S’mores Layer Cake with Homemade Fluff
This s’mores layer cake is made up of graham cracker flavored cake layers, frosted with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and homemade heavenly marshmallow fluff.
Several years ago when I first published this post, the photos were…let’s just not talk about it. This s’mores cake though, definitely worth updating. If I recall correctly, someone who tasted this cake said:
“Is this girl married? Cuz if not, then all she needs to do to get married is bake this cake!”
LOL…I am married, and not because of this cake.
If you love a good s’mores treat, I also have marbled s’mores cupcakes, peanut butter s’mores cupcakes, the BEST s’mores donuts, s’mores cookies, s’mores cinnamon rolls, s’mores brownie ice cream, homemade s’mores frap,
How To Make S’mores Cake, Step-By-Step Photos
Graham Cracker Cake
- Cream the butter with the sugar and the oil.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients, in 3-4 increments.
- Bake in three round 6-inch pans.
Chocolate Ganache
- Melt the chocolate with the heavy cream, let it cool completely. Set aside.
Swiss Meringue/Marshmallow Fluff
- Whisk sugar, cream of tartar and egg whites over a double boiler.
- Sugar has to be fully dissolved in the egg whites before whipping & reaches 170F (77C).
- Egg whites and sugar fully whipped into a fluffy meringue, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the meringue and set it aside.
Chocolate Buttercream
- Add the butter to half of the marshmallow fluff, beating until it fully comes together.
- Add HALF of the chocolate ganache to the finished buttercream.
- Add the cocoa powder and vanilla to the buttercream and mix until they’re well combined.
How To Store This S’mores Cake?
You can store the cake at room temperature for 1 day (if it’s not too warm making the frosting too soft). If it’s any longer, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
If any slices have been cut out, cover the open side of the cake with plastic wrap and store slices in an airtight container.
To freeze, either wrap the whole cake in plastic wrap and then foil (or a cake container) or place the slices in an airtight container and freeze for a few weeks/months. Bring back to room temperature before serving!
That’s all today, I hope you love this s’mores cake as much as I do!
If you have any questions, please comment down below – those will get answered much quicker than email or through social media.
If you’ve tried this, I would very much appreciate a star rating or review as well.
As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!
Love, B
S’mores Layer Cake
This s’mores layer cake consists of graham cracker flavored cake layers, frosted with chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream and homemade heavenly marshmallow fluff.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 1 medium bowl
- 3 6 inch cake pans
Ingredients
Cake
- 65 grams (1/2 cup or 4-5 sheets) graham cracker crumbs
- 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 10 grams (1 Tbsp) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon *optional
- 56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 120 mL (1/2 cup) canola oil
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 200 grams (1 cup) light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 240 mL (1 cup) buttermilk* room temperature
- 113 grams (1/2 cup/4 oz) dark chocolate chips
- 120 mL (1/2 cup/4 oz) heavy cream
Meringue Frosting/Marshmallow Frosting
- 6 (200g) large egg whites room temperature
- 300 grams (1 1/2) granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 1/2 of Meringue frosting
- 227 grams (1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 of Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup (40g) Dutch-process cocoa powder spooned and leveled
- pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
Graham Cracker Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (or 325F/162C conventional) and grease and line three 6-inch (15.24 cm) cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Place 1 sleeve of graham crackers in a food processor and turn it on high until there are no more large chunks. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set the dry ingredients aside.65 grams (1/2 cup or 4-5 sheets) graham cracker crumbs, 240 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 10 grams (1 Tbsp) baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract together, on medium speed, until they’re light and fluffy. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.56 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, 120 mL (1/2 cup) canola oil, 100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar, 200 grams (1 cup) light brown sugar, 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Add the eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as needed.3 large eggs
- In five increments, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat the mixture on medium speed, just until the flour is fully incorporated, making sure to scrape the edge of the bowl as needed.240 mL (1 cup) buttermilk*
- Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cake springs back when it’s poked. Remove the cakes from the pans and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the dark chocolate in a medium bowl and in a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it's simmering. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let it melt for 1-2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is completely smooth. Set it aside to cool completely.113 grams (1/2 cup/4 oz) dark chocolate chips, 120 mL (1/2 cup/4 oz) heavy cream
Meringue Frosting/Marshmallow Frosting
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning the aluminum bowl and the whisk attachment of the stand mixer (they can’t have any fat residue when making meringue). Once they’re clean and dry, place the egg whites and the granulated sugar in the bowl.6 (200g) large egg whites, 300 grams (1 1/2) granulated sugar
- In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup (118mL) of water to a simmer. Keep the water simmering on low heat and place the bowl with the egg whites and sugar on top of the saucepan, creating a double boiler.
