Spring Inspired S'mores Strawberry Cake

S'mores Strawberry Cake - Buttery graham cracker cake layers on top of a graham cracker crust, filled with a toasted marshmallow, and refreshing strawberry buttercream. 

To start with, I am trying to channel my inner spring and summer era by bringing you this S'mores Strawberry Cake. I am not kidding you when I say I am in a desperate need of a warm summer day with a nice piece of cake. I may not have that warm day, but I definitely have this cake and it's basically the same thing for me. 

For more spring and summer recipes, here are some I recommend!

• Tasty Lemon Blueberry Muffin Cookies 
• The Most Enjoyable Light Lemon Cake
• Delightful Lemon Blueberry Cake 

Why make this S'mores Strawberry Cake 

Okay not that I need to convince you anymore, BUTTT for the fun of it, I have made a bullet point list of the key points for this cake and why it should be on the top of your baking list.  

• Layered cake- This cake has 3, 8 inch layers cake 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! I got my cake pans here 
• Graham cracker layers- Like a s'more, the base of this cake is graham cracker. (Personally my favorite part of any s'more, but I understand that most people might prefer the chocolate or the marshmallow). I used ground up graham cracker crumbs and mixed them right into my cake batter.
• Toasted marshmallow- I use a torch to toast my marshmallows, but only because my oven's broil feature is non existent, and just dries out my marshmallows instead of browning them. I do have instructions for toasting them both ways in my instructions. Here is the torch I used.
• 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 then 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 in your pantry.

• 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.
• Unsalted butter- I always like using unsalted to be able to control the amount of saltiness.
• Ground nutmeg- This just helps the flavor profile of this cake.
• 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.
• Marshmallow fluff- I use one whole jar of it!

Step by step S'mores Strawberry Cake

To emphasize, I have made a detailed list and instruction's on how to make the cake. You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. Here are the bowls I used.

STEP 1: Make the crust. Make the crust by mixing the butter, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs. Bake them at 325 for 10 minutes.

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 crust. I used about 19 ounces in each pan. If you don't have a kitchen scale, just eyeball it.

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

Step by Step- Strawberry Buttercream

Step 1: Cream the butter. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.

Step 2: Add the sugar, cream, emulsion, and freeze dried strawberries. With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the finely blended freeze dried strawberries, strawberry emulsion, heavy cream, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until combined.

Step 3: Beat the mixture. Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat the frosting for about 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 1 more minute.

Step 4: Beat out the air-pockets. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir the frosting by hand to push out any air bubbles.

Tips for assembly 

For assembly, I use a turn table, offer spatula, cake board, and a cake comb. 

• Place the first cake layer on a cake board, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom. Pipe a rim of strawberry buttercream around the edge of the cake to act as a barrier. Carefully add half of the toasted marshmallow on top of the cake layer. Ensuring the filling is evenly distributed and touching the rim of the barrier.
• Repeat with the second layer of cake, and making sure the graham cracker layer on the bottom. 
• Place your final cake layer, with the graham cracker crust bottom side down, on top of the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of the strawberry 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 strawberry buttercream.

FAQ

Can I make this into a sheet cake? 

Yes this can be turned into a sheet cake, four 6 inch cake pans, or a 9×13 (if you do a 9×13, it will need to bake for 40-45 minutes).

Can these be made into cupcakes? 

YES! You just need to reduce the baking time to 23-27 minutes. 

What if I can't find emulsion? 

I have found emulsion at Micheal's, Amazon, and Hobby Lobby. If for some reason you can't find it anywhere, you can just use more freeze dried strawberries. 

Storing And Freezing 

Finally, how to store this s'mores strawberry cake. Cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or store on the counter for 2 days. 

Freezing - s'mores strawberry cake.

Furthermost, you can freeze this cake before it is decorated! After it is decorated, you can freeze the whole or cut up pieces. It will last in the freezer covered in plastic wrap for 30 days. 

How to serve: Once the cake is frosted, you can cut the cake into 9, 12, or 16 squares. I like to serve the cake at room temperature, and my husband likes to serve it in a bowl with milk poured over it. 

Lastly, for more fun cake recipes, and all things delicious, I have listed some of my favorite below.

Remember LEAVE A STAR AND A COMMENT REVIEW if you love the recipe or any questions. Follow me on instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok. I post so many fun things on all platforms!

Recipe

S'more Strawberry Cake

Molly Murphy

Buttery graham cracker cake layers on top of a graham cracker crust, filled with a toasted marshmallow, and refreshing strawberry buttercream.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Graham cracker crust

• 2 cups finely ground graham crackers about 18 full rectangular crackers pulverized I used Keebler's graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar

For the graham cracker cake layer

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup finely ground graham crackers about 8 full rectangular crackers
• 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup brown sugar packed
• 4 large or extra large eggs at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups buttermilk at room temperature

For the toasted marshmallow filling

• 20 large white marshmallows
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup cream cheese room temperature
• 1 jar marshmallow fluff 7 ounce bottle
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the strawberry frosting

• 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• 5 cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup pulverized or finely blended freeze dried strawberries
• 1 teaspoon LorAnns's strawberry emulsion
• Pinch of salt
• Fresh strawberries optional

Instructions

 

For the Graham Cracker crust

• 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, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. With a rubber spatula, stir until all the graham cracker crumbs are combined with the melted butter. You should be able to squeeze the mixture and have it stick together.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon (about ¾ cup in each pan).
• Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool while you make the cake layers.

For the Graham Cracker Cake

• Keep your oven at 325.
• If you need to pulverize your graham crackers, do it now. They should resemble sand.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well-blended. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
• With the mixer on the lowest speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Slowly add half of the buttermilk, followed by another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, the second half of the buttermilk, and the final ⅓ of dry ingredients. Mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly mix for another 20-30 seconds.
• Divide the batter evenly among your pans (about 20 ounces in each-for 8 inch pans) right on top of the baked graham cracker crust and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before transferring the cake layers out of the cake pan and onto cooling racks to cool completely.

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 options, 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 the oven directions. 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, cream the butter, cream cheese, 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 strawberry frosting

• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add the finely blended freeze dried strawberries, strawberry emulsion, heavy cream, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed until combined.
• Turn the mixer to medium high speed and beat the frosting for about 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 1 more minute.

Assembly

• Place the first cake layer on a cake board, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom. Pipe a rim of strawberry buttercream around the edge of the cake to act as a barrier. Carefully add half of the toasted marshmallow on top of the cake layer. Ensuring the filling is evenly distributed and touching the rim of the barrier.
• Repeat with the second layer of cake, and making sure the graham cracker layer on the bottom.
• Place your final cake layer, with the graham cracker crust bottom side down, on top of the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of the strawberry 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 strawberry buttercream.

Keyword S'mores, cake, graham cracker

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