Bring the great outdoors inside by building a Campfire S'mores Cake. This decadently rich chocolate cake is made of layers of brownie, toasted marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate marshmallow ganache, and chocolate marshmallow frosting. Then it's covered in cookies 'n cream fudge rocks and decorated with hard candy flames.
It's summer, and whether you enjoy camping in the great outdoors or just hanging out in your backyard near a fire pit, I bet you've made some s'mores in your lifetime. They are crunchy, chocolatey, gooey, and oh, so good, and so is this cake.
The rich chocolate brownie is layered with a graham cracker crust, toasted marshmallows, and luscious chocolate marshmallow ganache.
To make the cake look like a campfire pit, stones made out of Cookies 'n Creme fudge are stacked around the outside of the cake, and candy flames and cookie logs complete the look.
This cake may look intimidating with all the ingredients listed and all the layers, but it really is really much easier than it looks, and you can make it in an afternoon and have it ready to serve before you light your campfire.
The recipe calls for baking two brownie layers in 8-inch springform pans. If you don't have two of those pans, then bake one of the layers in a regular 8-inch baking pan. After it's cooled, see if it will fit in the springform pan. If not, then cut around the outside, to make the brownie fit, then layer all the goodies inside and frost and decorate your cake.
Start by making the Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix and baking it in two 8-inch round springform pans, allowing them to cool, and trimming the tops, if needed, so you have two nice flat layers.
Then make the graham cracker crust layer in one of the springform pans.
Top the crust with mini marshmallows and put them under the broiler.
Once the marshmallows get nice and toasty brown, remove them from the oven, and press one of the brownie layers on top.
Then make the luscious chocolate marshmallow ganache.
Pour it over the brownie layer.
Then top it with the remaining brownie and pop the whole thing into the freezer while you make the frosting, fudge stones, and flames.
The fudge is super easy, all you need to do is stir melted white chocolate chips into Betty Crocker Cookies 'n Creme frosting then add the cookie crumbs.
To give the fudge stones a natural look, you need to color the fudge. Divide it into four bowls, leave one as is, and add more cookie crumbs to another, some cocoa powder to another, and some red food coloring and cookie crumbs to the final bowl. You now have four very distinct-looking stone colors, which can be blended together to make even more stone colors. Cover your bowls and set them aside until you're ready to build your fire pit.
More uses for fudge rocks:
To make the flames for in the fire pit, just crush up orange, red, and yellow hard candies, and sprinkle them over a silicone baking mat.
Pop them in a hot oven until they are melted, swirl the colors a bit using a skewer, then let it cool completely, before cracking the candy into shooting flames.
When the frosting is ready and you have the fudge and candy made, remove the cake from the freezer and un-mold it. You'll be able to see all the wonderful layers of the s'mores.
When you frost the cake, try to get the top and side straight, but you don't have to worry about it being perfectly smooth. You're going to mess it up anyway once you add the stones.
Now start forming and stacking flat fudge rocks all around the perimeter of the cake.
Once you get the cake covered in fudge stones you'll want to make some 3-dimensional rocks to stack on top of the cake.
As you add the rocks to the top of the cake, pipe frosting in between the rocks to keep them in place.
Break up some pirouette cookies into two or three pieces and arrange them on top of the cake to look like you're building a fire.
Then arrange the candy flames in between the logs. If you want your cake to light up, put an led light in the middle of the cake, hiding it with the candy flames.
Light the led light and serve.
RECIPE
- 1 box Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 large eggs
- 12 graham cracker squares (crushed into crumbs)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 12 ounces finely chopped semi sweet chocolate or chips
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 12 ounces finely chopped semi sweet chocolate or chips
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
- 1 tub Betty Crocker Frosting (Hershey's Cookies 'n Creme or Vanilla)
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips, melted
- 3 tablespoons chocolate cookie crumbs, plus 2 more tablespoons if using vanilla frosting
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- red food coloring
- 2 ounces red hard candies
- 2 ounces orange hard candies
- 2 ounces yellow hard candies
- 8-10 pirouette cookies
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Preheat oven to 350 for metal pans, 325 for non-stick or dark metal pans.
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Line the bottom of two 8-inch round spring-form pans with non-stick tin foil and spray the inside of the pans with baking spray.
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Stir together Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, water, oil, and eggs until well blended.
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Divide batter into the two round pans.
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Bake for 30-34 minutes until a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the outside of the pan comes out clean. Cool for 10
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minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
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Clean one of the springform pans, and cut a piece of non-stick tin foil and fit it around the inside of the round ring of the pan.
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Stir together the graham crackers and melted butter. Press into the bottom of the lined pan.
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Bake the graham cracker crust for 10 minutes until fragrant and browned around the edges. Remove the pan from the oven, and heat the broiler to high.
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Sprinkle 2 cups mini marshmallows, and set under the broiler until the marshmallows are nice and toasted, about 2-3 minutes.
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Immediately press one of the brownies on top of the toasted marshmallows.
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Make the chocolate ganache by combining the chocolate with the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 30-second bursts, stirring after each until melted.
