See’s Candies-Inspired Scotchmallow Cake

When it comes to crafting a dessert masterpiece, every element matters. This Scotchmallow-inspired cake draws on the richness of four key components: moist chocolate cake, gooey salted caramel, pillowy marshmallow, and velvety chocolate buttercream. Each layer brings a unique flavor and texture, creating a dessert that’s as decadent as it is unforgettable.

See’s Candies: A Rich Family Tradition

See’s Candies has long been a favorite treat and tradition for our family. There’s not a Christmas at Ryan’s parents’ house that doesn’t include boxes and boxes of See’s Candies. Every night after dinner, Ryan’s dad grabs a box of the hand-selected chocolates and places them out for dessert. My go-to is anything with caramel, usually the dark caramel patty or Scotchmallow, while Ryan and Westin grab a Bordeaux or vanilla cream, and Avery snags a raspberry cream or caramel patty.

We all have our favorites and it wouldn’t be Christmas without See’s Candies nearby.

Why Scotchmallow Cake?

I love how the Scotchmallow candy blends smooth chocolate, buttery caramel, and fluffy marshmallow. My cake version of this candy takes those classic flavors to the next level, offering a multi-layered dessert that’s perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion.

Homemade Elements of a Scotchmallow Cake

To capture the essence of a Scotchmallow, we’ll be making four elements:

• Chocolate Cake – rich and moist, while also soft and sturdy. We achieve this texture using high-quality cocoa powder (like Extra Brute Cacao Barry), as well as buttermilk and sour cream. These layers are tall and you’re going to love them.
• Caramel – Salted caramel is the perfect balance of sweetness and salt, adding complexity to each bite – especially with my homemade recipe. For a full tutorial for making caramel: check out this video on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/-EeOAlv0yCM
• Marshmallow – adding this homemade marshmallow layer is essential in recreating this classic candy. The light, airy texture is the perfect addition to the richness of the other elements. This will likely be a little wider than the cake layers. Once you add it to the cake, you can trim it with kitchen sheers.
• Chocolate Buttercream – to top if off, we’ll add a silky, smooth chocolate buttercream. If you want lots of buttercream to decorate with, do a 1.5x batch.

Step-by-Step Recipe

1. Prepare the Chocolate Cake Layers

Bake three 8-inch chocolate cake layers. The cake should be dense yet moist, providing a sturdy base for the fillings. Let them cool completely before assembly. As mentioned, these layers are pretty tall, making this a tall cake. You’ll love the drama of it!

2. Make the Caramel Filling

To make caramel from scratch, cook the sugar, water, and corn syrup (which helps to prevent it from crystallizing) until amber, then mix in heavy whipping cream, vanilla and salt. You can make this ahead of time, as it will thicken as it cools. For a visual tutorial for making homemade caramel: check out my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/-EeOAlv0yCM

3. Whip Up the Marshmallow

Whip a hot sugar syrup (made from water, sugar, and corn syrup) into bloomed gelatin until fluffy and thick, then spread into a pan to set. Once firm, dust with powdered sugar and a little cornstarch to prevent sticking. Don’t forget, you might need to trim the marshmallow a little once you add it to the cake.

4. Make Chocolate Buttercream

Beat together, butter, chocolate ganache, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to create the most gorgeous, silky-smooth buttercream. This buttercream is so delicious. I had just enough to put 1/2 cup buttercream between the layers and frost the cake. If you want to be more generous with the buttercream or have some for extra designs, make 1.5x the batch below.

5. Assemble the Cake

• Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
• Add a layer of marshmallow.
• Pipe a rim of buttercream around the cake layer.
• Spread a generous layer of caramel filling.
• Repeat with the remaining cake layers, ensuring an even distribution of flavors.
• Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream (details below).

Tips for Perfecting Your Scotchmallow Cake

• Use high-quality chocolate for the best flavor – Extra Brute Cacao Barry is my favorite
• Chill the cake layers before frosting to prevent crumbs from mixing into the buttercream.
• Add sea salt to the caramel for a delightful sweet-and-salty contrast.

Why This Cake Stands Out

This Scotchmallow-inspired cake is not just a dessert; it’s a nostalgic experience for See’s Candies lovers. The combination of chocolate, caramel, and marshmallow offers a rich and satisfying bite, making it an unforgettable centerpiece for any gathering.

