This S’mores Cake is better than the real thing! A graham cracker cake filled with a whipped milk chocolate ganache and topped with toasted marshmallow fluff.
This is not what this cake was supposed to look like.
Ryan requested another S’mores Cake because he loved my S’mores Bundt Cake so much. I was happy to make it again, but I wanted to try something different. My plan was to make a naked cake with milk chocolate ganache and marshmallow fluff between each layer.
Except my store-bought marshmallow fluff was an epic fail.
I had a little homemade marshmallow fluff left over in the freezer from the S’mores Bundt Cake, but was too lazy to make more, so I decided to top it up with some store-bought stuff.
I’m not exactly sure what happened. I mixed the two together, and maybe I beat too much air out of it, or maybe the stuff I had in the freezer was too thin. No idea, but it was basically marshmallow soup. In hindsight, I don’t know why I decided to go ahead with it anyhow.
Plenty of cursing, as usual — par for the course with my baking. It’s rare that something works out on the first go. It’s a wonder I keep doing it! I actually took pics of my fails this time, which I almost never do because I’m too frustrated at the time. The pics are crappy and unedited, but I thought you’d appreciate them.
Here’s the lovely first layer that actually got entirely scrapped. It was still eaten, of course, but did not make it into the final cake.
Like, what is even going ON there? Marshmallow. Soup.
The next attempt wasn’t much better. I decided to take the remaining two layers, put the whipped ganache in between, and then top it with a marshmallow glaze…
It’s comical really, in hindsight. I could NOT take pics of this cake….it was destined to end up on Cake Wrecks.
So I scraped the whole mess off, MADE new marshmallow fluff from scratch, and covered the entire thing.
It’s not the look I was going for, but I think it turned out even better. I actually love that it’s almost the perfect shape of a marshmallow!
And, of course, the most important part is that it tastes amazing!
The graham cracker cake has a unique and delicious texture. The cake itself isn’t too sweet and the marshmallow is light, but if you’d like to tone it down, you could always swap the milk chocolate for dark chocolate.
Either way, this S’mores Cake is delicious and so perfect for summer. I hope you try it!
Tips for making this S’mores Cake:
- NOTE: The photos show a 4 layer cake — it’s actually two layers cut in half since I scrapped one of the (see post). The recipe makes a three-layer 6″ cake. If you’d like to replicate what I have in the photos use 2/3 of the recipe (change the Servings to 8 to get the amounts).
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
- You could use dark chocolate ganache if you prefer, or a chocolate buttercream.
- If there are still some chunks of unmelted chocolate, microwave in 10-second bursts until all chocolate has melted.
- You can make the ganache a day ahead and leave it on the counter overnight, then whip.
- Do NOT use store-bought marshmallow fluff. It’s too thin/runny.
- Make sure there is no trace of egg yolk in your whites and that your tools are completely grease-free before making the fluff. If it isn’t stiff, don’t use it. See my Homemade Marshmallow Fluff post for details.
- You will need a thermometer for the marshmallow fluff. My favourite is from Thermapen.
- I used a kitchen torch to toast the outside once it was frosted.
- Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!
S'mores Cake
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla
Milk Chocolate Ganache:*
- 12 oz milk chocolate finely chopped
- 6 oz heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp Baileys Irish Cream optional
Marshmallow Fluff:
- 4 cups homemade marshmallow fluff
Instructions
Graham Cracker Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth.
- Add sugars and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
- Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Do not overmix.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the top with a spatula and whack the pans against the counter to evenly distribute.
- Bake for approx. 40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins. Whack the pans on the counter to loosen the cakes and turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Milk Chocolate Ganache:
- Finely chop chocolate and place into a bowl. Bring cream just barely to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 2 mins. Stir with a spatula until combined and smooth. **
- Cool in the refrigerator until thickened, but still soft (stirring occasionally). ***
- Transfer to bowl of stand mixer and whip using the whisk attachment until the ganache is fluffy and has lightened in color (approx. 1 or 2 minutes).
Marshmallow Fluff:
- Prepare as per recipe.
Assembly:
- Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost the layers with the whipped ganache. Place in fridge to set.
- Spread marshmallow fluff roughly all over cake and torch to toast.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Originally published November 2015
Thomas says
Can you refrigerate the cake for a short amount of time after you have decorated it? Or does the marshmallow go weird and runny
Olivia says
Hi Thomas! The fluff will eventually get soft and runny but if you toast it it will help hold its shape on the outside.
Pearl Cohen says
Hi! I really loved this recipe. I did have one question about using the marshmallow fluff all over the cake and torching it. When I covered the cake with fluff and torched it, it seemed to only stay for a little while and then it started to melt down the cake and eventually came off completely. Do you have any tips for preventing the fluff from falling down?
Thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Pearl! Did you cover the cake with frosting first or just put the fluff right onto the cake layers? I put mine right on the cake and it stayed put for a couple days in the fridge. Was your fluff very stiff and hard to spread out? It should be that consistency.
Anood Ali says
This cake turned out amazing! And was surprisingly easy to make! Thanks for a great recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Anood! So glad you loved it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Jenna says
How tall should they 6” pans be? Is 2” tall enough, or should they be 3”?
Olivia says
Hi Jenna! Mine are all 2″ tall but the cakes bake right to the top. 3″ tall would be totally fine too.
Patricia says
Can I use Lindor Milk Chocolate bar? It seems so soft so I’m worried!
Olivia says
Hi Patricia! That should be fine. You’ll whip the ganache anyhow and that will stiffen it up 🙂
Fabian says
That looks so good!
