My secret for S'more cake

So it has been awhile since I wrote anything and I am determined to write TWO blogs today!! Let's see what happens here!

Recently I was asked to make a cake for some friends engagement party. I told them to go online look at my menu and pick a flavor that suits their taste. Well, of course they pick the one cake that I had made up and had not created but one other time! It has many steps to making it and although many have asked about it not many have ordered it. I suppose by revealing this idea I may have lots of other requests for it now! I really don't mind though it wasn't nearly the trouble I thought it was going to be and WHAT A HIT it was at the party!!

I don't normally print recipes since this is mostly an instructional blog. There are tons of recipes out there my goal has been to offer techniques and tools so you can be successful with whatever recipe you use. HOWEVER, this is worth posting!

The cake is called a S'more cake, yes, after the childhood campout favorite!

This is for an 8" cake three layers.

Spray all three pans with oil and line the bottoms with parchment paper. 

I begin with a simple 

Graham cracker crust:

one packet of honey grahams crushed (one square of crackers in the box is plenty!)

4 Tbl. melted butter. 

Rub the melted butter into the crumbs just as you would do for a cheesecake crust. 

Then press it into the bottom only of ONE of the 8" pans that has been prepared with parchment.

Pour the batter right onto the crust of only one pan! 

MAKE THE CAKE:

Cocoa devil’s food cake

2 cups boiling water

1 cup cocoa powder

2 ¾ cup ap flour

2 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 ¼ cup sugar

8 oz. unsalted butter (room temp)

4 eggs

1 Tbl. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350˚

Prepare three 8 x 2” pans with parchment and butter

Whisk the boiling water and cocoa in a heatproof bowl.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about one minute.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in 4 additions alternately with cocoa mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared cake pans.

Bake cakes for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.

You can see in the photo the crust that was on the bottom, when turned out of the pan is on the top now. This cake was a two layer cake with one filling however when I make the smaller version that I have given you here, I make it three layers. Your choice! Make some cupcakes to go with if the three layer is too tall for you!

Then I fill the cake with a milk chocolate ganache. I put the crust layer on the bottom of the cake and then put two layer of ganache in between the layers.

6oz. milk chocolate chips

4 oz. heavy cream

Boil the cream and pour it over the chips, wait one minute before stirring until smooth. Leave at room temperature until the ganache has set enough to spread between the layers. 

Lastly I covered this cake with a swiss meringue (which I call the marshmallow meringue) and then used a torch to get the lovely brown accent. 

Swiss meringue:

1 egg white 

1/4 cup sugar

Place the sugar and egg white in a heat proof bowl. Place over a pan of boiling water and whisk until the mixture is hot to the touch. Put into a bowl of a stand up mixer and whip until stiff peaks form. 

Ice the cake with this and using the tip of your decorating spatula make swirls that will show nicely when you torch the meringue. 

YUMMMM love it!!