Smores Graveyard Cake Food

S'MORES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom of 2 (9-inch) cake pans with parchment paper, lightly spray with baking spray.
• Combine cake mix, eggs, milk, and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in espresso powder and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, spreading into even layers.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into centers of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove cakes from pans. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
• While cakes are baking, place chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Bring cream in a small saucepan to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about 6 minutes. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips and let stand for 5 minutes. Gently stir together in a circular motion to evenly blend chocolate into cream, without adding a lot of air. Let chocolate mixture cool, uncovered, at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until thickened to spreadable consistency, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan filled with 2 inches water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Beat together egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. Place mixer bowl over simmering saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the mixing bowl does not touch the water. Cook egg white mixture, whisking constantly, until a candy thermometer reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C) and the sugar crystals have dissolved, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat, and return to stand mixer.
• Beat on high speed, gradually adding remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until stiff peaks form, 6 to 7 minutes. Set aside 2 cups of marshmallow cream. Place remaining marshmallow cream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
• Remove cooled cakes from pans and discard parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim the tops of the cooled cakes to create a level top; use excess cake for trifle or just eat.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or plate, cut side up. Spread reserved 2 cups marshmallow cream in an even layer on cake top. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the graham cracker crumbs evenly over top. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Fill in any empty spots in seams of cake layers using marshmallow cream in piping bag; smooth sides using an offset spatula. Refrigerate stacked cake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Spoon 1 1/4 cups cooled chocolate mixture over top of the stacked cake. Spread into an even layer using a large cake spatula, allowing excess to extend over the sides. Frost sides of cake using remaining chocolate mixture, smoothing into an even layer.
• Using marshmallow cream in piping bag, pipe 10 large rosettes along the top, outside edge of the cake. Sprinkle center of the cake with remaining 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs. Arrange graham cracker rectangles upright on the long sides of each rectangle in a spoke-wheel design inside rosette rings on top of cake. Pipe 1 large rosette in center of graham cracker spoke-wheel design.
• Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. Using a kitchen torch, slightly brown marshmallow rosettes. Slice and serve cake.

S'MORES ICEBOX CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a small bowl. Bring 1/2 cup heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate and let sit 5 minutes. Stir until smooth; set aside to cool.
• Butter a baking sheet, then arrange 15 marshmallows on the baking sheet and broil until toasted and bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute; set aside to cool. Combine 1 cup heavy cream, the cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Combine the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and the broiled marshmallows in a medium bowl; beat with the mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. (It's OK if some small pieces of marshmallow remain in the whipped cream.)
• Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 4-inch overhang on the long sides. Line the bottom of the pan with a single layer of graham crackers, breaking to fit as needed. Spread with half of the marshmallow whipped cream. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the chocolate ganache, then top with another layer of graham crackers. Spread half of the chocolate whipped cream over the graham crackers, drizzle with 2 tablespoons ganache, then top with a layer of graham crackers. Spread the remaining marshmallow whipped cream on top, drizzle with 2 tablespoons ganache, then top with a layer of graham crackers. Spread the remaining chocolate whipped cream on top, drizzle with 2 tablespoons ganache and top with a final layer of graham crackers.
• Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over the graham crackers and press gently. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Place the remaining graham crackers (about 1 1/2) in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until finely ground. Set aside. Refrigerate the remaining ganache.
• About 1 hour before serving, preheat the broiler. Warm the reserved ganache in the microwave until pourable. Butter a baking sheet. Cut the remaining 9 marshmallows in half (parallel to the flat sides) and arrange cut-side down on the baking sheet in a tight 3-by-6 rectangle (the marshmallows should be touching). Broil until toasted and bubbling, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let the marshmallows and ganache cool, about 1 hour.
• Invert the cake onto a platter and discard the plastic wrap. Press the reserved graham cracker crumbs onto the sides of the cake. Pour the ganache on top of the cake and spread in a thin layer, letting some drip down the sides. Remove the toasted marshmallows in one piece from the baking sheet with a large metal spatula and place on top of the cake.

S'MORES GRAVEYARD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
• Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, coconut oil, vinegar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the hot water until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan. Invert onto a serving platter or cutting board.
• Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. Sprinkle evenly with the crushed chocolate graham crackers.
• Microwave the marshmallows in a microwave-safe medium bowl until they puff and are soft enough to stir, about 1 minute. Stir in about a 1/4 teaspoon yellow food coloring and 1/4 teaspoon green food coloring.
• Using two forks, pick up a tablespoon-sized blob of the melted marshmallow and stretch it over and around the cake; repeat so that the strings of marshmallow crisscross one another in all directions. Continue until you have what looks like a spiderweb. You can spray your hands with cooking spray and arrange strands once the marshmallow is cool enough to handle. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds to loosen up as needed.
• Decorate the top of the cake with gummy candies and sprinkles.