Shelly's Recipe

SMORE CAKE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
4 large egg yolks (save 2 whites for frosting)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 package graham crackers, finely ground
1 cup all purpose flour

Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
2 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 ounces coarsely chopped dark chocolate (you could use milk or semi-sweet)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 (9-inch) cake pans with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook 1-2 minutes, whisking frequently, until butter foams and starts to turn golden brown. Remove pan from heat. Pour butter into a large mixing bowl.

Add brown sugar, oil and pudding mix to bowl; mix together, using a mixer on medium speed, for 1 minute or until well combined. Beat in egg yolks until well combined. Beat in baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream and milk until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in graham cracker crumbs and flour until just combined.

Divide cake batter into pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and middle of cakes springs back when lightly touched. Cool 12 minutes on wire racks. Run a knife around outer edges and invert cakes onto wire racks or platters to cool completely.

To make the toasted marshmallow frosting, whisk together egg whites, sugar and corn syrup in a heat-proof bowl placed over a saucepan with barely simmering water. Keep whisking for 5-10 minutes, or until egg mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved.

Add egg mixture to a large mixing bowl and add vanilla and salt. Mix, using a mixer on high speed, for about 10 minutes or until egg mixture is whipped, fluffy, and stiff.

To make the chocolate ganache, bring cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Turn heat off and whisk in chocolate until well combined and smooth.

To assemble cake: heat oven broiler on a low setting. Place one cake on a piece of foil on a cookie sheet; spread a generous amount of marshmallow frosting on top. Broil cake for a couple of seconds until golden brown. Generously drizzle the top with chocolate ganache. Place other cake on top. Pipe marshmallow frosting on top of cake. Broil for a couple of seconds or until golden brown. Drizzle cake with remaining chocolate ganache.

Makes 10 servings