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Scotchmallow Cake

Flavorful and moist chocolate cake layers topped with chocolate buttercream, homemade marshmallow, and the most delicious homemade salted caramel.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate buttercream, Chocolate Cake, Scotchmallow Cake, See’s Candies

Ingredients

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW

• 3/4 (180 ml) cup water
• 3 envelopes, .25 oz each unflavored gelatin
• 2/3 (210 g) cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (31 g) powdered sugar

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups (373.75 g) cake flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 g) salt
• 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) white distilled vinegar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) baking soda
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 g) water
• 1 teaspoon (7 g) light corn syrup
• 3/4 cups (180 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces dark chocolate
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly cold
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured then sifted
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Make an extra 1.5x batch if you want additional buttercream for decorating.

Instructions

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW

• Line two 8-inch by 2-inch round cake pans with plastic wrap. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• Place 1/2 cup of the water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the water. Let it soak without stirring.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium size saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and let it boil for about a minute.
• Turn the heat off. With the mixer on medium speed, carefully and slowly pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture. Add the vanilla.
• Continue to beat the mixture on high for 10 to 12 minutes. The mixture should look fluffy and reach stiff peaks.
• Divide the marshmallow fluff into the prepared pans. Use a greased spatula to smooth the tops.
• Spray two more pieces of plastic wrap with non-stick spray and then place one piece of plastic wrap on each of the marshmallow layers, pressing down lightly to seal the candy.
• Allow the marshmallow candy to rest overnight.
• Using a shallow dish, evenly spread the powdered sugar over the dish and then dip each marshmallow layer in the powdered sugar (top and bottom).
• NOTE: When you assemble the cake, you may need to use scissors to trim the sides of the marshmallow layers if they are bigger than the cake layers.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another minute.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, being sure to mix and scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Once all of the eggs are added, continue to beat on medium-high speed for about two minutes, until the mixture gets lighter in color and bigger in volume.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1 cup of the buttermilk. Continue with another 1/3 of the flour, the second half of the buttermilk and then the remaining flour mixture. Stir until combined.
• In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. The mixture will bubble. Add the mixture to the cake batter and stir on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 20 seconds.
• Fold in the sour cream until no streaks remain.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (21 ounces in each of the 8-inch pans). Bake for about 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely.

  NOTE: These layers are about 2-inches thick, which means the cake will be nice and tall!

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

• Mix the sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring the mixture to boil, but DO NOT STIR! (Stirring encourages crystallization). Let the mixture cook until it turns to a golden brown/amber color. It happens quickly, so keep an eye on it.
• Remove the caramelized sugar syrup from the heat and very slowly stir in the cream, pouring it in little by little, to temper the cream and sugar syrup. If you pour it in all at once, your sugar will turn into hard candy. You can start adding more and more as you go along.
• Once the cream is mixed in, add the salt and vanilla. Stir to combine and then set aside to cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

• Heat the cream and chocolate chips together in the microwave for about 45 to 60 seconds. Stir the mixture until the chips are melted. If the chocolate isn’t melting enough, heat the mixture again for another 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. We want the ganache to be close to room temperature before adding it to the butter.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high until it’s light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the ganache mixture, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat until silky, smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed but the vanilla and salt. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes.

FOR ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer top side up, in the center of the cake board. Spread about 2/3-3/4 cup of the chocolate buttercream on top of the cake layer with an offset icing spatula.
• Place one of the marshmallow layers on top of the buttercream and then pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the marshmallow.
• Gently spread 1/3 cup of the caramel over the cake marshmallow.
• Repeat for second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the second layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of buttercream around the cake. Freeze the cake for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream. Top with remaining caramel.

The post See’s Candies-Inspired Scotchmallow Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

 

S’mores Cake 

• Graham cracker crust
• Dark chocolate cake
• Chocolate ganache
• Toasted marshmallow filling
• Chocolate buttercream
• Chocolate drip
• Toasted marshmallow fluff

How to Schedule Baking the Ultimate S’mores Cake

Don’t let all the elements of this cake scare you away! Every minute in the kitchen is worth every bite you take. Promise!

