You don’t need a campfire to make my Graham Cracker S’mores cake. It has layers of fluffy and moist graham cracker cake, a toasted marshmallow filling, and is topped with a dark chocolate buttercream.
Author Molly Murphy
Ingredients
For the Graham cracker crust
2cupsfinely ground graham crackers about 18 full rectangular crackerspulverized (I used Keebler’s graham cracker crumbs)
½cupunsalted buttermelted
⅓cupgranulated sugar
For the graham cracker cake layer
2cupsall-purpose flour
1cupfinely ground graham crackersabout 8 full rectangular crackers
1 ¾teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspooncinnamon
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
1cupunsalted butterroom temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
⅔cupbrown sugarpacked
4large or extra large eggs at room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
2cupsbuttermilk at room temperature
For the toasted marshmallow filling
20large white marshmallows
1cuppowdered sugar
¾cupunsalted butter at room temperature
1jar marshmallow fluff7 ounce bottle
¾teaspoonvanilla extract
For the chocolate buttercream
½cupheavy whipping cream
10ozdark chocolate chips or wafers
2cupsunsalted butterchilled
5cupspowdered sugarmeasured and sifted
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Pinchof salt
For the drip
1cupdark chocolate chips or wafers
½cupheavy whipping cream
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, 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 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, and salt. Mix on low until combined, then turn the mixer to a medium high speed, and beat for 3 minutes.
With a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, beat by hand to mix out any air pockets.
For the drip
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 better 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 and let it sit for 2 minutes, and then stir. Set aside. If there are still chunks, heat for 15 seconds and stir again.
Assembly
Place the first cake layer on a cake board, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom. Gently and evenly spread ¼ cup of the chocolate buttercream over the cake layer. Pipe a rim of chocolate around the edge of the cake.
Spread half of the marshmallow filling into the piped chocolate ganache.
Repeat with the second layer of cake.
Place your final cake layer, with the graham cracker layer on the bottom, 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. Add the drip. Serve at room temperature.