Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling & Malted Chocolate Frosting
This year, I resumed my tradition of baking myself a birthday cake. Each year I like to pick an extra-special recipe that I’ve had my eye on and make it sometime around my birthday. Last year, I didn’t make one since I was in Florida and I spent my birthday eating chocolate, playing tennis and having dinner at an open-air restaurant on the Intercoastal. In the spirt of doing a complete 180, this year I’m home in Pittsburgh, watching the snow fall (holy crazy weather!).
In years past for my birthday, I’ve made an Oreo Cheesecake, a Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake and Tiramisu Cupcakes, to name a few. I had originally thought about making some sort of chocolate-peanut butter/peanut butter cup cake this year, but since I gave up peanut butter for Lent, it will have to wait. Then I remembered this amazing “campfire delight cake” that I had seen on Sweetapolita awhile ago, and it seemed like the perfect over-the-top birthday cake candidate. With SIX(!!) layers of rich chocolate cake, a toasted marshmallow filling and a malted chocolate frosting, the cake was an absolute dream. It lived up to the hype and then some, as it is one of the best cakes to ever come out of my kitchen.
Let me tell you, this chocolate cake is intense. The layers are so moist and the flavor is deep and rich, thanks in part to using a high quality Dutch-process cocoa powder and hot coffee to enhance the chocolate.
The toasted marshmallow filling is flat-out genius. Not only is the frosting made with marshmallow cream, but actual toasted marshmallows are added. You get all of the marshmallow flavor along with little bits of toasted marshmallows with every bite. Paired with that chocolate cake recipe, I was pretty sure that things couldn’t get any better…
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Then, along came the chocolate frosting. This is no ordinary chocolate frosting. I discovered the wonderment of using Ovaltine in chocolate frosting when I made brownies with buttercream frosting last year; it adds a malted flavor that is distinct but not overpowering and a perfect accompaniment to the chocolate.
If you want a cake that has some serious wow factor, you must make this cake! Not only is it sky-high and absolutely stunning, but it tastes even better than it looks!
Since it’s my birthday, I’m off to eat another slice of cake :) Cheers!
One year ago: Cinnamon-Sugar Scones
Two years ago: Salted Peanut Chews and Tiramisu Cupcakes
Three years ago: Easy Vanilla Bean Buttercream and Peanut Butter-Fudge Cheesecake
Four years ago: Blueberry Crumb Cake
Five years ago: Caramel-Topped Flan
Six years ago: Oreo Cheesecake
Six-Layer Chocolate Cake with Toasted Marshmallow Filling & Malted Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups (312.5 g) + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (86 g) + 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (355.5 ml) strong black coffee, hot
- ¾ cup (163.5 ml) vegetable oil
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For the Toasted Marshmallow Filling:
- 16 large marshmallows
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 7.5 ounce (212.62 g) Marshmallow Fluff
For the Malted Chocolate Frosting:
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (93.75 g) Ovaltine Classic
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) semisweet or dark chocolate chocolate, melted and cooled
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).
- Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- Make the Toasted Marshmallow Filling: Place the marshmallows on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place on the lowest rack of oven, and broil marshmallows until nice and brown on top, keeping an eye on them the entire time so they don't burn. Remove pan from oven and gently turn the marshmallows over, and broil until the other side is golden brown.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla extract and increase the speed to medium-high; beat for 3 minutes. Stop the mixer, add the Marshmallow Fluff and toasted marshmallows, and mix on the lowest speed for about 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Make the Malted Chocolate Frosting: Beat the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until blended together, about 1 minute. Add the Ovaltine, vanilla and salt, and continue to beat on low until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream and beat on medium-high speed for another minute.
- Assemble the Cake: Slice each cake layer in half horizontally so you have six cake layers. Place your first layer face-up on a cake plate and cover with one-third of the Toasted Marshmallow Frosting. Place another cake layer face-up and cover with about ¾ to 1 cup of Malted Chocolate Frosting. Repeat, alternating marshmallow and chocolate filling layers, until you come to your cake final layer, which you will place face-down. Frost the entire outside of cake with the remaining Malted Chocolate Frosting.
Notes
- Cake is best served the same day it is made, but leftovers can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, well-wrapped, for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute marshmallow creme for the Marshmallow Fluff.
- For the cleanest cake slices, refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes before cutting. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water (and wiped dry) between each cut.
Did you make this recipe?
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I’ve made the marshmallow filling and it is so good! I want to make it again, can I make the filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for one or two days?
Thanks!
Shivana
Hi Shivana, Yes, I think that would be just fine. Enjoy the cake!
Hello.. this cake looks very yummy. Any substitution for the Ovaltine? I don’t think this is something I can find where I live. Also what kind of strong coffee do you recommend? I don’t drink coffee and don’t buy it at all actually (don’t know even any brand) but I will make an exception to use it in this recipe.