Here’s how I schedule baking the Ultimate S’mores Cake:

• Day 1: make the crust and cake layers (once cooled to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap and freeze)
• Day 2: make the marshmallow filling and chocolate buttercream (store each in airtight containers in the refrigerator and bring back to room temperature before assembly)
• Day 3: make ganache and fluff and then assemble

How to Apply the Drip

The drip should be a consistency that slowly and easily falls over and down the edge of your cake. To make the drip, I use 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and 1/3-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. To test the consistency, use the the bottom of a tumbler and apply the drip, just like you would with a cake (see below.) If the drip is too thick, add a little more warm cream. 

It’s okay to apply the drip while it’s slightly warm. Just make sure your cake is chilled before you start. 

Using a Kitchen Torch

When you’re ready to add the marshmallow fluff, make sure you have a kitchen torch handy. Torching the fluff not only ensures a fabulous flavor, it also helps hold the fluff in place. 

How to Assemble the Ultimate S’mores Cake

Other Cakes You May Like

• Banana Nutella S’mores Cake
• Peanut Butter S’mores Cake
• Peanut Butter Graham Cake
• Nanaimo Bar Cake
• Harry Potter Butterbeer Cake

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Ultimate S’mores Cake

Layers of graham cracker crust, chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, toasted marshmallow filling, chocolate frosting and marshmallow fluff.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Advanced, Smores Cake, Ultimate S’mores Cake

Servings 1 3-layer, 8-inch cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

• 2 cups (240 g) graham cracker crumbs, about 18 rectangular crackers  (this is best done in a food processor or blender, but can be done by placing the graham crackers in a zip-lock bag and rolling over the crackers with a rolling pin)
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar 

FOR THE CAKE

• 2 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups (88.5 g) dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons (8 g)  baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt
• 1 cup (240 g)  buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (109 g)  vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water 

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• 24 large white marshmallows
• 1 cup (125 g)  powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.1 g)  pure vanilla extract
• 1 jar (200 g) marshmallow fluff

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (115.5 g) whipping cream 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• 1/3 cup ( 77 g) heavy whipping cream 
• 10 oz. dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly chilled
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured then sifted
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FLUFF

• 3 egg whites room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.4 g) salt
• 1/3 cup (66.6 g) sugar
• 1 cup (300 g)  light karo syrup
• 2 tablespoons (29.6 g) water
• 1 tablespoon (12 g) vanilla bean paste or clear vanilla extract

Instructions

FOR THE CRUST

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and then line with parchment. Spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Stir until all the graham cracker crumbs are damped by the melted butter.
• Divide evenly between the three pans and press down firmly with your hand or the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool while you make the chocolate cake batter. 

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
• In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water and vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans (about 12 ounces in each 6-inch pan or 15 ounces in each 8-inch pan), over the cooked graham cracker crusts and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumsb on it.
• Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use. 

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• Place the marshmallows on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on the middle rack of the oven, and broil the marshmallows until golden brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. Keep your eye on them!
• Remove the pan from the oven and gently turn the marshmallows over and broil them again until they are golden brown on the other side.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar and beat on low until blended. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed for about three minutes
• With the mixer on low speed, add the marshmallow cream and (cooled) toasted marshmallows, and mix for about one minute. 

FOR THE GANACHE

• In a microwave safe bowl, pour the cream over the chocolate chips and heat for about 45-60 seconds. Stir, and if needed, heat for another 30 seconds to melt the chocolate chips completely. Let cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE FLUFF

• In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the eggs and salt until fluffy and frothy.
• Meanwhile, heat the sugar, corn syrup, water and vanilla paste. Heat over medium flame until the sugar is dissolved and just simmering, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add a tiny bit of the hot sugar mixture to the egg whites at a time. (Temper the eggs – don’t scramble the them)
• Eventually, all of the sugar will be added and then turn the mixer up to high. Beat the mixture on high for about 5 minutes or until very stiff and shiny. 
• Best used right away. 

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• Heat the cream until nearly boiling in a microwave safe bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and stir until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the ganache. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then mix on medium-high speed for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, followed by the vanilla and salt.
• Buttercream can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week.
• When you’re ready to frost the cake, bring the frosting back to room temperature and mix by hand with a wooden spoon to push out all of the air pockets. 

ASSEMBLY

• Level each chocolate cake layer, if needed, and then place the first cake layer, graham cracker side down, on a cake board.
• Spread half of the chocolate ganache on the cake layer and then freeze for 5 to 10 minutes to set the ganache a little.
• Carefully spread half of the toasted marshmallow filling over the chocolate ganache and repeat step 2 and 3 for the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, graham cracker side down, on top and cover with a crumb coat layer of the chocolate frosting. Freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Finish frosting the cake with the chocolate frosting and then decorate the top of the cake with the marshmallow fluff, toasting with a kitchen torch, if desired.