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Stir in the marshmallows. Pour over the brownie layer.
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Press the remaining brownie over top of the ganache. Make sure the top brownie layer is level. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about one hour.
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To make the chocolate marshmallow frosting, stir together chocolate, heavy whipping cream, and mini marshmallows.
Heat on high power for 30-second bursts, stirring after each until melted. Stir in the marshmallow fluff. The ganache will be very thin.
Allow it to sit at room temperature until thick enough to use as frosting.
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While you are waiting for the frosting to thicken, grab another mixing bowl and stir together the Hershey's Cookies 'n Creme Frosting or Betty Crocker vanilla frosting with melted white chocolate chips until thick.
If using Hershey's Cookies and Cream Frosting, crush the cookie pieces that come with the fudge into crumbs and stir them into the fudge. If using vanilla frosting, stir in 2 tablespoons of chocolate cookie crumbs.
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Divide the cookies and cream fudge into 4 bowls. To one bowl add 2 tablespoons of additional chocolate cookie crumbs. To another, add the remaining tablespoon of chocolate cookie crumbs and a tiny bit of red food coloring. To a third bowl add the cocoa powder. Leave the fourth bowl as is. You want four different colors for your stones, which can be mixed together to make a variety of colorful stones.
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Cover and refrigerate the fudge until the cake is frosted.
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Once the frosting is ready, remove the s'mores dessert from freezer, un-mold it, move it to an 8 inch cake cardboard, then frost, reserving about ¼ cup of frosting for later. Put that frosting in a zip top bag.
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Remove the fudge from the refrigerator. Scoop out tablespoon-size balls of the fudge and flatten them into rectangles to create flat stones. Arrange the fudge rocks around the perimeter of the cake in four rows
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Pipe the reserved chocolate marshmallow frosting in between the fudge stones.
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Use the remaining fudge to create two layers of 3-dimensional stones to set on top of the cake, forming the outer ring of the fire pit.
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Break the pirouette cookies in half and arrange them around the center of the top of the cake to look like logs around a campfire.
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Crush the red, orange, and yellow candies into small pieces using a meat mallet or hammer. Pour the crushed candy onto a baking pan lined with a silicone baking mat or tin foil. Heat in a 350-degree F oven for about 6 minutes, until melted. Keep an eye on the candy so that it does not burn.
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Remove from the oven and allow the candy to cool completely. Crack into pieces to use as the flames. Arrange the candy flames on top of the cake around the cookie logs.
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For a really cool effect, place an led light in the center of the candy flames, and turn it on before serving. This will make the candy look like real flames.
Store the cake at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This recipe was originally published on July 9, 2014.
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janette says
my chocolate frosting is sticky. HELP
Beth says
The chocolate marshmallow frosting will firm up as it cools. You want to allow it to cool at room temperature just enough that the frosting is spreadable. The texture will completely change as it cools.
Cheri says
The recipe is no longer on teaspoon
Is it available anywhere else?
Beth says
I have added the recipe and step-by-step tutorial to this blog post. Enjoy!
Mary says
Amazing Cake!
Danielle Doerr says
This cake is AMAZING Beth! I cannot even begin to imagine how long this took you to bake and decorate! BRAVO!!
Heather Goodell says
Such a cute cake! I love the summery theme!
Project Denneler says
Love it! Really creative ingredients and assembly. This is an edible art home run, Beth.
The Partiologist says
I couldn't wait to see how you made the cake - or, brownie? Either way, it's fantastic and now that you're going out of town, it could be my chance to steal a piece! 🙂 Have a wonderful trip and eat some chocolate for me!
Kristy says
This cake is ridiculously adorable!!! I absolutely love it! Just built a fire pit ni my backyard that looks similar!xox - Kristy @ 3 Peppers Recipes - Crafts, Cooking & Color
Brenda @ SweetSimpleStuff says
Love the cake ... want to make it and take it camping! Enjoy your vacation ... can't wait to hear about it!
Rose @ RoseBakes.com says
That is a fantastic cake! Love it!
Cindyzs says
you always amaze me with your super creations! 🙂
Sue says
Beth, You are amazing! Love this cake! Enjoy your vacation to the fullest!
Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com says
Wow...this is amazing! About to share on FB. I forgot about you going to Germany...so exciting & hope you have a great time!
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets says
OH my Goodness! There is nothing I don't love about this awesome fire pit cake. I made a fire pit brownie a few years ago, but yours 'takes the cake'! Simply amazing! Enjoy your much needed vacation in Germany. 🙂
Jo and Sue says
Holy heck. That is awesome!
P.S. - Have a great vacation 🙂
beth says
Thanks so much!
Lisa@hooplapalooza says
OMG girl you are ON FIRE with this awesomeness! and dang it sounds so delicious! have a much needed and enjoyable vacation! you are THE best seriously! :>D
beth says
Thanks Lisa. I have one more piece of this in the freezer, which I'll enjoy when I return home:)
Jessica Coleman says
Its awesome and have a great time!!!!
beth says
Thanks, Jessie, we sure plan to have fun!