"Smores Cake"

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• for the chocolate cake:
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the pans
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
• for the graham cracker crunch layer:
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• for the toasted marshmallow frosting:
• 16 large white marshmallows
• 1 cup confectioners' or powdered sugar
• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounce jar of Marshmallow Cream (or fluff)

Details

Adapted from scarboroughfoodfair.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease three 6-inch cake pans with butter and dust with flour turning over to knock out excess.

Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in a medium heatproof bowl and set over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted. Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate and stir for 1-2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs and yolks on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar and increase speed to high, whipping until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment and add chocolate mixture, mixing on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing 10 seconds after each addition. Add 1/3 of flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk mixture. Mixing each until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Repeat until all of the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture have been added.

Combine graham cracker crunch layer ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork. Divide mixture between cake pans and press down in an even layer.

Divide prepared cake batter between pans. If you have extra, don't worry! Make cupcakes!

Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 20-25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, about an hour. (If baking cupcakes -- bake for 10-12 minutes)

While the cakes are cooling prepare the frosting -- Place marshmallows on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the broiler in your oven on, and broil the marshmallows until they are toasty and brown on top, about 30-60 seconds. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, broil until the other side is also golden brown. Combine butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and mix on high for about 3 minutes. Add marshmallow cream and toasted marshmallows, mixing on the lowest setting for about a minute.

To assemble the cake -- place one layer on a cake stand with the graham cracker layer facing up. Add several spoonfuls of frosting over the layer and spread evenly. Repeat with the next two levels. After the third layer pile the rest of the frosting on top and start pulling down to frost the sides. Top with graham cracker crumbs and cocoa nibs...or whatever else you can come up with!