High Altitude S'mores Cake
This decadent s'mores cake has three layers of soft and moist graham cake, filled with homemade marshmallow fluff, and frosted with rich chocolate buttercream.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Graham Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs (original or cinnamon)
- 3 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ¾ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
Meringue or Marshmallow Fluff
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp meringue powder (optional)
- 1-2 tbsp instant espresso powder (optional)
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp milk or cream, if needed for desired consistency
Extras for Filling/Decorating
- ½ cup crushed graham crackers
- ½ cup finely chopped chocolate
Instructions
Graham Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar for about 8-10 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping the bowl down, then add the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Use a large spatula to stir in any remaining streaks of flour.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake on the center rack for about 30 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched, and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes completely in the pans on a wire rack, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel.
Marshmallow Fluff
- First, ensure that all your equipment – mixing bowls, whisks, spatulas, etc – are scrupulously clean, with no traces of oil or fat.
- Set up a double boiler, by filling a saucepan with a few inches of water and setting a metal bowl over the top so that it sits on top of the pan, but does not touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer.
- In the bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Heat the egg whites and sugar in the bowl set over the simmering water, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved (you should no longer feel any grains of sugar with your finger) and the mixture reaches about 150 degrees F.
- Scrape the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Beat on medium/high until the mixture is thick and ribbony. Add the vanilla, and continue beating until stiff peaks form, and the meringue is no longer warm. Altogether, you’ll beat the meringue for about 15 minutes.
- Scrape the meringue into another bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap, so you can free up the bowl for your stand mixer, and set the meringue aside while you make the buttercream.
- The meringue can also be made one day in advance, stored in an airtight container and refrigerated until needed.
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for one minute until smooth. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder, espresso powder, salt and vanilla.
- Beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally, and adding the milk if needed for the right spreading consistency.
Assembly
- Run a sharp knife around the sides of the cooled cakes. Carefully turn one of the cakes out and place on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread a generous layer of the meringue over the cake, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and crushed graham crackers. Repeat with another layer of cake, more meringue, chocolate and graham crackers, and the last layer of cake.
- Frost the cake all over with a thin crumb coat of the chocolate buttercream, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Frost with a final layer of chocolate buttercream, using your icing spatula to create big swoops and swirls.
- Take the remaining meringue, and dab small amounts randomly around the cake, then use an icing spatula to gently swirl it in. Take care not to blend too aggressively, since you want to see contrasting streaks of white and brown, rather than mixing them together.
- Leftover meringue can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or you could even pile it on top of the cake and use a brulee torch to lightly toast it for a dramatic topping.
Notes
Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
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