset spatula to help spread the buttercream on the sides of the cake. You can find mine
8. .

Storing

How to store this Churro S'more Cake.

 If I am dividing my cake making into multiple days, I bake my cake layers, cool them, and wrap them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge or freezer. This help reduce crumbs and makes it so the layers don't slide around when decorating. They can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

FREEZING

If you want to make the entire cake ahead of time, you can freeze the decorated cake by simply wrapping it with plastic wrap. If you want to store it for longer than a few days, put a layer of aluminum foil over the plastic wrap. It can be stored in the freezer like this for up to 6 months. Once you are ready to serve the cake, pull it out of the freezer and place it in the fridge to help decrease condensation.

For more cinnamon flavored recipes, I have listed them down below! 

Recipe

Churro S'mores Cake

Molly Murphy

It starts with a soft and moist cinnamon cake layer with a crunchy cinnamon layer baked right into it. The layers also have a cinnamon swirl in each cake layer. Then there is a chilled chocolate ganache and a toasted marshmallow filling. It's then coated in a chocolate graham cracker frosting.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Servings 16 people

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the cinnamon swirl in the cake

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted

For the cake layers

• 1 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 ½ Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk room temperature

For the toasted marshmallow filling

• 20 large white marshmallows
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache

• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup whipping cream

For the chocolate graham cracker buttercream

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 10 oz dark chocolate chips or wafers
• 2 cups unsalted butter chilled
• 5 cups powdered sugar measured and sifted
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

For the cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and then line with parchment paper. Spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed. Cream until white and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, add the egg whites, one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition and mixing well after each addition (at least 30 seconds).
• Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix on low, just until combined. It may look a little curdled, don't stress! Once you add the flour, it will even out.
• With the mixer on low, add one third of your dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk, mix just until combined. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients mix just until combined. Add the rest of buttermilk, and then add the rest of dry ingredients. Keep mixing on low. Don't over mix, just mix until it's all incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
• Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans/cooled graham cracker crust cake pans. I used a kitchen scale and got about 17 ounces in each pan. With an offset spatula, evenly spread the cake batter throughout the pan.
• Before putting the cakes into the oven, make the cinnamon swirl. Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together until combined. Add in the melted butter and mix just until combined. Immediately add it to the top of cake batter because the longer it sits out, the harder it will get as a result of the butter solidifying.
• Drop small spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture on each of the cake layers. Use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl the spoonfuls into the batter. It's normal to have some pieces remain as chunks and some that swirl into the batter.
• Bake 28-32 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick. It's done when it comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
• Cool 10-20 minutes before transferring the cakes out of the pans and onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before wrapping with plastic wrap and then refrigerate, if not using until the next day.

For the marshmallow filling

• Place the marshmallows on a lined cookie sheet. DO NOT LINE WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. My oven doesn't have a broil option, so I used a torch. If you don't have a torch, directions for oven toasting are on the next step. Line the marshmallows in 5 rows, 4 in each row. With a kitchen torch, torch one side until golden brown, or darker. (I went dark to really give it that toasted flavor) Turn the marshmallows and repeat.
• For oven toasting, place on the middle rack of the oven, and broil the marshmallows until golden brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. It can happen fast, so please keep an eye on them. Remove the pan from the oven and gently turn the marshmallows over and broil them again until they are golden brown on the other side.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, marshmallow fluff, and powdered sugar on low until combined. Add the vanilla and mix on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.
• Scrape down the bowl, add the toasted marshmallows, and beat on medium speed for 2 more minutes.

For the ganache

• In a microwave safe bowl, pour the cream over the chocolate chips and heat for about 45-60 seconds. Stir, and if needed, heat for another 30 seconds to melt the chocolate chips completely. Let cool to room temperature before using.

For the chocolate buttercream

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate for 30 seconds, stir, heat for 30 more seconds, and set aside. The chocolate will not be melted all the way, but this will help it melt quicker when you add the cream.
• In another microwave proof bowl, heat the cream until nearly boiling. Make sure it doesn't boil over. Pour the hot cream over the slightly warm chocolate chips. Let it sit for 2 minutes and then stir. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
• Add the chocolate/cream mixture. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute.
• Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low until combined, then turn the mixer to medium high, and beat for 3 minutes.
• With a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, beat by hand to mix out any air pockets.

Assembly

• Level the cakes with a cake leveler, if needed.
• Place the first cake layer top side up on a cake board with a dollop of frosting in the middle of the cake board to act as glue. Pipe a rim of chocolate around the edge of the cake.
• Spread half of the chocolate ganache on the cake layer and then freeze for 5 to 10 minutes to set the ganache a little.
• After the ganache has set a tad, spread half of the marshmallow filling on top of the set ganache and within the piped chocolate rim.
• Repeat with the second layer of cake.
• Place your final cake layer with the top side down on top of the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of the chocolate buttercream around the entire cake and freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting and decorating the cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream. Serve at room temperature.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!