Thank you,
Note: I have made a small search and some recommended Horlicks as substitution. They say we can use the same quantity recommended in any given recipe. Any ideas?
Hi Hala, If you have any type of malted drink mix, you can use that in place of the Ovaltine. The brand of coffee doesn’t matter at all – you could get a cup from your local coffee shop if you wanted.
Hi Michelle!
Long time reader, first time writer. Can this be made in a 9 x 13 format, or something else that would be not quite so stacked? I would love to make this for a group of 30 and in the original form I’d have to make 3 or 4!
Hi Charlotte, I am not at all sure how you could make this in a 9×13 pan. This cake is very rich, and if you need to serve 30 people, you could easily make 2 cakes.
Hola, Michelle! I’m looking for a marshmallow frosting that can be used to frost a cake without drying out or getting ridiculously sticky. Do you think this marshmallow filling can be used to ice a cake? This cake looks amazing, by the way! I’ll definitely give it a go at some point. Smiles, Kelly
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tried frosting an entire cake with the marshmallow frosting, so I can’t say for sure. It’s slightly sticky, but not awful. You could do a test run with something small and go from there.
Hi! I have been asked to make this cake for a party, and I was wondering if any of this could be made the day before? Thanks soooo much! This looks amazing!
Hi Tynya, Yes, you can make any of the components ahead of time.
Oh MY … That malted chocolate frosting… I’ve made this three times in as many months now, as layer cakes and cupcakes. The most recent is a gluten-free adaptation for a friend’s birthday tomorrow. Too bad malt always has gluten but even without it’s a sublime sugarfest deserving of birthdays. Stunning concoction, and thanks for sharing it. My waistline is not as grateful though :)
I love your blog!!! You are my go to for all baking recipes, I just made your German Chocolate Cake. It was delicious, thanks for the recipe. I am making a cake for my sister-n-laws birthday and she is a chocaholic. Do you think I could use this cake recipe with chocolate mousse filling and chocolate buttercream frosting? Would that be too much?
Hi Joy, That sounds amazing! A lot of chocolate, but probably a chocoholic’s dream :)
OMG! I made this cake for my bosses birthday and it was a huge hit with everyone in my office! It looked and tasted fabulous – unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of it before it got devoured! Darn! I guess I’ll just have to make it again sometime and remember to take a “before” photo. This recipe is a keeper!
Help! I have made this cake several times using Ovaltine Classic and it’s delicious. However, my stores don’t seem to carry the Classic flavor anymore. They do carry Chocolate Malt flavor though. Can I use that instead, or should I use plain malted milk powder? I want to make this for a dessert contest at work tomorrow!
Hi Megan, I would use regular malted milk powder. So glad you enjoy the cake!
Hey! I need a quick answer, can i replace Ovaltine with icing sugar and cocoa??? :) Is normal dark cocoa good for the cake?
I would just replace the Ovaltine with a malted milk powder if you have it, since the frosting already has powdered sugar and chocolate. Yes, dark cocoa will work for the cake.
The source recipe (http://sweetapolita.com/2011/02/campfire-delight-6-layer-rich-chocolate-malted-toasted-marshmallow-cake/) calls for 1 1/2 T vanilla for the cake, but here it calls for 4 1/2 T. Is this a misprint?
And now I see I cannot read. Teaspoons it is.
My goodness. I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and people were licking the plates – literally. No one cared about manners, it was all about getting every last crumb off the plates. I thought there was going to be a homicide as the last slice disappeared. That toasted marshmallow filling was the best I have ever had in a cake; it was very sweet, but I love sweet. I think I may have over cooked the marshmallows, because they kind of caramelized and were slightly crunchy, like tiny bits of toffee mixed in. Even with the mistake, it tasted AMAZING!!
Just got this out of the oven, baked the mix in a 9″ square tin for about an hour and fifteen minutes…smells yummy! Just wondering if it’s ok to freeze? This is a test run for my daughter’s wedding in ten days time, and I don’t want to be baking the day before the event (will be icing it then tho, usually don’t freeze things iced).
Hi Polly, Yes, you can freeze it. Congratulations to your daughter!
Very late to the party on this recipe, but I followed it from another post on your site. I have to say I have made this cake recipe before, it’s fantastic. I got it from Ina Garten. This recipe is basically just a one and a half replica of her recipe for Beatty’s Chocolate Cake. It is absolutely the greatest chocolate I have ever eaten. I make it with a Marshmallow Fluff frosting and it’s amazing. So so good. Here is her recipe if you want a smaller, two layer version: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe.html
Hi, Julie! Would you mind sharing the recipe you use for the Marshmallow Fluff frosting? Smiles, Kelly
Is there something I can substitute for the Ovaltine? I want to try this cake, but I’m not a fan of the malted flavor.
Hi Kelsey, You could substitute cocoa powder.
