Craving campfire vibes without the smoke? This Gooey S’mores Cake brings all the marshmallow-chocolate-graham goodness into a warm, melty dessert you can bake at home. It delivers a plush chocolate base, buttery graham crunch, and a toasty marshmallow top that pulls into strings when you slice it. It tastes like childhood, but with bakery-level polish.

You don’t need special tools or pastry skills—just a mixing bowl, a pan, and a broiler. I’ll show you how to get that perfect gooey center, the right level of toast on the marshmallows, and clean(ish) slices that still feel decadently messy in the best way.

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Why This Gooey S’mores Cake Recipe Works

Balanced textures: Soft chocolate cake, crunchy graham, and melty marshmallow hit every craving.
Simple pantry ingredients: Cocoa powder, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and marshmallows—nothing fancy.
Fast payoff: You bake the cake, scatter chocolate, top with marshmallows, then broil for a golden finish.
Kid- and party-friendly: It feeds a crowd and looks dramatic with that blistered marshmallow top.
Make-ahead friendly: Bake the cake base in advance and finish with marshmallows right before serving.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake Base

1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (45 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temp
1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee (or hot water)
1/3 cup (80 ml) neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Graham Layer and Topping

1 1/2 cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 1/4 cups (210 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars
4 cups mini marshmallows (or large marshmallows cut in half)
Pinch of flaky salt (optional, for finishing)

How to Make This Gooey S’mores Cake

1) Prep the Pan and Oven

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch metal baking pan and line with a parchment sling.

2) Mix the Graham Layer

Stir graham crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until sandy.
Press a thin, even layer into the bottom of the pan. Don’t pack it rock-hard—just gently compact.

3) Whisk the Cake Batter

In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Pour wet into dry. Whisk just until combined.
Stream in hot coffee and whisk until silky and pourable. The batter will look thin—that’s right.

4) Bake the Base

Pour batter over the graham layer. Tap the pan to release bubbles.
Bake 22–26 minutes until the center springs back and a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
Let it cool 10 minutes. Leave oven on.

5) Add Chocolate and Marshmallows

Scatter chocolate chips evenly over the warm cake. They’ll start to melt.
Top with a thick blanket of mini marshmallows. Cover edge to edge.

6) Toast to Finish

Switch oven to broil. Move the rack to the upper third.
Broil the cake 30–90 seconds until the marshmallows turn golden with a few charred spots. Watch like a hawk.
Remove and sprinkle a little flaky salt for contrast.

Serving Tips

Let it sit 8–10 minutes so the chocolate sets slightly but stays gooey.
Warm a knife under hot water and wipe between cuts for cleaner slices.
Serve as-is or with vanilla ice cream for a showstopper dessert.

How to Store This Gooey S’mores Cake

Room temperature (same day): Keep loosely covered for up to 6 hours. Marshmallows stay soft.
Overnight: Cover the pan and store at room temp for 1 day. The marshmallow top will firm slightly but still tastes great.
Longer storage: Transfer slices to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.

Freezing: Freeze slices on a sheet pan until solid, then bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp.

Reheating: Warm slices at 300°F (150°C) for 8–10 minutes or microwave in short bursts to re-melt the marshmallow and chocolate.

Benefits of Making This Gooey S’mores Cake

Year-round s’mores: You get the campfire flavor in your oven—no fire pit required.

Crowd-pleaser: It travels well, slices neatly (with a warm knife), and looks impressive.

Customizable sweetness: Choose semisweet, milk, or dark chocolate to suit your crowd.

Budget-friendly: Mostly pantry staples and store-bought marshmallows.

Beginner-friendly: One bowl for batter, simple graham base, quick broil finish.

What Not to Do

Don’t overbake the cake base. Pull it when a toothpick shows moist crumbs. Dry cake loses the “gooey” magic.

Don’t walk away during broiling. Marshmallows go from kiss-of-gold to burnt in seconds.

Don’t pack the graham too hard. A brick crust makes slicing tough and the texture dense.

Don’t skip the hot liquid in the batter. Hot coffee (or water) blooms the cocoa for deeper flavor.

Don’t slice immediately. Give it a few minutes so chocolate can settle and marshmallow doesn’t slide off.

Variations You Can Try

Peanut butter swirl: Dollop 1/3 cup warmed peanut butter over the baked cake before adding chocolate and marshmallows; swirl with a knife.

Salted caramel: Drizzle 1/3 cup caramel sauce over the warm cake, then top with chocolate and marshmallows.

Super dark chocolate: Use chopped 70% chocolate and add 1 tablespoon Dutch cocoa to the batter.

Mint s’mores: Swap in mint chocolate chips and add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the batter.

Skillet style: Bake in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for a rustic look and crisp edges.

Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and gluten-free graham-style cookies.

Toasted coconut: Sprinkle 1/2 cup toasted coconut over the chocolate before marshmallows.

FAQ

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Bake the cake and cool completely. Wrap and store at room temp up to 24 hours. Top with chocolate and marshmallows and broil just before serving.

Do I need coffee?

No, but I recommend it. Coffee doesn’t make it taste like coffee; it deepens the chocolate flavor. Hot water works too.

Can I use large marshmallows?

Absolutely. Cut them in half and place them cut-side down for neat browning and even coverage.

What if I don’t have a broiler?

Bake at 450°F (230°C) for a few minutes until golden, or use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows.

How do I keep slices tidy?

Use a hot, clean knife and make confident, straight cuts. Wipe the blade between slices.

Can I halve the recipe?

Yes. Bake in an 8-inch square pan and start checking at 18 minutes.

Conclusion

This Gooey S’mores Cake brings campfire nostalgia to your kitchen with minimal effort and maximum payoff. You get a soft, chocolatey crumb, a buttery graham layer, and a molten marshmallow crown that begs for a fork—or a scoop of ice cream. Bake the base, blanket it with chocolate, toast the top, and serve it warm. It’s simple, dramatic, and exactly the kind of dessert that turns an ordinary night into a little celebration.

Gooey S’mores Cake Recipe

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Instructions

Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan and line with a parchment sling.
Stir graham crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until sandy.
Press a thin, even layer into the bottom of the pan. Don’t pack it rock-hard—just gently compact.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Pour wet into dry. Whisk just until combined.
Stream in hot coffee and whisk until silky and pourable. The batter will look thin—that’s right.
Pour batter over the graham layer. Tap the pan to release bubbles.
Bake 22–26 minutes until the center springs back and a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
Let it cool 10 minutes. Leave oven on.
Scatter chocolate chips evenly over the warm cake. They’ll start to melt.
Top with a thick blanket of mini marshmallows. Cover edge to edge.
Switch oven to broil. Move the rack to the upper third.
Broil the cake 30–90 seconds until the marshmallows turn golden with a few charred spots. Watch like a hawk.
Remove and sprinkle a little flaky salt for contrast.
Let it sit 8–10 minutes so the chocolate sets slightly but stays gooey.
Warm a knife under hot water and wipe between cuts for cleaner slices.
Serve as-is or with vanilla ice cream for a showstopper dessert.

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