The post The Ultimate S’mores Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Decadent Peanut Butter S’mores Cake

Alright, peanut butter lovers! This cake is for you!

I made a Peanut Butter S’mores Cake YEARS ago for my sister’s birthday. It was basically my Ultimate S’mores Cake but with peanut butter buttercream instead of chocolate buttercream. It was delicious, but it wasn’t something that stood out on it’s own. I recently decided to rethink this cake and came up with a totally new version!

Graham Cracker Cake Layers

• The cake layers for this cake are my graham cracker cake layers from my Peanut Butter Graham Cake (another must-try if you love PB!). I love the hint of cinnamon these layers add to the cake.
• I then used the chocolate ganache/drip, toasted marshmallow filling and toasted graham crackers from my Ultimate S’mores Cake.
• And instead of chocolate buttercream, we’re using peanut butter!

So nothing is really new in this cake – just the combination of all these different elements. I think it’s so fun to play around with flavor combinations, and taking components from different cake recipes is the perfect way to try it out!

How to Cake It: The Perfect Drip

I know getting the perfect consistency for your drip can be tricky, so let’s talk about how to make the perfect drip!

Nail the cream to chocolate ratio

• For dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate, you’ll need more cream than any other type of baking chip. I recommend you start with 3/4 cup heavy cream for 1 cup of your chips. You may need to add an extra 1/4 cup cream to make it a little thinner.
• For any other type of baking chip, you’ll only need 1/4 to 1/3 cup heavy cream for 1 cup of the chips.

How to melt the chocolate

• To melt your chips, I suggest heating your cream first and then pouring the hot cream over your chips. Let the cream sit for a minute on the chips and then stir to create a silky, smooth texture. If the chips don’t melt all the way at this point, microwave the mixture for 10 seconds and stir again.
• If you try to heat your chocolate and cream together in a microwave, you’ll likely seize the chocolate.
• An alternative to the microwave is a double boiler.

Making sure your consistency is perfect

• When I use the drip in between the cake layers, like you see above, I let the mixture get completely room temperature – for a couple reasons: 1.) the drip thickens as it cools, and 2.) I don’t want warm chocolate in between my layers melting buttercream.
• But when I’m ready to use the drip for the actual drip, I want it to be a little thinner and slightly warmer than what I used in between the layers. To do this, I usually heat that extra 1/4 cup cream till it boils and then add it to what’s left of my room temperature drip that I used in between the layers.

How to Assemble the Peanut Butter S’mores Cake

• After you’ve chilled your crumb coated cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes, you’re ready to continue frosting your cake with the remaining buttercream and drip.

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting, make sure you follow my tips over at: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM

These steps are written up for my vanilla buttercream, but are supposed to be applied to any of my buttercream recipes.

• Sift your powdered sugar
• Use slightly cold butter
• Use heavy whipping cream
• Beat for 5 minutes
• Stir by hand

You’ll want to check out the post linked above for more details on each step.

Other Cakes You’ll Love

• Ultimate S’mores Cake
• Banana Nutella S’mores Cake
• Banana Peanut Butter Caramel Cake
• Peanut Butter Dream Cake

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Peanut Butter S’mores Cake

Graham cracker cake layers with toasted marshmallow filling, toasted graham crackers, chocolate ganache and peanut butter buttercream

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword chocolate, graham cracker, Graham Cracker cake, marshmallow, Peanut Butter

Servings 20 people

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS

• 3 cups (360 g) finely ground graham crackers 27 full rectangles
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (120 g) finely ground graham cracker crumbs 9 full rectangles
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsps. (7 g) baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. (3 g) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. (2 g) ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. (2.5 g) salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups (270 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large or extra large eggs at room temperature
• 2 cups (480 g) buttermilk at room temperature

FOR THE TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• 24 marshmallows regular size
• 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. (2 g) vanilla extract
• 1 jar (200 g) marshmallow fluff

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE/DRIP

• 1 cup (175 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 to 1 cup (170 to 230 g) heavy whipping cream

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM

• 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter I use Skippy
• 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 tbsp. (13 g) vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (57 g) heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt
• *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

Instructions

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the graham cracker, melted butter and sugar. Blend/mix until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs onto the prepared parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool completely before using in the cake. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer in an airtight container.

