S’mores Inspired Back-to-School Cake

Many years ago, I started a tradition: the Back-to-School Cake. It seemed to me that the end of summer should go out with a bang to celebrate all that we love about the warm weather season. My kids got into the idea and the result is now an end-of-summer-back-to-school family dinner party that finishes off with a four-layer extravaganza of a cake that comes topped dramatically with roasted marshmallows in homage to our beloved S’mores.

I continue to refine my Back-to-School Cake recipe, and believe this year’s version – which we gobbled up this past weekend – was a hit!

It was a four-layer chocolate cake (I used my mom’s classic Devil’s Food Cake recipe), with brown sugar boiled frosting-filling for a hint of toasty caramel flavour, covered in whipped chocolate ganache and topped with roasted marshmallows and graham crackers. It combined all of those S’mores inspired elements: marshmallow, chocolate, graham crackers with the bonus of a simply delicious, rich and super-chocolaty cake.

If you feel like indulging, here’s the recipe – or recipes. It does require a bit of time and prep, but it’s a fun and fantastic way to close off both a big and boisterous family dinner and the last long weekend of summer.

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

2 eggs
3/4 unsalted butter, soft
1-1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups cake and pastry flour
1/2-3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup buttermilk (substitute sour milk if you don’t have buttermilk. Sour milk=1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp white vinegar)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF* and prepare two 8-inch round baking pans. (I grease my pans and then dust with cocoa powder.)
   *Note: My oven is a little hot, so I’ve reduced this temperature to 325ºF from the original recipe’s 350ºF. Use your judgement.)
2. Blend together eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, soda and salt.
4. Ådd dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, alternating with boiling water and milk additions. Blend until well combined.
5. Divide batter into two prepared round pans and place in middle rack of preheated oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes, making sure not to overcook. When tester comes out clean, remove from oven and let cool.

Fluffy Boiled Icing Recipe

2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp white vinegar

Method

1. Combine sugar, water in vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil and turn down to a steady simmer. Cook for approximately 7 minutes or until liquid reaches a string or thread stage. (I use a spoon and dip it into the mixture, then touch it to the top of the pot or a plate on the side and slowly pull away. If you get a string or thread, the liquid is ready. (For guidance on this, check out this primer at The Spruce Eats.)
2. Meanwhile, whip egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
3. When your syrup is ready, remove from heat and slowly pour into your egg whites. Keep your mixer on while doing so. Continue to mix at medium-high speed until firm peaks form.

Simple Ganache Recipe

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chips or chunks cut into small pieces)
1 cup 35% heavy cream
pinch coarse salt

Method

1. Place chocolate into medium sized bowl.
2. Heat cream in saucepan until just boiling and then pour over your chocolate pieces. Sprinkle with salt and cover bowl. Leave undisturbed for 10 minutes. DO NOT STIR as you’ll cool your chocolate too quickly and will end up with grainy ganache. Yuk.
3. After a full 10 minutes, stir carefully to combine and leave for 45-60 minutes to cool completely, stirring occasionally.
4. For this cake, I’ve whipped the ganache. With a stand or hand mixer, whip until fluffy.

S’mores Cake Topping

Marshmallows
Graham Crackers

Method

1. Preheat oven broiler.
2. Place marshmallows on a cookie sheet atop parchment paper. Spread out so none are touching.
3. Place pan into oven (in upper 1/3 of oven) and brown marshmallows. Be careful as they toast quickly! Remove from oven and turn marshmallows. Return to oven and roast other side. Once browned to your liking, remove from oven and let cool.

Build Your Cake

1. Remove chocolate cake layers from pans.
2. Using unflavoured dental floss (or thread), slice cakes into halves. (Here’s a good video for reference.)
3. Fill each layer with your prepared boiled frosting, ending with naked chocolate layer on top. (You will have some frosting left over. But hey, if you’re just making a chocolate cake, frost the top and you’re done!)
4. Frost your entire four-layer cake with your prepared whipped ganache.
5. Top cake with your toasted marshmallow and pieces of graham crackers.
6. For serving – especially if you’re enjoying this cake outside – put a great big sparkler or a few of them in the centre of your cake and light them.
7. Now cut that beauty and serve. Note: There’s a lot of height on this cake (and a lot of frosting) so cut carefully!

Cake deserves drama. Here a few items to make the serving and enjoying of your cake an occasion!

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