Olivia says
Thank you Fabian! I hope you try it 🙂
Gary Mattox says
Hello. This looks amazing. My I am getting married in October and my husband wants this as a wedding cake. If I frosted and toasted the cake mid morning, would it maintain its look until say 5pm? Like in the reception hall?
Olivia says
Hi Gary! Yes, for sure! As long as the meringue is nice and stiff (which it should be if made correctly) — frost the cake, torch it, and store it in the fridge. You can probably get away with storing it at room temperature too, provided it’s not too hot where you are. To be safe, you could give it a trial run and see how it turns out 🙂
DJ says
Instead of using the MMF as a frosting, I plan to use it as a filling and then double the milk chocolate ganache to use as a “frosting” – do you think this would work okay?
Thank you, I love your cakes!
Olivia says
Hi DJ! Yes, I think that should work fine 🙂
Jenni says
I am wanting to make this, but i don’t have a torch. Is there another way I could torch the fluff?? Thanks for your input!
Olivia says
Hi Jenni! No easy way that I can think of 🙁 You don’t have to torch it though, it will still be delicious! 🙂
María says
Delicious! I’m the worst baker (literally the worst) I followed this recipe- and for everyone surprise it was delicious! This is the first edible cake that a have made so far in my life! (I’ve tried 1000s times without luck) thanks so much!
Olivia says
Hi Maria! Lol! Clearly you are not the worst if you nailed this cake! The frosting especially is no joke so you should be proud 🙂 I’m so happy you loved it!
Laurie W. says
Wow! this was great! My 10 year old son asked me to make him a S’mores Cake for his birthday today. I looked and this one looked the best from all I saw online. took me all day, but I actually made a beautiful cake! My husband even asked me to make the marshmallow fluff for his fluffernutters from now on! thanks for teaching me new techniques and making me a hero Mom!
Olivia says
Hi Laurie! I love the MMF for fluffernutters too! Thicker and more stable than the stuff you can buy in stores. I’m so happy you loved this cake and that it turned out well for you. I hope your son loved it too 🙂
Janet says
Livforcake.com’s S’mores Cake was a big hit with everyone on Christmas day! Since people eat less sweets at Christmas than they did years ago, I make just one dessert for Christmas–a cake with enough interest that everyone is willing to try it. I needed a bigger cake than the 6″ cake and made an 8″ cake by increasing the recipe by 50%. The layers were awesomely moist, but they still had enough density to hold the weight of the ganache filling and the frosting. The ganache filling was perfect in every way. I did not use the marshmallow frosting in the recipe (and I wish I had). I iced the cake with a mixture of marshmallow creme and toasted marshmallows. The frosting did have a tendency to slide down the sides of the cake. Still everyone was really impressed with the cake–even with the toasted marshmallows which decorated the top of the cake which wanted to slide down the sides of the cake.
Olivia says
Hi Janet! I’m so happy to hear that you liked it. Thanks for your tips and feedback 🙂
Tyler Kroll says
Absolutely Delicious! My marshmallow fluff was a little thin and didn’t hold up on the cake that well. But still kept it covered and delicious. Just got to practice on that fluff for next time! So it comes out perfect!
Olivia says
Hi Tyler! So happy to hear you loved it. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
amporter says
The ganache filling and marshmallow fluff are amazing but the cake. The cake!! Wow….
The texture and the taste is perfect. Great recipe. Made it for my son’s 16th birthday. He found the recipe on Pinterest.
Olivia says
Hi there! So happy to hear that you loved it. Happy birthday to him!
David says
Can these be made into cupcakes? Any modifications to do so besides using a cupcake pan and liners?
Olivia says
Hi David! You’ll also need to reduce the baking time. Start checking at about 15mins or so.
Nick says
Hi there! This sounds wonderful and will be my 3rd cake from your website! My partner requested a s’more cake and I’m planning on making this later in the week. The cake called for 1 c unsalted butter, would this be melted or cubed?
I’m also planning on using 9 inch pans since I don’t have any other size and read to double the recipe. Would you think it would be a good idea to add a layer of fluff in between the layers and torching them in addition to the fluff coating on the outside?
I was also thinking of adding a few s’mores on top for an additional treat.
Olivia says
Hi Nick! The butter in the cake should be room temperature. I usually state that, but didn’t for some reason this time — I’ll update the recipe! I would 2x the recipe for three 9″ pans. I think torched fluff in the middle would be delicious! You’d just have to be a bit more careful with the stacking (the layers might slide around a bit). Let me know how it turns out!
Kellye peraza says
Would the fluff and ganache be doubled for 9 inch cake pans?
Olivia says
Hi Kellye! Yes, double everything.
Kellye says
The cake turned out delish, cake was really moist with a true graham cracker flavor and the fluff was amazing. My grandson requested a S’More cake and this is now a family favorite
Olivia says
Hi Kellye! So happy you both loved it 🙂
Ayesha says
Can the graham cracker crumbs be replaced with crushed Biscoff?
Olivia says
Hi Ayesha! They sure can, but I do also have a biscoff cake if you’d prefer that instead 🙂 https://livforcake.com/cookie-butter-cake/
Ayesha says
Thank you so much Olivia your cakes are always the best and i will for sure give the biscoff cake a try
Faren Marée Ramos says
Can you make this a cake roll?
Olivia says
Hi Faren! A cake roll usually uses a lighter sponge cake.
Jenna says
How do you measure your flour (scoop with the whole measuring cup, or spoon-and-level)? I’m so paranoid about measuring flour without weighing it because everyone seems to fill their flour cup differently and the result can be hugely affected by it.
