Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling
This Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling is heavenly, decadent, moist chocolate cake! Filled with a toasted marshmallow buttercream frosting, this is an extraordinary cake for special occasions. (*Pictures updated June 2018*)
Celebrations always call for chocolate. I made this cake last weekend for a dear friend who just landed her dream job!!!… in San Diego :(. And there is no better way to say “I am so happy for you” and “I’m going to terribly miss you” than a super moist chocolate cake.
Did I mention this friend of mine was the one who introduced me to baking?? Yeah, I made my first cake in her kitchen using her Kitchenaid and baking supplies. She was so kind and laughed gently as I sprayed the cake pan and splattered PAM all over my face and her counter :). I am very grateful!!
This cake first caught my attention on Sweetapolita’s recipe index a year ago, and recently, Brown Eyed Baker recreated it for her birthday. I knew I had to try it, and this occasion was a perfect time. I needed a WOW cake and this chocolate marshmallow filled chocolate layer cake delivered!
Let’s discuss the toasted marshmallow filled chocolate layer cake.
It’s six-layers of very rich chocolate cake enriched with hot coffee which makes for a moist cake. Then, the cake is filled with a toasted marshmallow frosting made with crunchy toasted marshmallows, butter, and marshmallow cream. Such goodness!! The malted flavor in the chocolate frosting was achieved by adding Ovaltine (who knew???) and it complimented the chocolate so well.
This is the best cake I have made so far!!!
And I am glad it was for this occasion. I am so happy for my friend and so proud of her great achievement. There is no doubt, I will miss her and her baby so much, but on the bright side, I now have San Diego on my vacation list and can’t wait to visit!
Here’s the recipe for this epic six-layer chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow filling. Enjoy!
Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling
A spectacular six-layer chocolate cake with toasted marshmallow filling and malted chocolate frosting that will be perfect for any celebration.
Ingredients
For Chocolate Cake:
- 2 ½ cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon Cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups strong black coffee, hot
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons vanilla extract
For the Toasted Marshmallow Filling:
- 16 large white marshmallows
- 1 cup powdered confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
- 7.5 ounces Marshmallow Fluff
For the Malted Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 pound unsalted butter (4 sticks), at room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¾ cup Ovaltine Classic (brown in color)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 8 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate, melted and cooled (I used a combination of both)
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease parchment and set aside.
- Sift together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients using a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the wet ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix for an additional minute on medium speed.
- The batter will be thin. Divide evenly among the baking pans. (I measured the batter by the cup to ensure equal layers of cake.
- Bake for 20 minutes and rotate pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 12 more minutes.
- Cool cakes in pan on wire racks for 20 minutes. Gently invert onto rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, you could start on the filling and frosting.
For the Toasted Marshmallow Filling:
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the marshmallows on the lined sheet and place on the lowest rack of the oven.
- Broil marshmallows until brown, about 30-60 seconds. Keep an eye on them as they burn really fast.
- Remove pan from oven and turn the marshmallows over.
- Broil until golden brown, another 30-60 seconds.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and icing sugar on low until combined, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Add the marshmallow fluff and toasted marshmallows and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute, just until combined.
For the Malted Chocolate Frosting
- Beat the icing sugar and butter on low speed for about 1 minute in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the malt powder, vanilla, and salt and beat on low speed for about 2 minutes until well combined.
- Pour in the cooled chocolate and beat for additional 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth.
- Add whipping cream and beat on medium-high for an additional minute or two.
Assembling the Cake:
- Slice each cake in half horizontally to yield six cake layers. You can use a serrated knife or a cake leveler.
- On a cake stand or 8-inch cake board, place the first layer face-up and cover with a third of the toasted marshmallow filling. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with malted chocolate frosting.
- Repeat until you come to your final layer, which you will place face-down.
- Frost the entire outside of cake with a thin layer ‘crumb coat’ of frosting. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost with remaining frosting to create a smooth finish. Decorate and style as desired.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the marshmallows on the lined sheet and place on the lowest rack of the oven.
- Broil marshmallows until brown, about 30-60 seconds. Keep an eye on them as they burn really fast.
- Remove pan from oven and turn the marshmallows over.
- Broil until golden brown, another 30-60 seconds.
- In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and icing sugar on low until combined, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Add the marshmallow fluff and toasted marshmallows and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute, just until combined.