- Whisk the egg whites and sugar over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar granules are dissolved. You can feel it between your fingers if the sugar is fully dissolved but I HIGHLY recommend using a digital thermometer and bringing the mixture to 170°F (77°C) so the meringue is stable and doesn't weep.**
- When the sugar granules are fully dissolved in the egg whites and it reaches temperature, remove the bowl from the heat and place it on the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed, until stiff peaks form.
- Add the vanilla and continue beating the mixture until it's no longer warm. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Remove half of the meringue into a separate bowl and set aside.1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place half of the meringue back on the stand mixer and lower the speed to medium. Slowly add in the softened butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time.1/2 of Meringue frosting, 227 grams (1 cup/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- Once the butter is all incorporated, continue beating on medium speed for a few minutes until it emulsifies into a buttercream (it may go through phases of looking soupy and/or curdled before it emulsifies but it should come together within 5-10 minutes).
- Once the buttercream comes together, add in the cocoa powder, salt and only HALF of the melted chocolate. Mix well until it's completely smooth.1/2 cup (40g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, pinch of fine sea salt
Assemble the Cake
- Place the first layer of cake on a cake board and spread a thin layer of chocolate buttercream on top. Then spread a layer of meringue frosting and a swirl of chocolate ganache (you can reheat the chocolate in the microwave for 5-10 seconds if necessary).
- Repeat with the second layer and then place the third layer of cake on top. If the buttercream is feeling too soft, refrigerate the cake for 15-30 minutes between stacking each layer.
- Smooth out any buttercream that squished out between the layers and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. Place the rest of the chocolate buttercream on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to work it’s way down the sides.
- Add in dabs of meringue frosting and chocolate ganache, lightly spreading them in. Top with extra graham cracker crumbs, or even toasted marshmallows.
Notes
- If the chocolate buttercream or the meringue frosting is too soft, refrigerate them for 20 minutes before frosting the cake. It’s better for them to be slightly too firm instead of too soft.
- *You can use a homemade buttermilk by mixing 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. **S’mores generally uses milk chocolate so I made this more nostalgic but if you’re like me and you like an elevated, less sweet s’mores treat, use dark chocolate instead of milk. I recommend adding an extra 1-2 Tbsp of heavy cream if using dark chocolate.
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**If you’re worried about the meringue weeping, make sure to get a thermometer and take the eggs to 175C – I promise it makes all the difference and don’t skip the cream of tartar.
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Alternatively if you need the meringue to last a long time, you may add in 1/4 tsp gelatin. Dissolve it in 1-2 tsp of cold water, let it set and then microwave it for 5 seconds before adding it into the fully whipped cream. Mix just until it’s well combined. Then when you refrigerate it, the meringue will set a bit and last a long time without weeping – can even be frozen like this.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 858kcalCarbohydrates: 105gProtein: 10gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 361mgFiber: 2gSugar: 79g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This looks SO good. how would you adjust this recipe to make cupcakes?
Thanks in advance,
Christina
https://baranbakery.com/smores-cupcakes-with-chocolate-buttercream-and-meringue/
I have a similar cupcake version. You can skip the chocolate batter if you don’t want to marble it
Hi! Could this cake be gluten free?
gluten-free substitute like bobs red mill or king arthur 1:1 should be fine.
Hi! Could I use actual marshmallow fluff instead of the meringue above?
If you make a solid border with the buttercream you could but I found that marshmallow fluff seeps out a lot easier so I don’t like using it. I recommend refrigerating the buttercream for a few minutes so it’s little more firm and then even refrigerating the cake between stacking layers.
I made this. I turned temp to 335 and cooked 5 minutes longer. I find that helps the center cook without burning the edges. The cake was perfect. I actuallybused a hershey milk chocolate custard for the filling but used the swiss meringue buttercream on the outside it was a hit! Thank you
Yes! I agree! Why is chocolate always the base for smores. Can’t wait to try this cake. I’m working on some smores recipes with graham cracker as the base flavor too!
Would love to try this.
Have you tried making this with two 9 inch pans? How long do you think the bake time should be adjusted to?
Hi Josi, that should work fine, may need to bake 25-30 minutes
The meringue frosting won’t peak. Any tips?
if it just stays runny then there was probably some fat somewhere that wouldn’t let it aerate. If you try it again, try wiping down the bowl and the whisk with a little vinegar before starting 🙂
Hi! I made this cake for a birthday and it was delicious! Incredibly easy to make but looks like you spent hours. Only weird thing is that the next day the cake tasted sour? I ended up tossing it sadly. I kept it in the fridge and none of my ingredients had gone bad or near their expiration date. the cake was in the fridge and not near any other food items. Just confused on what happened.
Hi Diana, I’m glad the cake turned out well at first. I believe that happened to me once as well with meringue on a different cake and I think maybe the egg white in the meringue went bad. I’ve made hundreds of meringues and it only happened to me once so Idk if it was just a faulty egg? I’m sorry you had to throw it out 🥴