Olivia says
Hi Jenna! I spoon and level it 🙂
Lee Morgan says
Amazing. I make a lot of cakes and I don’t know if I’ve ever left comments on a recipe, but this is perhaps the best cake I’ve ever made. Followed your recipe for the cake and the fluff. That Italian style meringue will be my go-to recipe forever. It’s perfect.
Olivia says
Hi Lee! I’m so happy to hear that you loved this one so much to leave a comment! You totally made my day.
Taylor says
Hi Olivia!
Can this be stored in the fridge and then brought up to room temp before serving? If so, for how long can it be stored without altering marshmallow texture?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Taylor! I refrigerated mine (with the fluff already toasted). The fluff under the toasted stuff will start to soften fairly quickly and eventually turn a bit soft, though I’m not sure that has anything to do with refrigeration rather than just contact with the cake/ganache. It won’t impact the flavour though. I wouldn’t store it for longer than a couple days because the fridge tends to dry cakes out!
Dave Berg says
I am a complete novice when it comes to baking, I don’t follow directions very well. I was still able to make this for my wife for her birthday since smores are her favorite. I ended up making it rectangular and it turned out just fine. Only issue with the directions was it calls for 3 pans but you show 4 layers of cake and that confused me. But I didn’t have any cake rounds so it didn’t much matter in the end. Thank you so much.
Olivia says
Hi Dave! I’m so glad you were able to make this for your wife, I am sure she loved that you did that for her :). I did bake up 3 layers, but had a mishap with one of them (details in the blog post), so ended up just using the other two and cutting them in half to make four.
JulieSanguine says
For those who want to make a bigger cake, I made 1 and half the cake and put it in 9 inch pan at 375 for 20 minutes. Turn out perfect. Depending of the oven of course.
Olivia says
Hi Julie! Thanks so much for your tips!
Krista says
How many nine inch cake pans?
Olivia says
Hi Krista! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Lexy says
Can you replace the frosting replace with a more simple italian swiss meringue?
Olivia says
Hi Lexy! This is very similar to an Italian meringue, so it would work. A Swiss meringue might not be firm enough.
Carolyn says
The marshmallow fluff was way too runny and it was your recipe too. I followed every single step as directed. It looked good until I put it on the cake.
Olivia says
Hi Carolyn! Sorry to hear you had trouble with this. The marshmallow fluff should be ver stiff. If it was runny that means there was likely some grease or egg yolk that got in contact with your egg whites.
Mandi says
Hi Olivia! I’m planning to make this gorgeous cake for my bday in a couple of weeks. My mom is gluten-free, would this recipe work with GF AP flour? Would your other graham cracker cake recipe as well? Thanks so much! Your pics are amazing!
Olivia says
Hi Mandi! Any cake recipe should work with a GF flour as long as it is a proper AP flour blend!
Mandi says
Awesome! Thanks so much! I’m planning a trial run this weekend, fingers crossed!
Olivia says
Good luck!! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Jess Newhouse says
Hi! I’m hoping to make this cake this week! Question – can I put the cake in the fridge overnight after roasting the marshmallow fluff? Thank you so much!
Olivia says
Hi Jess! Yes, but I would torch the fluff first as it tends to dry out.
Peg Bunting says
Hi, I am excited to make this cake!! I have couple of questions though. I need it to be a 14 inch cake. Would you double the recipe? Also once I torch the marshmallow fluff can the cake be stored in the fridge until the next day or should I wait to torch it until right before serving?
Olivia says
Hi Peg! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would torch the marshmallow fluff before storing as it will dry out and might not look as pretty if you torched it after.
Amy Owens says
I made this cake for my sons birthday and it was a HIT! Unfortunately I didn’t like the taste of the cake though. It was not very sweet (I may have overcooked it?) and it definitely did not taste like graham crackers. I am wondering if its because I used a vanilla that I got from my in-laws recent trip to the Dominican Republic? It just plain had a funny flavor. Anyway, the fluff and ganache were amazing. I just can’t figure out what the cake was supposed to taste like. Your directions were very clear and easy to use for a beginner like me!
Olivia says
Hi Amy! So glad you found the recipe easy to follow. The cake has a decent amount of graham cracker crumbs so you should be able to taste it. I don’t think the vanilla would affect it, but possibly? It is more of a dense cake though, more of a pound cake almost, so maybe that’s what was throwing it off?
Laura says
Hello,
I would like to share that I made this cake and it turned out beautifully! I did have trouble with my first batch of fluff–it deflated and never got fluffy again. I figured out why! I live at high altitude (7.000ft.) and I hadn’t calibrated my candy thermometer before preparing the marshmallow fluff. Before trying a second batch, I calibrated the thermometer and found it was 7 degree F off, which means the difference between hard ball and soft ball stage. I made the adjustment and the second batch was perfect! I also made a couple of altitude adjustments for the cake and it came out great!
Olivia says
Hi Laura! So glad you didn’t give up after the first go! And happy to hear attempt #2 was a success 🙂
Lara says
This cake is beautiful and I can’t wait to try it! I am wondering what kind of kitchen torch you use. There are so many kinds out there. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Lara! I can’t find my exact one online (and I don’t know if I’d recommend it anyhow), but I would get something like this: https://amzn.to/2MsldD8
domenic says
I made the cake and love it! but i did get comments it was a bit too sweet, I was thinking the dark chcocolate ganache may help that instead of the milk chocolate. I am wondering will the ratio be different of dark chocolate and cream?
Olivia says
Hi Domenic! Dark chocolate would definitely tone down the sweetness. You would have to change the ratio, I would recommend using a 1:1 ratio of dark chocolate to cream (by weight) vs a 2:1 as it currently is for the milk chocolate.
