Smores Pumpkin Cake

By Pattywak

OMG is this decadent or what??????
Must have.

Ingredients

• for pumpkin-graham cracker chiffon:
• 225 gr graham crackers (preferably homemade), finely ground
• 1 cup (200gr) sugar
• 1 Tbspn baking powder
• 1 tspn salt
• 2 tspn ground cinnamon
• 1 tspn ground ginger
• 1/2 tspn allspice
• 1/4 tspn ground nutmeg
• 6 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup (~170gr) pumpkin puree
• 6 Tbspn vegetable oil
• 2 tspn vanilla extract
• 7 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 2 Tbspn sugar (additional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare three 8" spring-form cake pans. Do not grease. If desired, use even-bake strips.
2. Sift together the ground graham crackers, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
3. Whisk to combine the egg yolks, pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla extract together. Add in the dry ingredients and stir together.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding the remaining 2 Tbspn sugar.
5. Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there are no streaks left.
6. Divide the batter amongst the three cake pans and bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out cleanly. Remove from oven and invert the pans to cool upside-down on wire racks.
7. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the cake pans to remove the cakes.

for toasted marshmallow filling:
2 egg whites
1 cup (200 gr) sugar
1 1/2 Tbspn light corn syrup
5 Tbspn water
1/4 tspn cream of tartar
1/8 tspn salt
1 tspn vanilla extract

1. In a double boiler over boiling water, combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, water, cream of tartar, and salt. Whisk for 6-8 minutes over heat, until a meringue forms.
2. Remove from heat and continue whisking, gradually adding in the vanilla extract, until the meringue is cool and very thick.
3. Spread the meringue in a thin layer on a baking sheet and, using a blow torch or under a hot broiler, toast the surface of the meringue until brown. Return to the bowl and whisk until cool. Use immediately.

for dark chocolate ganache:
9 oz. dark chocolate (at least 60+%), chopped
7.5 oz. heavy cream
3 Tbspn butter

1. Prepare the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.
2. Cook the heavy cream and butter over medium high heat until a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over prepared chocolate. Stir until no streaks remain. Use immediately.

for assembly:
1. Spread each cake layer with dark chocolate ganache.
2. Stack the cakes with a generous layer of toasted marshmallow frosting in between.
3. Spread a thin crumb coat of ganache over the cake and let cool briefly before glazing with the remaining dark chocolate. Reheat the dark chocolate if necessary to maintain a pouring consistency. Top with nonpareils. Serve immediately.