Who needs a campfire when you have this S’more Chocolate Marshmallow Cake?
When was the last time you grilled hot dogs on a stick? I’m not talking about the grill on the back deck here (even though you guys know how much I love to grill). I’m talking about an open fire. I’m talking a stick from the woods. Yeah, that kind of grilled hot dog.
I’ve never been much of a camper. We have friends who love to camp, and it always seems like such a cool idea. But then I remember that I like showers and sleeping in dry places. When I was a kid, one of my friends had a huge outdoor camping party with like 25 guys. They had property out along one of the rivers in Charleston, SC, and it was totally overgrown. There was a little one-room shack (no running water) and a covered pavilion, but that was it.
Truthfully, it was a great place for a bunch of 10-year-old boys to run around all night. That is until it started to rain around 3am. I just remember waking up in a soaking wet sleeping bag. I think that experience scarred me from camping.
Even though camping isn’t at the top of my list of fun, I do still love campfires. A couple of weeks ago, one of my wife’s high school friends came up to visit for a long weekend. We drove out to several local-ish breweries while they serenaded me with Celine Dion tunes the whole way. Let’s just say that I was ready for a cold one by the time we stopped!
But the highlight of the trip was probably lighting up the firepit in the backyard. We cooked hot dogs on sticks caveman style, and of course we made plenty of gooey s’mores for dessert. (But then we came inside and slept in warm, dry beds…that’s my style of camping!)
S’more Chocolate Marshmallow Cake
S’more Chocolate Marshmallow CakeSpeaking of s’mores, I was hankerin’ to bake a cake, and I was inspired by the classic combo of chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers. So I hit the kitchen and whipped up this delicious S’more Chocolate Marshmallow Cake. Just imagine a decadent chocolate cake covered with creamy marshmallow frosting…and of course, the cake has to be topped with toasted marshmallows. Needless to say, this cake is a new favorite around here. It’s the perfect summer treat when you don’t feel like lighting a fire in the backyard!
Did you bake this S’more Chocolate Marshmallow Cake at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). Cheers!
Looking for more tasty s’mores-inspired desserts? Check out these other favorites, too:
Frozen S’mores Bars
S’mores Cheesecake
S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches
S’mores Martini
S’more Chocolate Marshmallow Cake
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
For the Marshmallow Frosting
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups marshmallow fluff
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp milk
- 3½-4 cups powdered sugar
For Garnish
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 cups mini-marshmallows
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour (2) 8” round cake pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Set pans aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until well combined. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract; set aside.
- Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (~4-5 minutes). (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape down sides and bottom bowl at least once during this step.)
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated after each addition.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl; mix on low speed until just combined.
- Add half of the liquid mixture; mix on low speed until just combined.
- Repeat with the remaining flour and liquid.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared cake pans.
- Bake at 350°F for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean.
- Let cakes cool in the pans for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool. (Tip: Don’t forget to remove the parchment paper from the bottom of each layer.)
For the Marshmallow Frosting
- Using a countertop mixer, cream together the butter and marshmallow fluff until smooth (~2-3 minutes on medium high speed).
- Add vanilla and milk; mix until well combined.
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.
To Assemble
- Place one layer of cake on a large plate. Using an offset spatula, spread a thick layer of frosting on top of this layer. (Tip: Do not spread frosting all the way to the edge. Instead, leave about ½” border around the outer edge of each layer.)
- Place second layer of cake on top.
- Spread remaining frosting on sides and top of cake.
- Garnish top of cake with mini-marshmallows and graham cracker crumbs. (Optional: Lightly toast mini-marshmallows using a kitchen torch.)
I literally feel like licking the screen. How are you not 400lbs with all these amazing cakes you make. This really does look incredible David.
Hahaha…sometimes I wonder the same thing, Dannii! I credit the 5am gym wakeup calls….oh, and I like to pass things off to the neighbors! 🙂
This is a great cake David! I haven’t made marshmallow frosting before, but now I really want too!!
