S’mores Cake
Servings 8
Ingredients
#### Chocolate Ganache:
- – 5 oz dark chocolate
- – 3/4 cup heavy cream
- – 3/4 cup sugar
- – 5 tablespoons softened butter
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
- – 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
#### Crust:
- – 1 1/2 sticks butter melted
- – 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 15 sheets
- – 1/4 cup sugar
- – 1/2 teaspoon salt
#### Chocolate Cake:
- – 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- – 2 cups sugar
- – 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- – 2 teaspoons baking soda
- – 1 teaspoon baking powder
- – 1 teaspoon salt
- – 2 eggs
- – 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- – 1 cup buttermilk
- – 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- – 1 cup hot coffee
#### Marshmallow Cream:
- – 2 egg whites
- – 1/2 cup sugar
- – 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- – Marshmallows for topping
Instructions
#### Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Crush about 2 packages of graham crackers in a food processor or with a rolling pin until fine.
- Measure out 2 1/2 cups of crumbs and mix with melted butter, sugar, and salt until well combined.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of your cake pans to form a compact layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Set aside to cool.
#### Cake:
- In a bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the vanilla, eggs, buttermilk, and oil, and mix until combined.
- Slowly stir in the hot coffee until the batter is smooth and thin.
- Pour the batter into 3 greased and floured 6″ pans or 2″ pans.
- Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
#### Ganache:
- Place chocolate, butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl.
- In a small pan, heat cream and sugar over medium heat until hot but not boiling.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
- Chill in the fridge until cool but not hard.
#### Marshmallow Cream:
- Set up a double boiler with a bowl over a pan of about 1 inch of simmering water.
- Add egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar to the bowl. Stir constantly over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm.
- Remove from heat, add vanilla, and whip on high until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy.
#### Assembly:
- Place a cake layer with graham cracker crust on the bottom.
- Pipe a ring of ganache around the edge and fill the center with marshmallow cream.
- Repeat with the second layer.
- Cover the entire cake with chocolate ganache.
- Optionally, top with marshmallows and toast them for extra decoration.