Syrine says
Hi Liv,
I made your cake yesterday, for my mom’s birthday. I prepared the cake, ganache and marshmallow fluff the day before and assemble the cake a few hours before dinner. I was so scared of making the marshmallow fluff but it turns out amazing. The cake was delicious and so pretty. My mom, who doesn’t lile a lot cakes, loves it, especially the marshmallow fluff. I’m planning on freazing the extra fluff to make, after the holidays, your s’mores cookies.
So, thank you for helping me impress my mom 😊
Xoxo
Olivia says
Hi Syrine! So happy to hear that you and your mom loved this one 🙂 Making the marshmallow fluff is stressful for me too due to the boiling sugar — glad it worked out!!
Loganne says
Hi! This is beautiful and rustic! How long can this keep for and in or out of the fridge? Gosh I hope to make it soon!
Olivia says
Hi Loganne! Thank you! I usually refrigerate my cakes, but it would be fine out for a couple days too.
Alex says
Can you confirm that this recipe should fill 3 6″ pans? I count 4 layers in your cake pictures. Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Alex! Yes, the recipe makes three 6″ rounds that are a full 2″ tall. I had to scrap one of my layers (details in the post), so cut the remaining two in half horizontally. If you want the cake to look just like mine, use 2/3rds of the recipe and bake in two 6″ pans. I hope that makes sense. Let me know how you like it!
Amanda says
I’m planning on making this for baby’s 1st birthday. Is the marshmallow frosting going to be a nightmare with a 1 year old? Like, worse than regular frosting?
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! A nightmare in what way? It IS very sticky, especially when first put on the cake, but softens over time. In general though, probably a bit more messy than a regular buttercream.
Amanda says
Hi I wanted to make this cake with a chocolate ganache drip so I need the cake to be smooth instead of the swirls. Do you think it’s possible to get it as smooth as buttercream or will it never work? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Honestly I think that will be really tough with the marshmallow because it’s so sticky. I don’t think you’ll be able to get it perfectly smooth, but you can try?
Amanda says
Thanks.. I might just stick to doing the marshmallow as a topping. And for the cake is it softened butter?
Ashley says
Your cake is gorgeous and has me drooling every time that I see the picture! I had to make an attempt this past weekend and while mine definitely did not turn out as beautiful, I was still happy with the result and it tasted amazing –that marshmallow fluff! I also added a layer of chocolate cake in between, so yummy!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Ashley! So glad you liked it and omg I LOVE the addition of a chocolate cake layer!!
Annalee says
Hi! Trying this out right now. My cakes are in the oven, they’ve been in there for about 20 minutes. The sides look like they’re rising, but not the middles. The batter was a little bit chunky because of the graham cracker. Any reason they might not be baking right?
Olivia says
Hi Annalee! Sounds like they just needed a bit more time in the oven. How did they turn out?
Annalee says
They turned out okay! A little over-cooked, however. I must’ve done something wrong!
Sara says
I am so glad I found your site! I didn’t have all the tools or even the correct size pans, but I made this for Christmas and it was a big hit! So delicious!! Thanks for sharing!
Olivia says
Hi Sara! That is awesome, I’m so happy you liked this recipe!
Jasmine says
I made this cake last year for my birthday in December and I fell in love with it. The marshmallow fluff was a hit with the others and I loved it overall. My bday is coming up again and I’m researching what bday cake to make myself and I 98% sure I’m going to go with this one again. Loved the recipe! I did make a slight change though, I made the graham cracker cake AND devil’s food cake and alternated those layers. Thank you for the great recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Jasmine! So happy to hear that you liked this one! And I LOEV the idea of alternating layers! I might have to try that 🙂
Mary Kay Nelson says
I made this today for my son’s birthday and it was big hit! I was a little intimidated by the homemade marshmallow fluff but I followed your instructions exactly and it turned out fabulous!
Olivia says
Yay! The MMF is intimidating for sure, I totally get it, but I’m so glad you tried it and that it worked out!
Cassie | Crumb Kitchen says
Hey Olivia! I made your cake yesterday for my family engagement party (I am the cook of the family so of course I am stuck making my own engagement party cake, lol) and it was a HIT! While the third layer was baking in the oven, as I only had two pans, I had to run to the store to get a candy thermometer because my parents didn’t have one. Turns out they accidentally undercooked it and it ended up being unusable. STILL, the other two layers turned out great actually huge, so it worked out. The whole family was oohing and aahing over it. Definitely a keeper!!
Alexa says
Can I make cake a day ahead and refrigerate?
Olivia says
Hi Alexa! Yes, that should work fine. I refrigerated mine afterwards.
Angele Bourdeau says
Hi there. We are getting married in August backyard wedding. I want to make this Smores cake as it’s very suiting. How long do you think I could refrigerate this cake for?
Olivia says
Hi Angele! The frosting will not hold up very long. It will get softer the longer it sits in the cake and become very gooey. This isn’t a bad thing, but could make for messier cutting/serving. Ideally serve same day, but will be ok overnight but the marshmallow will get soft.