Oh man, this marshmallow frosting is amazing, Beth! I kinda wanted to lick the bowl when I was done. 🙂
Yum! This cake looks amazing!
Thank you so much, Kathy! This cake is definitely a favorite around here. Cant beat smores in the summer, right??
Wow that looks incredible!! All that fluffy marshmallow frosting sounds amazing… almost better than a classic s’mores 😀
Hey hey hey…woah there, June! We can’t beat an original s’more…they’re a summer classic! But this cake comes pretty darned close. Haha!
The last time I grilled hot dogs on sticks over an open fire was…. never. Hahaha, and I’ve never camped in my life. My buddy is really into camping, but my idea of a vacation isn’t doing with less amenities than I have at home. Call me weird, but I enjoy sleeping in a bed, having A/C, and enjoying the wonder of indoor plumbing. Now, on to more important things… sending me a piece of this cake. Hahaha. Looks amazing dude!
Tell me about it! Everyone talks about grilling hotdogs on sticks, but no one ever does it. Well, we did it. And it was delicious! But then we had cake for dessert…and that was even better. And then we went to sleep in a real bed in real AC…and that was better than the hotdogs and cake combined! Haha.
Hi David! Here you go again with another sinfully delicious cake! 🙂 I did lots of camping when I was younger and it always involved motorcycles and sometimes camping and horses as well – ah, carefree youth! At this stage in my life “camping” involves a hotel room with a nice comfy bed, a mini frig and a hottub! Guess I’ve evolved (or gotten smarter)! 🙂
I love that, Dorothy–“sinful.” That’s pretty much the perfect description for this cake! And I’m with you on the bed, mini fridge and hottub. That’s my style of camping…especially if it involves cake, too. Haha!
Didn’t proof read – second sentence should say canoeing, not camping.
We’ve never been canoeing but we definitely have been kayaking a bunch. Love it!
I’m not much of a fan of camping either…think “glamping” is more my style, though I would gladly camp out in the rain for a slice of this!
I’m thinking I’m gonna have to swing by and grab me a slice before I head to the airport!
I think we can arrange that, Shashi…although I’m in Nashville right now, so you might need to head west instead of north! 🙂
haha what a co-incidence, we both posted S’mores dessert today!! love this cake, the frosting sounds delicious!
I was thinking the same thing when I saw your dessert, Manali…s’mores for the summer win!!
OMG! This is what heaven on a plate looks like! Marshmallows AND SMORE’S? That’s just amazing! I NEED a slice of this! But, then I’d probably come back for smore slices. See what I did there? 😉
Heaven on a plate…wow, I like that description, Kennedy! This is indeed one of my favorite summer cakes. You can’t beat the classic s’more flavors. Haha…nice pun there! I would gladly give you s’more!
This cake is absolutely amazing David. Makes me want to lick my screen. lol
Haha…well I can’t be responsible for drool on your screen, ChiChi! 🙂 But I’ll gladly give you a slice of cake…how’s that sound? 🙂
This looks to die for! I need to bake with marshmallows more 🙂
I often think the same thing, Medha…marshmallows are such a fun ingredient for summertime cooking and baking!
I’ve never been a camper either. Area where I grew up was humid, surrounded with forests and lakes and as a lovely bonus – tons of mosquitos and other nice insects. Not much fun indeed! But when it happened, I used to bake potatoes…and yes, sausages on a stick! Unfortunately, I didn’t know about existence of s’mores. But I totally love this cake, David! I’ve always been sceptical about s’mores – a lot of work and one bite, haha! So a large piece of cake is a great alternative for a lazy guys like me:) Impressive work!
Oh geez, regular smores are so easy, Ben! You just gotta have graham crackers, a piece of chocolate and some marshmallows. Oh and a fire. Thats the hard part. I’ll gladly share a slice of cake with you instead…haha!
Oh my goodness, if I lived even close to you id be knocking at your door demaning for a slice of this (haha!)! delicious!