My daughter’s third birthday is coming up and I think this would be perfect for her! Happy upcoming birthday by the way!
This is the best cake I have ever made/ eaten in my entire life. I am not exaggerating in the slightest. The only issue I had was the layers sliding. We have ended up with just a huge mess of fallen over pieces of cake contained by our cake holder, just after cutting one piece! Any suggestions on how to avoid that in the future? I used stints as well. Still tastes delicious though.
Hi Lauryn, I didn’t have an issue with anything sliding, but you might want to refrigerate the cake layers (wrapped in plastic wrap) before assembling, and then after frosting to sort of “set” everything if you are having issues.
Is there anybody out there who has used regular cocoa in this? Did it turn out good still? I’m not going to ask if it’s just as good because I know the answer would be no, but I can’t find Dutch process in any of my stores here!! And I just want to make sure it’s not going to be a total waste to make it if I don’t have the Dutch processed. I want to do it for valentines day!
Hello Michelle,
I had started baking the cake on Jan 3rd, but had to leave while the cakes were baking due to a family emergency. Luckily everything turned out ok. The 3 layers turned out really good, but I never got around to frosting and putting them together. So I want to bake it all the way now. I had a question around the size of the marshmallows. The recipe calls for Large marshmallows. I could only find the “Jumbo Mallows” – Extra Large Marshmallows. How many of those you think I should use? Thank you in advance for you reply, I greatly appreciate your taking the time.
Hi Candana, I haven’t used jumbo mallows before, so I have no idea how much bigger they are than “large” marshmallows. I’d use maybe 12 marshmallows instead of the 16. Give or take, it won’t make or break the recipe. Enjoy the cake!
Thank you Michelle, I will let you know for sure how it turns out. This is a great chocolate cake recipe, that can me used for cupcakes also. Do you have a white/yellow cake from scratch recipe that you would recommend. I like really moist “stick to fork” cake. I had found one many years back, but have lost it. Thank you for your reply, it is greatly appreciated.
Hi Chandana, I am currently working on a great yellow cake recipe, so stay tuned!
Looking forward to it! Thank you!
Is it possible to substitute the oil for melted butter?
Hi Mandie, I would not recommend substituting oil for melted butter.
The first time I tried making this, I didn’t wait for the layers to cool like the novice baker I am, so I was forced to turn it into a dirt cake (that everyone still raved over). Fast forward a few months and I gave it another try. I wanted redemption!! I still have to work on having clean even layers by cutting the cake correctly and spreading the fillings evenly, but at least it was a layered cake this time!! The flavors were incredible- you really did think of great ways of making each part of this cake stand out!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! :)
Hi, I am trying this now! Glad you said the batter was thin I thought for sure I had done something wrong. A lot of salt in there too, with 1 1/2 Tablespoons soda and salt as well. I’ve got my fingers crossed, making it for my son’s 18th birthday. He loves chocolate and toasted marshmallows!
Hello,
I would like to server this cake Saturday evening. I was wondering if I could make the cake, Marshmallow filling and Frosting on Friday and then assemble it on Saturday morning?
Thanks,
Chandana
Hi Chandana, Yes, you could definitely do that. Enjoy!
Thank you Michelle .. will surely let you know how it turns out.
I was so thrilled to see this in your top 20 recipes of the year! I made this cake for my daughter’s 16th birthday. Never have I felt so accomplished and it was oh, soooo yummy!
I didn’t know that Original Ovaltine had a malt flavor to it. I have always bought the Chocolate Malted Ovaltine. Do you think it makes a difference as to which one I use? I was considering doing just malted milk and cocoa powder, but wasn’t sure how that would turn out. I want to make this for my daughter’s birthday, she asked me to make her cake this year and wants one with Chocolate and Marshmallow…this cake sounds better than what I was originally planning!
Hi Daphne, I don’t think it makes a difference. If your daughter loves chocolate, then go with the chocolate malted version. Enjoy and happy birthday to her!
My daughter picked out this cake for her 5th birthday party. It was amazing!! I thought the adults would eat the cake and I made super cute peanut butter and chocolate puppy cupcakes for the kids. Wrong. EVERY kid there wanted this cake instead. It was definitely a winner with everyone
i love this recipe. its my go to chocolate cake one now. happy belated birthday. making this cake for my god son birthday. he loves chocolate. its dense enough to be covered in fondant. love it girly :)
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe..huge hit at my company potluck party! I did mess up though, I didn’t cool the melted chocolate down enough in the frosting, so when I added it, instead of it mixing in, it set! So I just had tiny chips of chocolate all through the icing, so I called it “malted chocolate chip frosting” instead, lol, a mistake but I think the texture of it made it even better! It came out great though, so rich, thanks and keep up the great work! :)
Made this cake today and it is one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. Thanks for a great recipe.
Could I make 1 large cake and divide it to fill
Hi Lucy, I don’t think that would work well.