This s’mores cake will always have a special place in my heart because it’s the one I served for my daughter’s second birthday. Camp Elmo was the theme, complete with checkered picnic table cloths, Sesame Street decor, a play tent and even a little campfire toy I sewed out of felt. And this showstopping s’mores dessert was the perfect centerpiece.
Featuring layers of moist and fudgy chocolate cake separated by fluffy marshmallow cream and ermine-style frosting, this impressive-looking s’more cake is coated in decadent chocolate ganache and dusted with graham cracker crumbs. It has all the flavors of campfire s’mores, but without the smoke, mosquitoes or sticky fingers.
Ermine frosting is different from American buttercream or meringue-style frosting. Also known as boiled-milk frosting, this old-school homemade frosting is made first by cooking milk and flour on the stovetop. This roux-like base thickens and stabilizes the frosting.
This all-American cake might sound like a bit of a project, and you’re not wrong. It’s a labor of love, but it’s well worth the effort. You can tackle this s’mores cake recipe over a few days, making all the components ahead of time with excellent results. Below, you’ll find plenty of make-ahead tips to help you with your game plan.
Ingredients for S’mores Cake
- Butter: Cakes made with butter are wonderfully rich and usually have a tighter, denser crumb than those made with oil.
- Sugar: Beyond sweetening, sugar creamed with butter traps air inside the batter, which helps the s’mores cake rise and remain fluffy throughout the baking process.
- Egg: Egg acts as a binding agent to help the batter come together, and contributes structure and textural to the cake.
- Vanilla extract: Even though this is a chocolate cake, using the best vanilla extract is still essential for flavoring this cake.
- Buttermilk and sour cream: These ingredients make cakes extra moist and supremely tender. They also impart a subtle tang.
- Dry ingredients: Like many of our best chocolate cake recipes, this one uses all-purpose flour, baking cocoa, salt, and baking soda.
- Ermine frosting: This whipped-style frosting requires flour, milk, confectioners’ sugar, butter and pure vanilla extract. Don’t forget to add a pinch or two of salt for balance.
- Marshmallow creme: You’ll use a generous amount of marshmallow creme between each layer. Marshmallow Fluff is the most well-known brand.
- Chocolate ganache: A homemade chocolate ganache is made by melting semisweet chocolate and butter and slowly pouring in heavy cream. Its decadence and shine give this s’more cake recipe a bakery-quality appearance and taste.
- Graham cracker crumbs: A generous coating of finely crushed crumbs makes the perfect s’mores garnish for decorating this decadent cake.
Directions
Step 1: Make the batter
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two greased 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the paper.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
In another bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and sour cream. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition.
Step 2: Bake the cakes
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool them for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 3: Start the ermine frosting
In a heavy saucepan, whisk the flour and milk until they’re smooth. Cook and stir the mixture over medium heat until it’s thickened and bubbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt until they’re dissolved.
Transfer the frosting to a small bowl and press storage wrap onto the surface. Refrigerate it until it’s cold.
Editor’s Tip: Pressing the storage wrap directly onto the surface of the mixture will help prevent a thin skin or film from forming on the surface as the frosting base cools in the refrigerator.
Step 4: Beat the frosting until it’s light and fluffy
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it’s light and fluffy, about five minutes.
Gradually beat in the cooled milk mixture. Beat in the vanilla. Switch to a whisk attachment and continue beating on medium speed until the frosting is stiff and fluffy.
Step 5: Make the ganache
For the ganache, in a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate. Gradually add the cream and heat the mixture just until it’s warmed. Refrigerate the ganache until it’s slightly thickened and it achieves spreadable consistency.
Editor’s Tip: A whisk comes in handy here. Use it to combine the melted butter and chocolate, and again to whisk the cream into the mixture. If you chill the ganache for too long, you can gently reheat it on the stovetop to soften the mixture until it reaches the desired consistency.
Step 6: Fill and frost the cake
Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
Pipe a frosting border around the cake’s edge, then fill the ring with 3/4 cup of marshmallow creme. Stack the cakes to make a layer cake, repeating twice and ending with a cake layer.
Spread the remaining ermine frosting over the cake. Refrigerate the cake until the frosting is set.
Step 7: Coat the cake with ganache
Remove the s’mores cake from the refrigerator and carefully spread ganache over the top and sides of the cake.
Gently coat the sides of the cake with crushed graham crackers, pressing gently to adhere. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is set.
Step 8: Decorate and torch the cake
Spoon or pipe the remaining marshmallow creme on top. Toast the marshmallow with a kitchen torch until it’s lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Slice the cake and serve it.
S’mores Cake Variations
- Play with other cake flavors: If you have another chocolate cake recipe you love, you can use that recipe instead. Alternatively, try using this graham cracker cake for a fun twist.
- Use other frostings: Instead of the ermine frosting, use a classic chocolate buttercream or a marshmallow-like, fluffy white frosting.
- Add a graham cracker crunch: For texture and crunch, coarsely crush 1 to 2 cups of graham crackers and melt 8 ounces of semisweet or dark chocolate. Combine them in a mixing bowl and then use a slotted spoon to transfer the coated graham cracker crumbs to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Refrigerate the mixture until it’s completely set, then break it up into pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the crunchy topping over the ermine frosting between each layer of s’mores cake.
How to Store S’mores Cake
You can store a fully decorated s’mores cake at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If your kitchen runs warm, you should refrigerate the cake sooner, as the ermine frosting and ganache may melt if left in a hot kitchen. Alternatively, store cake in an airtight cake carrier in the refrigerator.
How long does s’mores cake last?
When refrigerated, s’mores cake will stay fresh for up to one week. You may also freeze the cake for up to three months.
Can you make s’mores cake in advance?
Yes, you can make this s’mores cake in advance. The recipe has several components, so it might be easier to break up the preparation over a few days or weeks, if necessary. Here’s how you can break it down:
- Chocolate cake: Prepare the chocolate cakes as directed and then fully cool them to room temperature on wire racks. Wrap the cakes tightly in two layers of storage wrap and store them at room temperature for one to two days. Add a layer of aluminum foil for longer storage and freeze them for up to three months. Defrost them overnight at room temperature before assembling the cake.
- Ermine frosting: Prepare the ermine frosting as directed and store it in an airtight food