FOR THE CAKE LAYERS

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray and then line with parchment. Spray again.
• Place the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and pulse until the cookies are finely ground and resemble flour.
• In a medium-size bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well-blended. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
• With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add half of the buttermilk and mix until incorporated. Continue alternating the flour and buttermilk until it has all been incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and slowly mix for another 20-30 seconds.
• Divide the batter evenly among your pans and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely. 

FOR THE MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• Place the marshmallows on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on the middle rack of the oven, and broil the marshmallows until golden brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. Keep your eye on them!
• Remove the pan from the oven and gently turn the marshmallows over and broil them again until they are golden brown on the other side.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar and beat on low until blended. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed for about three minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the marshmallow cream and (cooled) toasted marshmallows, and mix for about one minute.
• Can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE DRIP

• In a microwave safe bowl, heat the cream for about one minute.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for a couple minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted. If needed, heat for another 30 seconds to melt the chocolate chips completely. Let cool to room temperature before using using in the cake.
• Follow instructions above for making the mixture thinner for the outer drip.

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

• In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix in, slowly at first until incorporated, then increasing the mixer speed to high once all of the powdered sugar has been added. Blend in the vanilla extract, salt and heavy whipping cream, and continue to whip on high speed until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Stir by hand with a wooden spoon to push out air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer on a cake board, bottom-side down. Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge and fill with about 1 cup of the toasted marshmallow filling.
• Sprinkle about 1/2-1 cup of the graham crackers on top and pat into place with your hand. Drizzle the chocolate drip on top, making sure to not let the chocolate go outside of the buttercream rim you piped.
• Repeat these steps with the second cake layer.
• Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the final layer of fillings. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. Freeze the crumb coated cake for about 15 minutes.
• Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake and apply the drip. Remember to refer to the tutorial above for tips for the drip.

The post Decadent Peanut Butter S’mores Cake first appeared on Cake by Courtney.

Old Marshmallow Moon Cake

Nearly two years ago I created my Marshmallow Moon Cake, inspired by Ben and Jerry’s Moon Pie ice cream flavor they co-created with Jimmy Fallon. Similar to my Tonight Show Cake, I took all the flavors of the ice cream and used them to inspire each element of the cake.

In this cake you have vanilla cake layers, marshmallow filling, a graham cracker crumble and chocolate ganache. Sound familiar? It’s basically a vanilla s’mores cake!

Milk-Bar Style

In my first edition of my Marshmallow Moon Pie cake, I built the cake Milk-Bar style. I love how Christina Tosi shows off her cake layers with this technique. You can look back at my original post for instructions on how to build a cake like this – just click HERE.

New Marshmallow Moon Pie Cake

It’s been a while since I made this cake and I was eager to revisit it. It’s just so good! As I was thinking about the cake and all the elements, I felt like it was really missing a buttercream – because it was! In my first edition, there’s no buttercream with this cake. (Say it ain’t so!). I also wanted to switch things up and stack and decorate it like one of my usual cakes.

Since this is basically a vanilla s’mores cake, and I’ve already done a chocolate s’mores cake (Ultimate S’mores Cake), I decided to create a graham cracker buttercream instead of a chocolate buttercream for my Marshmallow Moon Pie cake.

Oh friends! This graham cracker frosting is a serious game changer! With a hint of cinnamon and lots of graham cracker, the flavor is just so good. I love how it brings the whole cake together.

And because this Marshmallow Moon Pie cake is so tall, I like to cut two layers down and serve the top half first and then serve the bottom two layers. You’ll get about 16 slices of cake this way.

Helpful Tips

• Be careful not to over bake the Marshmallow Moon Pie cake layers. Remember, when you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, a few moist crumbs should come out. The cake continues to bake for about 5 minutes while it’s cooling.
• Everything can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer or fridge. Bring the fillings and frosting back to room temperature before assembling the cake. Cake layers should be chilled, but not frozen, when you assemble.
• Make sure to apply a crumb coat – a thin layer of frosting that you’ll freeze on the cake for 10 to 15 minutes to lock in the crumbs. This ensures you don’t get any crumbs in your final coat of frosting.
• If you notice that you have to push really hard on your frosting to spread it around the cake, it’s the wrong consistency. You shouldn’t ever have to apply too much pressure to spread the frosting. If you have stiff frosting, repeat it in the mixer and add a little extra heavy whipping cream.