Angele Bourdeau says
We actually tested the process of freezing the mmf for a few days. We then made the cake on a Friday evening and then spread the mmf on the Saturday. Refrigerated till Sunday for my son’s bday and it turned out well. Except it was a bit dry. However the mmf was ok. Never softened. We will try to attempt this one more time lol
Thanks for your info. Great flavours. 😁
Olivia says
Thanks so much for your tips Angele!
emily says
Made for a work birthday party and it was delicious. Made rosettes first and then tried to change them to swirls like in the pictures. Huge mistake! Frosting was too set to spread and result was really, really ugly. Lesson learned and no one but me cared about how it looked. 😀
Olivia says
Aww sorry to hear about the rosettes! I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as you think 😉 glad you liked the taste though! That is what matters, after all 🙂
Renee Brady says
Can I tell you how much I appreciate the pictures of your “fails!” My first attempt of your cookie dough cake was a total #pinterestfail. It was really comical – thankfully it still tasted delicious! My second attempt turned out MUCH better and gave me the confidence to try the Pink Champagne Cake. Wrong sized pans, over-mixing (I suspect), and too much food coloring resulted in some really hideous, magenta, super-dense crepes. Haha! Tried it again and it went much better! Thanks for allowing us to see that even you have those mishaps too! Enjoying trying your cakes and learning lots of new tips, tricks, and techniques. I think the S’mores cake is next!
Olivia says
Lol, so sorry to hear about your #pinterestfail! I am sure it wasn’t that bad 😉 and I’m glad it still tasted good! That is what matters, after all. I am glad that seeing my mishaps helps — everyone has them!! And I am so glad that you didn’t give up after those ones that didn’t work out so well 🙂 I hope you like this one! And that it’s not a fail 😉
Sandy says
I made this yesterday for my daughter’s 9th birthdsy. She asked for a Smores Cake completely out of the blue and thankfully I found your recipe the night before. I did 3 8-inch rounds and doubling the recipe was perfect! The batter is amazing, I was so worried that it would take longer, but an extra 15 minutes did it. I also doubled the fluff, and was incredibly surprised at how easy it was. I didn’t cover the whole cake, too fancy for a kids party, but I layered chocalate and fluff in between the layers. Stuck 4 wooden dowels in it so that it wouldn’t slide around and stuck it in the fridge til we were ready to leave. I was afraid the South Florida heat and driving to the party would melt it but it held up well! I got lots of thumbs up on the drive there as I held it on the passenger side the whole way. It was a show stopper! And it tasted delicious. Thank u for a grrrrreat recipe that was easy and no fail especially for putting it together last minute. Much appreciated!
Olivia says
Hi Sandy! I’m so glad this cake was a hit. Good call on the dowels, especially with the marshmallow between the layers. Thanks for your sweet comment!
Holly says
Amazing cake! It’s perfect! So s’mores-y! I used 3 x 8″ rounds, and the bake time was only around 30 min. Thanks for the awesome recipe, sharing!
Olivia says
Hi Holly! I’m so glad you liked it!! 🙂
Nazia says
Hello I found this recipe and am dying to try it. I want to double the recipe. Would doubling the recipe be good for 2-9 inch cakes or would it be too little?
Olivia says
Hi Nazia! I think that would be too much actually. This recipe makes three 6″ or two 8″. I would try it as is in two 9″ with slightly thinner layers, or 1.5x the recipe. Let me know how it turns out!
Krista says
How would you adjust the timing for baking either in 8 or 9” pans?
Olivia says
Hi Krista! Baking time would be somewhat similar for an 8″ pan but less for a 9″.
Chelsea says
Hi Olivia!
I’m planning to make this cake this weekend and I can’t wait! One question though, should the butter in the graham cracker cake be salted or unsalted?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Chelsea! It should be unsalted 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
Tammie says
My daughter has asked for this cake for her baby shower. I am VERY nervous about this. Lol. How far ahead could you make the entire cake with a complete setup? I’m afraid the marshmallow may react badly to being refrigerated until party time.
Olivia says
Hi Tammie! I had this cake in the fridge and the marshmallow held up just fine. It’s obviously better served same day, but I think it should be fine a day or two later :).
Tammie says
Thank you so much. I’m so excited to see how this turns out!
Janet says
I absolutely love your candor. I laughed because I too sometimes do the try, try again method. Or better known as Plan A, B or C. I’m just too stubborn to give up cake decorating! I think the cake looks stunning. I will give it a try.
Olivia says
Hi Janet! I’m glad I’m not alone, haha. I hope you like this cake!! Please let me know how it turns out :).
Anna says
I’ve read all the comments about doubling the cake recipe and the marshmallow fluff what about the ganache? Should that be doubled as well? I am planning to make 3 8 inch cakes.
Olivia says
Hi Anna! You would double everything if doubling the recipe 🙂
Rem says
Hi Olivia! I’m going to try to make this cake the day before I want to serve it. Do you know if the marshmallow fluff will go flat once it’s already on the cake if it sits for a day? Also do you think it would be okay to sit out for a couple hours in a kitchen that’s about 80 degrees or should it stay in the fridge until I serve it? Thanks for your help!
Olivia says
Hi Rem! If your marshmallow fluff turns out and is firm like it should be (not runny) then it will hold up! I would store the cake in the fridge overnight, then take it out a couple hours before you plan to serve it. Please let me know how it turns out!
Leila says
Hello! I am thinking of making this cake next week. I know I have to double the cake recipe since I am planning to use three 9″ cake pans. Do I need to make more fluff as well? Also, for your homemade marshmallow fluff recipe, how many cups will that yield? I can’t want to make this! so excited!
Olivia says
Hi Leila! The recipe makes about 3-4 cups of fluff. I always have some left over, but can’t remember how much exactly. I would 1.5x the fluff recipe to be safe. Let me know how it turns out!
Jennifer Headley says
I’m sorry if this question was already asked but, if I wanted to make this in 9 in pans, would I double the recipe? This looks FANTASTIC by the way! I just got a culinary torch and have been looking for something to use it on!
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! Yes, you would double it for three 9″ cake pans :). Please let me know how it turns out!
