S’mores Cake

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This S’mores Cake is an amazing combination of moist chocolate cake, toasted marshmallow buttercream, graham cracker crunchies and chocolate ganache! If you’re a s’mores lover, this cake is definitely for you!

What makes up a S’mores Cake

When it comes to summer evenings, one of the best things is a s’more. The graham crackers, the chocolate, the toasty marshmallows – what’s not to love? In this S’mores Cake, all those components come together to make an amazing cake inspired by the tasty classic treat.

In this cake, you’ll find these yummy layers:

  • Moist Chocolate Cake – Based on my Best Moist Chocolate Cake recipe, this cake is an all-time favorite and has dozens of amazing reviews. It’s moisture and intense chocolate flavor make it perfect for this cake.
  • Toasted Marshmallow Frosting – The frosting uses both marshmallow fluff and toasted marshmallows. The toasted marshmallows are toasted right in the oven, cooled and then broken apart to be added to the frosting. So good!
  • Graham Cracker Crunchies – Graham cracker crumbs are combined with some sugar and melted butter and then toasted to create little crunchies.
  • Chocolate Ganache – With this cake being modeled after s’mores, some form of melty chocolate needed tone included and chocolate ganache is about close as you get!
A slice of S'mores Cake with a fork on a white plate and the remaining S'mores Cake on a cake stand

How to make a S’mores Cake

To start, you’ll make the chocolate cake. It’s pretty much a one bowl chocolate cake that comes together super quickly. All you really need is a whisk – no need to pull out the mixer. And don’t be afraid by the thin batter. It’s absolutely correct and makes the most wonderful chocolate cake.

The next thing you’ll put together are the graham cracker crunchies. Just mix together the crumbs, sugar and butter and bake for 8-10 minutes and you’re ready to go.

A slice of S'mores Cake with a bite removed and a fork on a white plate

Making the toasted marshmallow frosting is much like making any other buttercream, but perhaps even simpler. Combine butter with marshmallow fluff and powdered sugar, then add the toasted marshmallows. The marshmallows are toasted in the oven and added to the frosting. They add some authentic toasted marshmallow flavor and a little bit of chewiness to the frosting.

The chocolate ganache is next. Heat the cream and pour it over the chocolate chips and allow the heat from the cream to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth and you’ve got your ganache.

The final thing to make is the vanilla frosting. While the marshmallow buttercream is relatively thick, I wanted to be sure that everything stayed in place and that the cake remained stable. The best way to do this is to ensure you have a thick, stable frosting to create the dam with. I talk more about cake dams in this post on how to build a cake, if you’re interested in understanding that more. But once you’ve got your vanilla frosting ready, it’s finally time to build the cake!

A full S'mores Cake topped with marshmallows and chocolate drip on a cake stand

There are two filling layers between the three cake layers. It starts with a layer of ganache, then the toasted marshmallow frosting and finally the graham cracker crumbs. All of that is held in place by the vanilla frosting dam.

Once all the layers are together, frost the outside of the cake with the rest of the marshmallow frosting, press some remaining graham cracker crunchies around the bottom, then add your chocolate drip with the remaining chocolate ganache. The finishing touch is to add the toasted marshmallows around the top of the cake and use a kitchen torch to toast them (I use this butane torch).

A slice of S'mores Cake with a fork on a white plate

Best S’mores Cake

The final S’mores Cake is truly a thing to behold. It’s beautiful on the outside and FULL of flavor on the inside! You’ve got all the necessary s’mores components right inside the layers of the cake – it’s like eating a s’more right there!

Despite a lot of steps, each layer is really quite simple to put together and it comes together easily. It’s fun to make and will certainly impress a crowd. This is the perfect cake for summer and I hope you enjoy it!

A full S'mores Cake topped with marshmallows and chocolate drip on a cake stand
A slice of S'mores Cake with a fork on a white plate

More Great S’mores Treats

S’mores Cupcakes
S’mores Cheesecake
S’mores Ice Cream Cake
Mini S’mores Cheesecakes
S’mores Ice Cream Bars

Print
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A full S'mores Cake topped with marshmallows and chocolate drip on a cake stand
Recipe

Smores Chocolate Cake

  • Author: Life, Love and Sugar
  • Prep Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12-14 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This S’mores Cake is an amazing combination of moist chocolate cake, toasted marshmallow buttercream, graham cracker crunchies and chocolate ganache! If you’re a s’mores lover, this cake is definitely for you!


Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups (260g) flour
  • 2 cups (414g) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) milk
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup (240ml) hot water

Graham Cracker Crunchies

  • 3/4 cups (100g) graham cracker crumbs (about 6 full sheet graham crackers)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp (20g) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted

Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

  • 1 3/4 cups (392g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 1/4 cups marshmallow fluff*
  • 6 cups (690) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Chocolate Ganache

  • 9 oz (1 1/2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream

Vanilla frosting

  • 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups (345g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk or cream

Instructions

To make the chocolate cake:

1. Prepare three 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 300°F (148°C).
2. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
3. Add eggs, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Add vanilla to boiling water and add to mixture. Mix well. The batter will be very thin.
5. Divide batter evenly between cakes pans and bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
6. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

To make the graham cracker crunchies:

7. When the cakes are cooled and you’re ready to build the cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
8. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and stir until well combined. Spread the crumbs evenly onto the prepared cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then allow to cool. Set aside.

To make the toasted marshmallow frosting:

10. To make the frosting, toast the marshmallows under the broiler for about 1 minute, or until toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to allow them to cool completely.
11. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
12. Add the marshmallow fluff to the butter and beat until well combined.
13. Add about half of the powdered sugar to the butter mixture and mix until well combined and smooth.
14. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
15. Add the cooled toasted marshmallows and mix until well combined. If the marshmallows are quite sticky, break them apart into smaller pieces before adding them to the frosting. Set aside.

To make the chocolate ganache:

16. Add the chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl.
17. Heat the heavy whipping cream until it just begins to boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips.
18. Allow the chocolate and cream and to sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk together until smooth. Set aside.

To make the vanilla frosting:

19. Add the butter to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth.
20. Add about half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
21. Add the vanilla extract and cream and mix until well combined.
22. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.

To build the cake:

23. Remove cake domes from the tops of the cake with a large serrated knife. See my tips on how to level a cake and how to stack a cake.
24. Place the first layer of cake on a cake plate or cardboard cake circle. Pipe a dam of vanilla frosting around the outer edge of the cake. This dam will help keep all of the filling in place so that nothing seeps out or doesn’t stay in place.
25. Add about 6 tablespoons of chocolate ganache to the top of the cake and spread it into an even layer.
26. Add one cup of marshmallow frosting to the top of the ganache and spread into an even layer.
27. Add 1/2 a cup of graham cracker crunchies to the top of the frosting and spread evenly.
28. Add the second layer of cake, another dam of vanilla frosting, then another layer of ganache, marshmallow frosting and graham cracker crunchies.
29. Top the cake with the final layer of chocolate cake. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes or so to make sure everything is stable.
30. Use the remainder of the marshmallow frosting to frost the outside of the cake. Feel free to use my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake.
31. Press the remaining graham cracker crunchies into the bottom part of the cake.
32. Use the remainder of the chocolate ganache to add the chocolate drip to the cake. See my tutorial for how to make a chocolate drip cake. It will have cooled off by now, so you’ll want to carefully heat it back up in the microwave.
33. Add some mini marshmallows to the top of the cake and use a kitchen torch to toast them.
34. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best when stored in an air tight container. Serve cool, but not cold and finish leftovers within 3-4 days.


Notes

*I used almost all of two 7 oz jars of marshmallow fluff

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 1193
  • Sugar: 133.9 g
  • Sodium: 412.5 mg
  • Fat: 61 g
  • Carbohydrates: 164.4 g
  • Protein: 6.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 130.1 mg

Categories

Enjoy!

Marshmallow buttercream modified from Cookies and Cups

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141 Comments
  1. Jude

    Hi, really wanted to make this but don’t understand how to convert all as some measurements in cups & from the UK. Could you please do alternative conversion to grams, thanks x






  2. Alissa

    Love this recipe, and so does my entire family. Ive made it 4 times now…even made it for my brothers wedding cake! I have a hard time with frosting the cake and tried the link suggestion but didn’t help much due to it being a stick marshmallow frosting. Any other tips you can give to help me out?