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Marshmallow Moon Pie Cake

Inspired by the Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor by Jimmy Fallon, my new Marshmallow Moon Cake will make you think you’re biting into the classic junk food treat, a Moon Pie.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Keyword Marshmallow Moon Cake, Marshmallow Moon Pie Cake

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16 People

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/3 cup (72.6 g) canola oil
• 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) salt
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 8 large egg whites room temperature
• 3 cups plus 4 tablespoons (373.75 g) cake flour
• 2 teaspoon (8 g) baking powder
• 1 cup (240 g) sour cream room temperature
• 1 tablespoon (4.2 g) vanilla bean paste

FOR THE TOASTED GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBLE

• 3 tablespoons (42.4 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (27.5 g) brown sugar
• 9 whole graham crackers

FOR THE TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• 24 large white marshmallows
• 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1 cup 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4.3 g) pure vanilla extract
• 1 jar about 200 g marshmallow fluff

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 1 cup (150 g) dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (115.5 g) heavy whipping cream

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER FROSTING

• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
• 5 1/2 cups (687.5 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
• 1/2 cup (60 g) about 7 full graham crackers, ground into sand-like consistency
• 1 teaspoon (2.6 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (57.75 g) heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• **This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare four 6-inch (or three 8-inch) round cake pans by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick spray, lining the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spraying again. Set aside.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high until fluffy and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Add the egg whites, one at a time to the bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions.
• Turn the mixer on low and add 1/3rd of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix for 20 seconds. Then add half of the sour cream and blend well. Repeat alternately adding the flour, sour cream and remaining flour. Mix until incorporated.
• Add the vanilla bean paste and beat on low until incorporated, only about 10 to 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on low for another 10 to 20 seconds.
• Pour the cake batter evenly between the four 6-inch pans or three 8-inch pans and bake about 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Make sure not to over bake.
• Remove cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks.
• Once cooled, you can level the cake layers if needed and then wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour before you assemble the cake. Can be stored in the freezer wrapped once in plastic wrap for about a week. If you want to store the cake layers longer, wrap twice with plastic wrap and then again with foil.

FOR THE TOASTED GRAHAM CRACKER PIECES

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place the crackers in a gallon sized zip-lock bag and crush them into pieces using a rolling pin. Set aside.
• Melt the butter and mix in the brown sugar. Stir until combined.
• Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture over the graham cracker pieces in the zip-lock bag and shake to coat.
• Bake the graham cracker pieces for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before using in the cake. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

FOR THE TOASTED MARSHMALLOW FILLING

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the marshmallows on the cookie sheet. Place on the middle rack of the oven, and broil the marshmallows until golden brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. Keep your eye on them!
• Remove the pan from the oven and gently turn the marshmallows over and broil them again until they are golden brown on the other side.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar and beat on low until blended. Add the vanilla and mix on medium speed for about three minutes
• With the mixer on low speed, add the marshmallow cream and (cooled) toasted marshmallows, and mix for about one minute.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• In a microwave safe container, heat the cream for about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir the cream and chocolate until smooth and silky.

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER FROSTING

• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the graham cracker. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Add the cinnamon, vanilla, salt and cream.
• Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat the frosting for about 5 minutes.
• Before frosting your cake, make sure to mix the frosting by hand to push out the air pockets.

ASSEMBLY

• Place the first cake layer, top-side up, on a cake board.
• Pipe a rim of the graham cracker frosting around the edge of the cake.
• Evenly spread about 1/2 cup of the marshmallow filling over the cake layer.
• Cover with about 1/4 cup graham cracker crumble and pat into place.
• Drizzle chocolate ganache over the graham crackers.
• Repeat these steps until you get to the final cake layer, which you’ll place top-side down on the last layer of filling.
• Apply a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake and then freeze the cake for 10 to 15 minutes. This is the crumb coat. The crumb coat is done to lock in the crumbs of the cake so you don’t get them in your final coat of frosting.
• After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting your cake.
• For the piping, I combined some of my leftover marshmallow filling with the leftover frosting.

The post Marshmallow Moon Pie Cake (Updated) first appeared on Cake by Courtney.