Tricia says
Hi, just so you know, I baked your recipe in two 9” cake pans, then repeated the process. So I now have four 9” layers. They are thin, so will stack nicely with the ganache inbetween the cake layers. Im getting ready to do that now. I’ve never made ganache but here goes! You’re stretching me, Olivia! 🤗
Olivia says
Haha! I have faith in you! Ganache is pretty straight forward. You got this! 🙂
Melanie says
I’m planning on making this this weekend for my boyfriend’s 40th. He always has high expectations for my cakes, I’m sure this one will WOW! I’m considering adding ganache OVER the marshmallow, and letting it drip a bit down the sides. I’m thinking the marshmallow would need to be a little bit smoother for this to look right…. what do you think? Is there a way to make it a bit thinner? I don’t want to ruin the cake at my very last step (pouring the ganache)…. But I think that extra bit of chocolate would be quite yummy 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Melanie! I would try to smooth the marshmallow out as much as possible in that case. It’s not the easiest thing to work with since it’s very sticky, but I think the smoother look will be better with the drippy ganache like you said. I’m not sure that making it thinner would work as the marshmallow might not adhere to the cake as well and kind of ooze off like it did for me at first. Do you plan to toast it before adding the ganache?
Megan says
This is really one of the best cakes I’ve ever made! I followed all the directions exactly and it all turned out perfectly. I don’t have a torch, so I frosted the whole cake with the marshmallow and pressed graham cracker crumbs on the sides. Then I broiled it briefly to toast the top. It looked really pretty and tasted amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!
Olivia says
Hi Megan! I’m so glad you liked this cake!! Great idea about the graham crackers on the sides and broiling the top 😀
Sam says
Hi so I’m considering making this cake for a birthday party this coming week but I have one concern. Is it dry at all? I’m a little nervous since there isn’t any “frosting” on the cake.
Olivia says
Hi Sam! This cake is not dry, but it is on the dense side. If you’d prefer a fluffier cake, you can use the graham cracker cake from this recipe:
http://livforcake.com/2016/05/key-lime-pie-cake.html
The meringue acts like a frosting as does the whipped ganache, so they compliment the cake well. Let me know how you like it!
Sam says
Great thank you!
Sam says
Sorry one more question. Do you think it would be possible to go with a marshmallow buttercream frosting, instead of just the mashmallow cream? Like would it stick to the cake once the ganache is set? Haha sorry I don’t have too much experience working with ganache
Olivia says
Hi Sam! I don’t see any issues using a marshmallow buttercream, it should stick to the cake/ganache just fine!
Sam says
I guess one more silly question too, do you put the ganache on the top layer of the cake? What I’m considering is doing the graham cracker cake, covering the layers with the ganache, and then frosting the cake with a mashmallow buttercream. Let me know what you think!
Olivia says
I only put the ganache between the layers, but you could cover the whole thing with a thin layer of ganache before covering with the marshmallow. 🙂
Nina says
Hi olivia! This looks divine! Can this cake be left at room temperature for about 8hrs? I live in Sydney and its winter season at the moment and was thinking of a cake idea to sell at the markets.
Olivia says
Hi Nina! It *should* be ok at room temperature for that time. Which markets do you work at?? My sister lives in Sydney and frequents the markets often :).
Kristine says
This looks so great! I have two questions for you. How did you torch the cake? Do you think it would work in the broiler (if you just did the top layer of a naked cake). In another comment you mentioned the key lime pie cake as a lighter option, but does that cake taste as graham cracker-like?
Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Kristine! I use a kitchen torch to torch the marshmallow fluff. You could totally do it in the broiler if it was just the top layer and no buttercream on there! The Key Lime Pie cake totally tastes like graham cracker too, it’s just a fluffier cake while this one is more dense :). Let me know if you end up trying it!!
Prisca Miller says
Hi, I would like to know if the cake is moist?
Olivia says
Hi Prisca! The cake is moist, but dense, if you’d prefer a lighter graham cracker cake recipe, you can use the one from this Key Lime Pie cake :).
http://livforcake.com/2016/05/key-lime-pie-cake.html
Tami says
I have a little friend (she’s almost 6) that has Crohn’s and I’m always trying to find yummy’s for her that she can have, dairy free. Do you think this would work with soy or almond milk? I know she would love this and her Birthday is coming up
Olivia says
Hi Tami! This should totally work with soy or almond milk :). Let me know how it turns out!
Melinda says
“It was still eaten, of course”…thanks for the laugh! A cook after my own heart….I have failures, but very few that couldn’t be eaten by someone in the family! The cake is gorgeous, I’m going to try it the next time my sons are home for a visit!
Olivia says
Hi Melinda! So glad I could give you a laugh 🙂 Pretty sure all of my failures have been edible for the most part, hah! I hope you try this one!
gaby says
it started to flow down the cake and form a puddle around the plate and would stick to the plate.
Olivia says
Yeah, that’s what I had happen with the store-bought stuff but not the homemade 😕.
Gaby says
Hi,
I made the cake and it was going so well. I made my own fluff and after just a few minutes it started to melt i was wondering if this happened to you and if u had any tips in the future.
Olivia says
Hi Gaby! At what point did the fluff start to melt?? It should stay nice and firm (quite firm actually). Did it actually whip up to be stiff and then it got soft?
gaby says
Hi I am for sure it wiped up right and it would melt only 5 minutes after doing it. It tasted very good though!
Olivia says
Hmm, thats so bizarre, I can’t say why that would have happened! 🙁 Glad it still tasted great ;).
gaby says
To be sure it was right i made more of the fluff and it still melted. I then put it in the fridge do u think that could have caused it to melt more
Olivia says
Hmm, I don’t think so. What do you mean by melted, exactly?
Tricia says
Where does Gaby live? Maybe the humidity or altitude affected her fluff.
