This buttery soft s’mores cake has a fluffy vanilla cake, topped with marshmallows and a chocolate ganache “frosting”. The one layer cake is baked with a graham cracker crust in an 8x8 pan. With 20 minutes of prep time, it’s easy to prepare and full of s'mores flavor.
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From the crunchy graham cracker crust, to the soft cake, the airy marshmallows and the silky chocolate ganache, this cake has the best textures! It's simple like my s'mores cookie bars and comes together faster than my homemade s'mores.
As a lifelong baker and busy mama, I’m always in for a simple homemade cake. This s’mores cake looks impressive, but comes together easily and requires no fancy decorating.
This s'mores cake has a nice balance. The vanilla cake layer has a little less sugar since we are adding sweetness with marshmallows and milk chocolate.
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🍰 cake ingredient notes
I tested this cake recipe a few times. I started with a traditional creaming of the butter and sugar and tried baking the marshmallows into the vanilla cake. Sadly, I found the marshmallows completely melted into the cake batter. This didn’t give much marshmallow flavor and created holes where the marshmallows were. So we are layering the marshmallows over the vanilla cake layer to create this moist, s’mores flavored cake.
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Marshmallows ~ mini marshmallows work best, just like in my marshmallow brownies.
Chocolate ~ to get that nostalgic Hershey’s s’more taste, use milk chocolate for the ganache. If you want to use dark or white chocolate, you will need to adjust the chocolate to cream ratios.
Buttermilk ~ I find making cakes with buttermilk brings extra moisture by working to tenderize the gluten in the flour, which results in a tender and soft cake. For the best homemade cake, use store bought buttermilk and bring it to room temperature.
Eggs ~ use two large eggs. They should be at room temperature to give the cake the best rise and soft texture.
Heavy cream ~ for the chocolate ganache topping. You can use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream that has around a 36% fat content. Please don't use something with less than 30% fat, or the ganache won't set properly.
Pro tip ~ to quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5-10 minutes.
🥣 how to make this s’mores inspired cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Crush the graham crackers in a food processor or in a zip top bag with a rolling pin. Then add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom the prepared 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until fully combined.
Then whisk in the vanilla, kosher salt and baking powder.
Whisk in the eggs. Then stir in half of the flour, followed by the buttermilk.
Now add the remaining flour and mix until just fully combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until the edges are set and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Top the baked cake with the mini marshmallows as soon as it comes out of the oven. Use caution as the pan will be hot. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Once the s'mores cake is cool, make the chocolate ganache. Then pour the ganache over the marshmallows. Spread with an off-set spatula, if needed.
Garnish with one additional crushed graham cracker, if desired. Allow the ganache to set.
Then remove the cake from the pan. Slice into desired size pieces and enjoy!
🎥 video tutorial
Watch this simple s'mores inspired cake come together. Of course, I failed to show the chocolate ganache going on, but I know you can do that without me!
👩🏻🍳 tips for success
Use a scale to measure your ingredients for the best results. This is the kitchen scale I use, but this Escali scale is a great option as well.
Once the batter is prepared and smoothed over the graham cracker crust, drop the pan on the counter a time or two to remove any extra air bubbles from the batter.
Don't over bake the cake. Remember your oven is different from mine and baking times may vary a little. The homemade cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Add the marshmallows immediately after removing the cake from the oven. This will let them slightly melt into the top of the cake. If you have a kitchen torch, feel free to toast the marshmallows.
When making the chocolate ganache, the smaller you chop the chocolate, the easier it will melt when the warm cream is added.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make this Simple One Layer S’mores Cake. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Simple One Layer S'mores Cake
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams in parenthesis DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 sleeve graham crackers 9 full sheets (140g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (57g)
Marshmallow Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (113g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour* (219g)
- ⅔ cup buttermilk** (160mL)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows (96g)
Milk Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces milk chocolate chopped small (227g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120mL)
- 1 sheet graham crackers (15g) crushed, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
For the Graham Cracker Crust
- Crush the graham crackers (1 sleeve/9 full crackers/140g) in a food processor or in a zip top bag with a rolling pin. Then add the melted butter (¼ cup/57g) and mix until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom of a parchment lined 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium to large bowl, whisk together the melted butter (½ cup/113g) and sugar (¾ cup/150g) until fully combined. Then whisk in the vanilla (1 tablespoon), kosher salt (½ teaspoon) and baking powder (2 teaspoons).
- Whisk in the eggs (2 large). Then add half of the flour (total amount is 1 ¾ cup/219g) and mix until a little flour is still showing. Then add the buttermilk* (⅔ cup/160mL) and stir into the cake batter. Now add the remaining flour and mix until just fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and drop the pan on the counter 2-3 times to remove any bubbles in the batter.
- Bake for 26-28 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Top the baked cake with the mini marshmallows as soon as it comes out of the oven. Use caution as the pan will be hot.
- Allow the cake to cool completely (it can stay in the baking pan) before decorating with the ganache.
Milk Chocolate Ganache
- Once the cake is cool, prepare the milk chocolate ganache; place the finely chopped chocolate (8 ounces/227g) in a glass or metal heat proof bowl. Then pour the cream (½ cup/120mL) into a saucepan and warm the cream over medium heat, just until hot and it begins to simmer around the edges. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.
- Allow the cream to sit on the chocolate for 1 minute and then stir the ganache until the chocolate is melted, smooth and shiny. Spread the ganache over the cooled marshmallow with an offset spatula or spatula.
- Garnish with one crushed graham cracker sheet, if desired. Allow the ganache to set, about one hour. Then slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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