The best part of a s'more is the roasted and toasted marshmallow. Just think – without it, you'd have a sad pile of graham crackers and unmelted chocolate. But add a roasted marshmallow—with its slight smokiness and caramelized exterior that gives way to melted marshmallow gum—and suddenly this campfire dessert becomes more than the sum of its parts. Of course, then, any s'mores-inspired dessert should include a toasted marshmallow, like our new Icebox S'mores Cake.
Senior recipe developer Molly Marzalek-Kelly knew this more icebox-inspired cake needed all three elements of a classic s'more: graham cracker, chocolate and toasted marshmallows. After lowering the prescriptions for graham cracker AND hot fudge sauceshe turned her attention to the marshmallow.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Development journey
Molly's first thought was to spread the layers of graham crackers and hot fudge Homemade Marshmallow Spreadbut the results were too sweet and tasters missed the whipped cream that usually encases an icebox cake.
Molly then tried to whip the same marshmallow spread into whipped cream. As she explains, “The result was a wonderful whipped cream that tasted … nothing like marshmallows.” Molly tried to enhance the marshmallow flavor by using Marshmallow Fluff (also known as marshmallow cream), but the mixture was too loose: it separated from the ice cake layers after it was sliced. More importantly, it still lacked the caramelized flavor of a roasted marshmallow.
The experiments continued: Why not highlight the Marshmallow Fluff under the chicken? (It was a hot, sticky mess.) How about toasting the marshmallows with a baker's torch and folding them in? (Very few people have this piece of special equipment on hand.)
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
The winning solution: Mini marshmallows are baked until golden brown and charred into spots, then whipped into cream. Why mini? Because mini marshmallows have more surface area than full-sized marshmallows, they take on a toastier flavor and are easier to incorporate into whipped cream.
The marshmallow whipped cream is a gorgeous golden color with bits of burnt marshmallow running through it. It also has a nostalgic but complex depth of flavor. It's sweet, but that sweetness is balanced by the slightly bitter caramelized bits. Just one dollop can make an instant impact on any dessert you're serving.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Temperature matters
A tip for success: You need to let the boiled marshmallows cool to the right temperature before adding them to the whipped cream. If they get too cold, they start to harden and won't spread through the whipped cream. If they are too hot, they will melt the cream and the mixture will become too soupy to whip. They should be cool enough to handle before folding into the whipped cream.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
Beyond the icing cake
While this baked marshmallow frosting shines as a centerpiece in S'mores Icebox Cake, it can (and should!) be used in other desserts. Switch it up with whipped cream whenever your desserts could use some campfire smoky flavor. Start with a dollop atop a classic hot barrel, then branch out and try these recipes:
Bring on the campfire with more inspired cakes like ours S'more Granola Bars, S'more CupcakesAND Mini S'more Desserts.
Cover picture (Icebox S'mores Cake) by Liz Neily.