Carrie says
I made it! This what my eight year old picked out for his birthday. It turned out great–thank you!
Olivia says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it 😀
Sarah says
This is a beautiful cake! I can’t wait to try it myself.
Olivia says
Thanks Sarah!
Chris says
Hi. Made this cake. Pretty sure you DID NOT use store bought. Total fail. You could be more specific in your recipe. As in “store bought WILL NOT give the pictured effect” so make your own. Although, having seen your ‘baked Alaska’ photo I am pretty sure you decorated the s’more cake with MERINGUE and then torched it. Will not be following your site. 😔
With many regrets,
Chris
Olivia says
Hi Chris, I’m sorry the cake didn’t work out for you. If you’d read my post you’d know that I had issues with the store-bought and ended up making my own. I couldn’t be sure that the store-bought caused the issue though, so didn’t want to discount it. I decorated the s’mores cake with the homemade marshmallow fluff that I linked in the recipe. The baked Alaska was made with simple meringue — they are not the same thing. Thanks for your feedback. I’ll remove the store-bought from the recipe.
Mary says
I made this cake and the homemade fluff, and it turned out beautifully!!
Maybe try again, Chris? The result was so worth it. YUM!
Olivia says
Hi Mary! I’m so glad it worked out for you and that you liked it! 😊
Sarah Parks says
Firstly, I LOVE this cake idea. It’s my mission to make this at the nearest holiday/event/get together possible. I am an armature baker, however, so I have a little (multi level) question:
What is the value of lining the pan with parchment paper? If I’m grease and flowering, how do I properly apply the paper? Is the paper supposed to be smooth or creased? Dose that effect the surface of the cake?
I’m obviously caught up about the parchment paper…
Thanks for your help!! And being available with your great recipes 🙂
-Sarah
Olivia says
Hi Sarah!! Lining the pan with parchment helps ensure the cake releases properly and doesn’t stick to the bottom. It’s another safety measure to get the cakes out perfectly :).
I use either Pam for Baking or Homemade Cake release to grease/flour the pans, and the parchment sticks quite well to those. If you’re having trouble getting the parchment to stick, I might recommend greasing the pan sticking on the parchment, greasing the parchment and then flouring the whole thing. The parchment should be as smooth as possible, though some small crinkle here and there won’t make a difference to a layered cake :).
Nila @ The Tough Cookie says
Hi Liv, you’re on a roll! I keep happily stumbling over your gorgeous cakes on Pinterest. You’re everywhere 😀
Olivia says
Haha thanks Nila!! 🙂
Colette Pollitt says
I made this for my fiancé’s birthday today and it was a hit! I used two 8 inch cake pans and baked for 30 minutes and it was perfect!
Olivia says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it Colette :).
Jessica Burk says
Glad to hear this worked well for you! I’m planning to double the recipe and do four 9-inch layers (because I only have 9-inch pans). Did you happen to make it the day before? I’m hoping to make it tomorrow (Thursday) for a Friday birthday. Thanks in advance for any tips!
Olivia says
Hi Jessica! You can totally do it the day before. All elements can be made in advance and you can assemble it day before or day of. I would maybe keep it in the fridge overnight and take it out 2-3 hours before you plan to serve it :). Let me know how it goes!
Tricia says
👍
Anna Hodges says
How does it taste? I’m making it for a friend and I’m worried the effort will be wasted…
Olivia says
Hi Anna, it tastes delicious! You can read more details about the flavour in the post itself.
Mary says
Hi! I’m making this cake for a birthday party, do you think it would hold up in the fridge overnight? Or should I wait to frost and torch on the day of? Just trying to save some time. Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Mary! It *should* hold up overnight, but might look better same day. You could always frost it, stick it in the fridge, then torch it the next day?
Tricia says
Good info
Kelly says
Can this be modified to make cupcakes? If so, any suggestions on what to change?
Olivia says
Hi Kelly! Yes, you can make this into cupcakes but you would need to reduce the baking time. Start with 20mins and see how they are. I would then recommend spreading the ganache on top of the cupcakes and topping with marshmallow. Let me know how they turn out!
Brittan says
Hi, it says it will make a six inch 3 layer cake…but there are four layers in your picture?
Olivia says
Hi! One of my layers didn’t work out when I was decorating it, so I took the remaining two and cut them in half horizontally. You can find specific details in the post above.
Heather says
I just made this with store bought marshmallows fluff. It wasn’t you, it was the fluff. Had to scrape it off my cake and improvise with roasted marshmallows to cover it up. Hope it tastes as good as it looks!
The cake recipe worked so well though, I never have good luck with white cakes but this has been the exception.
Olivia says
Hi Heather! Glad to know it wasn’t just me. I’ll definitely be making my own fluff from now on. I hope you loved it!
Amy says
I just had the same problem. Used store bought fluff and it settled and started sliding off the cake, had to scrape it off and make the homemade.
Olivia says
Hi Amy! So glad it wasn’t just me. I’m sticking with the homemade stuff for sure!
Tricia says
I’m scared to make the fluff. I have to though. This is the cake our granddaughter wants for her 15th birthday.
Olivia says
Hi Tricia! I understand your fear with the fluff — boiling sugar is not fun to work with! It is worth it though. Maybe do a test run first? If that doesn’t work out I can give you an alternative :).
Maureen says
Olivia, my niece showed me your site and I love it! You are quite talented in many creative endeavors. I am interested in your S’mores Cake. How many would your recipe feed? Have you ever made it in larger cake pans? My niece would like me to make this cake for her son’s 2nd birthday party so I am wondering if I should make a few of the 6″ or make increase the recipe. What do you think? Thanks for any help you can give me.