For the Malted Chocolate Frosting
- Beat the icing sugar and butter on low speed for about 1 minute in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the malt powder, vanilla, and salt and beat on low speed for about 2 minutes until well combined.
- Pour in the cooled chocolate and beat for additional 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth.
- Add whipping cream and beat on medium-high for an additional minute or two.
Assembling the Cake:
- Slice each cake in half horizontally to yield six cake layers. You can use a serrated knife or a cake leveler.
- On a cake stand or 8-inch cake board, place the first layer face-up and cover with a third of the toasted marshmallow filling. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with malted chocolate frosting.
- Repeat until you come to your final layer, which you will place face-down.
- Frost the entire outside of cake with a thin layer ‘crumb coat’ of frosting. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost with remaining frosting to create a smooth finish. Decorate and style as desired.
- Slice each cake in half horizontally to yield six cake layers. You can use a serrated knife or a cake leveler.
- On a cake stand or 8-inch cake board, place the first layer face-up and cover with a third of the toasted marshmallow filling. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with malted chocolate frosting.
- Repeat until you come to your final layer, which you will place face-down.
- Frost the entire outside of cake with a thin layer ‘crumb coat’ of frosting. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Frost with remaining frosting to create a smooth finish. Decorate and style as desired.
Can I use a dutch processed cocoa in this. I know your recipe just says cocoa but looking at sweetapolita & brown eyed baker’s recipe they used it. I want to make these in cupcakes and don’t want to ruin them 🙂 I am new to your blog and love your ideas, can’t wait to try more of them.
Yes, dutch cocoa is just fine here!! So glad you found my blog. I can tell you are a sweet lover too 🙂 Let me know how the cupcakes turn out.
Hi, I remember making this last year and for those who were lucky enough to get a piece, were not disappointed. It was absolutely delicious. I need to make another cake soon and was excited to find this recipe again. Although I would like to use a larger cake tin 9 1/2 inch (24cm) instead of 8 inch. Is it just a matter of keeping the same measurements for ingredients and increasing the time left in the oven, if so do you know for how long? If you can help I would really appreciate it. Thanks
Hi Pat! Yes, I would keep the cake measurements the same and bake in the 9-inch cake pans. Divide equally into the 2 or 3 cake pans. Bake a little longer than the times above, probably about 5-10mins longer. But I would check it every 2-3 minutes after the 20 minutes mark.
Can I use a dutch process cocoa in this. I know your recipe just says cocoa but looking at sweetapolita & brown eyed baker’s recipe they used it. I want to make these in cupcakes and don’t want to ruin them 🙂 I am new to your blog and love your ideas, can’t wait to try more of them.
This is hands down the best chocolate cake recipe EVER!!!! It also holds up wonderfully for decorating!
Thank you! And I am glad you enjoyed it.
OMG!!!!! This is soooo good. The cake was moist even after 3 days I still felt like it just came right out of the oven. The sugar level was perfect especially after covering it with buttercream and fondant it wasn’t too sweet. I was wondering if I could use this recipe for cupcakes.
I am so glad you loved this cake. It is one of my favorites! I believe you can use the cake batter for cupcakes…just make sure you bake the cupcakes for 10-12 minutes and check them to see how they are baking. The filling and frosting will be great for cupcakes too. Thanks for coming back and sharing the results 🙂
I absolutely love the look of the recipe! Do you use medium sized eggs or large? 🙂
Hi Zoe, thanks! I always use large eggs.
You’re such a sweet friend! This cake speaks a lot to what I love – chocolate, toasted marshmallows, and of course cake 😀
Thank you Carla!
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OMG!!!! I love love love this cake… and I love Chocolate cake. You are amazing at cake layers. Mine start to resemble the leaning tower of Pisa 🙂
Michelle, this is a great chocolate cake recipe if you are a chocolate lover!! Try it next time you need a rich chocolatey fix. I find that leveling the cakes before stacking help them not wobble too much but I’m still trying to figure out how to keep them leveled all around lol!
Oh my this looks amazing! I love Sweetapolita’s cakes and this is a perfect adaption of one beautifullt finished! Yum!
WoW! This cake looks like a lot of work 🙂 It looks good, actually good is not even a right word, it looks better than good 🙂
Thanks! It was fun to stack the layers that high but I was scared it would crash lol!
This is totally insane in all the good ways!
The cake tasted even better than it looks 😉