Chocolate Smores Cake

By Brian

mmmmmmmm...s'mores
Be sure to make this at least one day before serving.

Ingredients

• For fudge filling:
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate, chips or finely chopped pieces
• 1 1/4 cups condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For fudge frosting:
• 1 (8-ounce) package plus 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
• Fudge filling from above
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups cocoa powder
• 1 cup heavy cream
• For cake:
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 2/3 cups sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cups hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Nonstick cooking spray with flour, for greasing pans
• Graham cracker mix:
• 3 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• For topping:
• 1 (16-ounce) container marshmallow crème

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Make fudge filling:
Place all ingredients for fudge filling in a large saucepan set over low heat. Melt and stir together. Remove and let cool.

Make fudge frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle on medium speed to cream together the cream cheese, butter and cooled fudge filling. Slowly add the vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar until combined. Add cocoa powder; scrape sides of bowl. Add heavy cream; scrape sides of bowl. Mix on high speed for 5 minutes to remove all lumps and lighten. Set aside at room temperature.

Make cake batter:
Place flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon in large bowl of stand mixer. In another large bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, oil, hot water and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix on medium speed to combine. Scrape sides of bowl often. Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes to combine well.

Make graham cracker mix and bake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 10-by-4-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl, mixing well. Pour batter into prepared pan. Pour in 1/2 cup of the graham cracker mixture, using a dull knife to swirl the mixture into the batter. Do not mix in.

Bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes; cake should test done in center by springing at the touch. Unmold cake onto cooling rack; allow to cool completely. Slice the cake into 3 layers.

Make cake:
Use a 10-inch spring form cake mold to create the cake. Reserve 1/3 cup of graham cracker crumbs. Pour remainder into bottom of cake pan, patting down evenly. Place in freezer until frozen, 15 minutes. Remove and frost with 1/4 cup of frosting. Add 1 cake layer and frost with 1 cup frosting, spreading evenly. Repeat frosting and layering, ending with cake. Put in freezer to freeze. (Place remaining fudge frosting in refrigerator, but return to room temperature before unmolding cake for final frosting.)

When frozen, unmold cake by removing spring form rim. Frost cake with remaining fudge frosting and coat with remaining graham cracker crumbs. Top with marshmallow crème, making a swirled dome shape, not too tall. Use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow topping a golden brown.

Keep remainders in freezer. This cake freezes well.

Makes 1 (10-inch) cake; 10 servings.