Olivia says
Hi Maureen, thank you!! Do you have three 8″ round cake pans? If so, you can double the recipe and it would work just fine :). A 6″ three-layer cake would feed 8-12 people depending on how generous the pieces are :).
Maureen says
Thanks. I was reading the other comments and I wanted to also thank you for showing your fails. I am an amateur baker and am always my harshest critic. It can get very discouraging! I have to agree with Lori, it is comforting to see the “mistakes” . If all we saw was the gorgeous end result some of us might think twice before attempting it on our own. I also want to thank you for sharing sources, websites, etc. Not everyone is as generous. I had to laugh when I read about how you cry at the drop of a hat. Amen to that. I like to think creative people are passionate…about a lot things 🙂 I can remember I was watching a show on Animal Planet, “Meerkat Manor” and, better grab your tissues…one of the family unit was injured and wasn’t going to survive. His sibling stayed by his side until he passed and then one by one all the others came by as to say goodbye. Oh my God, I need the tissues!!! Anyway my point is I cannot watch anything involving animals, it rips my heart out. I also wanted to say while looking thru the comments I was amazed at how fast you reply, that is awesome! So now that I have rambled on and your are saying “Whoa lady way too much information” , it’s nice to know that there are others of us there who are just as crazy, passionate, emotional, whatever, lol. Can’t wait to try out the recipe. Thanks Olivia 🙂
Olivia says
Ok, I was getting teary-eyed just PICTURING that scene with the meerkats, omg :'(. I’m a sucker for animals too, so always have to have tissues nearby when watching stuff like that!
I’m so glad to hear that people like to see the fails! I wasn’t sure if I was going to include them at all, because they are SO bad, but I figured, why the heck not. I’m far from perfect and fail (a lot) in the kitchen, so people should know that it’s not always a pretty picture. Most often, it’s not :).
Thank you so much for this message!! And lol, it was not too much info at all :). It was such a nice thing to read first thing in the morning, especially after a less than stellar week. I hope the S’mores Cake works out for you and is 100% fail-free!! Let me know how it goes :). xo
Amanda says
I’m also planning to make this for a larger crowd. If I double the recipe and use three 8″-pans, how long would you recommend baking it?
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! You *shouldn’t* need to adjust the baking time too much as you’re increasing the volume and the pan size. I would start checking them at 30mins and see how they’re doing.
Tricia says
This is good to know. Thank you. 😊
Lori says
This looks amazing! I really want to thank you for posting the “fails”. I completely understand the cursing, pissed off moments in the kitchen. I often thought to myself “why do none of people I get these recipes from have trouble like this?” in a weird way, your post comforted me. I think somehow my husband secretly hopes I have the fails so he can take advantage of the scraps. Can’t wait to try this cake!
Olivia says
Thank you so much for this, Lori! Glad to know people appreciate the fails ;). I have SO many fails, it’s hard to not include them. This one really took the “cake” though. And yes, my husband has benefited from many of the fails as well!!
Dani says
Love the idea of the graham flavored cake! Your fridge pics brought a smile to my face because I have totally been there. Great post!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Dani! 🙂
jacquee | i sugar coat it! says
It’s stunning and I am loving the sound of that graham cracker cake. The marshmallow drip version ain’t so bad, either. 😉
Olivia says
Haha, thanks Jacquee! The graham cracker cake is mega-delicious! I plan to combine it with other flavours in the coming months :).
Jessica @ Sweetest Menu says
It is absolutely stunning Liv! I love the jagged layer of marshmallow fluff! Pinned!
Olivia says
Thanks so much Jess! <3
Oana says
I think it;’s stunning. We all have little failures in the kitchen, but I once read that a great pastry chef is not the one who knows how to make the recipes from scratch perfect every single time, but the one who stands the pressure and is able to find solutions without ever giving up. I have to say I find strenght in that sometimes 😀
Well done!
P.S. – I need to buy a blow torch asap, that marbling/burnt effect is beautiful.
Olivia says
Ahh thank you for that! What a great quote, it’s so appropriate! And yes, you need a torch! It’s the best thing ever :).
Lizzie says
You were VERY gutsy to take pix of the, uh, ones who didn’t, uh, make the grade. Got a couple of giggles from them, thanks! The acacia serving piece is gorgeous too. Pray for Paris.
Olivia says
Haha thanks Lizzie! I often have fails, but am too annoyed to take pictures of them. Glad you got a kick out of it!
Michelle | The Secret Ingredient Is says
Beautiful pictures! i am a huge s’mores lover and this looks heavenly!
Olivia says
Thanks Michelle! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Oh my gosh what an amazing cake and I LOVE that cake stand?! Did you make it yourself?
Olivia says
Thanks Elizabeth!! It’s actually a wood serving plate that I stacked on some rustic coasters. I got the plate here:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/house-and-home/gifts/acacia-wood-server-medium/882709046714-item.html?ikwid=wood+server+small&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=1
They actually have ones that are proper cake stands (https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/house-and-home/gifts/acacia-wood-pedestal-medium/882709172031-item.html?ikwid=wood&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=4), but they weren’t round enough so I went with the serving plate :).
Kim - Liv Life says
Oh my goodness, Olivia, you made marshmallow fluff?? You are my total hero!! This cake is beyond divine!
Olivia says
Thank you Kim!! It’s actually really easy to do, I just don’t love working with molten hot sugar :).
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
Yessss this looks amazing! All that toasty marshmallow topping, plus chocolate filling…sounds like my kind of s’mores! 😀
Olivia says
You would LOVE it June. It’s definitely a favourite over here :).