Hahaha…thanks, Lucie! I would gladly hand out slices of cake. Just ring the doorbell and ask for s’more! 🙂
oh I love campfires, I am a camper. I have been going camping since I was little and always enjoyed it. It did not involve a proper bed though, only inflatable
We had done one on the beach a couple of weeks ago and that was grand.
Love the marshmallow cake!
Oh man, camping on the beach sounds awesome, Emanuele! Especially over there where you guys live. I could definitely get on board with that. Especially if it involved a campfire and s’mores!
Yep, a soggy sleeping bag and getting woken at 3 am by rain would seal the deal for me, too. As for scarred for life, I must admit after seeing Jaws there really was no more going back to ocean swimming for this kid. I used to go to Pismo, Avila beaches all the time in the summers visiting my grandparents. We were shipped down from San Francisco via train to San Luis Obispo… the memories are great!
But about this cake, it’s a beauty! Love the graham cracker crumbs sprinkled on top and that shaved chocolate is quite posh of you.
Sorry about the Celine Dion serenade, too. 🙂 #WolfpackBakeries
Tell me about it, Kevin! I grew up swimming at the beach in South Carolina, but now I’m really not too wild about the idea. Especially with all of the shark attacks lately. No good! Haha, I managed to make it through the Celine serenading…by stuffing my face with cake. 🙂
Ha! I hear you! Camping? I.Just.Cant! I like a soft mattress, fluffy pillows, hot running water and air conditioning WAY too much for that! I used to love it when I was a little girl… you know before I knew better! 😉 this cake is a genius mash up! Looove that you combined the classic flavors of a S’more with chocolate cake! This baby looks super delicious and perfectly decadent! ♡ love! Cheers and thanks for sharing the yum!!
Tell me about it! There’s something so comforting about a real bed and AC. It’s hard to beat the classic s’more flavors in the middle of the summer, too! I gotta admit that this cake disappeared a little too fast for my liking. Oops…guess I’ll need to make another one! 🙂
” I was hankerin’ to bake a cake”
Yes. So much yes. I think I’ve come to the conclusion that you can ‘cake-ify anything. My sister just told me her and her friends are going ‘glamping’ which she claims is pretty much camping. It most definitely ISN’T.
That pretty much describes me on a daily basis…hankerin to bake cakes. Glamping is where it’s at…especially when it involves little Pandas.
I’m literally drooling, this cake is utterly mouthwatering.
And yeah, I’m not much of a camper myself so I’ll take this wonderful masterpiece over a generic s’mores and a soggy sleeping bag ANY day! 🙂
Heck yeah, Sam! Ditch the soggy sleeping bags and lets just eat cake. I think that is a good tradeoff. Haha!
OMG this cake looks so heavenly! I’m loving all those s’mores flavors – yummy!! Pinned 🙂
Thank you so much, Christina! It’s heard to beat s’mores in the middle of summer…especially when they are in cake form! 🙂
I loved camping. Yes, I said loveD. In the past: when I was young and I could sleep wherever. Unfortunately it’s not like that anymore, I need a mattress, a pillow, clean sheets, and possibly a slice of that amazing cake!
#WolkpackComfort
And they say we get wiser as we get older…there’s something to be said about a nice big mattress, A/C…and cake! S’mores are hard to beat in the summer, so give me cake and a real bed, and I’ll be a happy camper. Get it? A happy camper. Haha!
This cake looks amazing, David! Love anything with s’mores and chocolate cake! Pinning to try soon! 😀
Thank you so much, Jess! Summer = s’mores love! This cake is definitely a favorite around our house. 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever had a hot dog over a campfire. Actually, I’m pretty sure I haven’t. I will say your version of camping sounds doable; hot dogs over a fire pit outside then a shower and warm bed afterwards. Totally doable. LOL!
I love the concept of this cake. Such a cool way to put a spin on the tried and true s’mores recipe. And it’s so pretty!
Yeah, I’m all about the warm bed and shower. That’s how I camp! Speaking of camping though, I sure could go for a grilled hot dog and a big slice of this cake for lunch today! Haha! 🙂