  3. Susan C

    I made this cake for my son’s birthday and everyone loved it! I was afraid it would be sickly sweet but it was wonderful $






  4. Molly Arney

    This cake looked so good! I made it for a customer and they said it was one of the best tasting cakes ever! Thank you so much for this recipe, I am using again.

    Instagram: mollyskitchens






  5. Holly

    I noticed that neither icings call for salt, and that the butter used is unsalted. Was that a typo? Is there really no salt at all? I’m curious how that would taste with zero salt.

  6. Carmen B.

    Made on 4/23/21 for son birthday. Surprised him at work with cake. Within 5 mins all cake was gone. Amazed how much tasted just like a s’mores. When I was making let daughter taste toasted marshmallow frosting and she got disappointed was so goo and didn’t have any left over after made the cake. If don’t have torch, as I don’t, can grease nonstick pan then broil in oven. Let cool then place on top cake. Works better than parchment paper cause doesn’t stick as bad.






  7. Vannessa

    I made this and IT WAS SOOO DELICIOUS!! I definitely planning on making this again! Not sure how or why, but it took me an extra hour to make, but so worth it!

  8. Reen

    Hi Lindsay,
    Can I store the finished cake in a cake box in room temperature? Planning to make a huge number 7 cake for my son’s birthday. Want to try out this cake. Do you think it will work out for a carved cake ?

    1. Lindsay

      It should be fine that way for about 24 hours, but beyond that you’d probably want to refrigerate it. I don’t really do carved cakes, so I’m not sure, but this is quite a tender cake. Not real dense.

  9. Jen Page

    This cake is to die for—and I’ve never liked chocolate cake. I could eat the chocolate cake plain happily. The finished cake is fantastic and got rave reviews, thanks for an amazing recipe!!






  10. Sue W

    Just an FYI … in Step 8 (graham cracker crunchies) the addition of ‘sugar’ is missing from this step.  😉

    I’m excited to taste how this cake turns out!  I’m a huge fan of your s’mores cupcake recipe and I have no doubt the cake will be just as delicious!






  11. Emily

    My 13 year old wanted to make this cake, and it was a blast!
    After reading the comments, I would suggest these changes as we ended up calling this the “diabetes cake” due to the incredible amounts of sugar, and she loves sugar, but even she said it was too much.

    First, we bought a chocolate cake mix to save some time and only made the cake with two layers. 
     
    Graham cracker crunchies, we only used a 1/2 T of sugar and probably didn’t even need that. 

    Toasted marshmallow frosting, we did not use the toasted marshmallows. They gave it a weird texture and were unnecessary. We also only used 3 cups of powdered sugar. Kroger grocery also sells a 13oz can of fluff, and that was perfect for our needs. We need up having Way too much icing in the end. 

    Chocolate ganache, we substituted dark chocolate chips to cut back on some of the sweetness. It gave it a nice contrast in flavors. 

    After that, cut very thin slices and enjoy. 

  12. Roxana Vancea

    Hello, this looks like a great cake for my sons birthday. But I would like to make a blue frosting. Do you think I could add some food colouring to the vanilla frosting without spoiling it? Thank you so much

  13. Ally

    I am so excited to make this! I was wondering what parts could be made in advance? I am making it for my son’s birthday party on Saturday and want to do as much as I can before the day of. Any recommendations? 

    1. Lindsay

      You could honestly make the entire cake the day before and store it in an airtight container and it would be fine. That’s what I usually do. If you want to make things further in advance, you could bake the cake layers one day sooner than that and they should be fine. Technically the frostings could be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge but you just need to make sure they come back to room temperature before using them or they’ll be too firm.

  14. Leigh

    I made this and it was a mega hit! Completely delicious!! I felt like it needed more graham crackers in between the layers  then just half a cup so I’ll add more next time but still amazing and so pretty!

  15. Kkchase

    How far in advance can I make this cake??? I don’t have any experience with marshmallow frosting and storage/ shelf life. 

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29