Gimme "S'more" Cake Recipe

Dear Readers, 

          Per your request...  Try this new twist on a summer bonfire classic.  =)

Gimme "S'more" Cake

Recipe From Taste of Home Magazine

Prep: 50 min          Preheat To: 350

BakeTime: 20 min + cooling          Yield: 12 servings

Cake

1/2c shortening
1/4c butter, softened
1c sugar
3 eggs
1t vanilla
2 3/4c graham cracker crumbs
3t baking powder
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk

Marshmallow Frosting

4 egg whites

1c sugar

1/2t cream of tartar

1 1/2t vanilla 

1 1/2c miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Cake Directions

Line two 9in round baking pans with waxed paper and grease the paper; set aside.  In a large bowl, cream shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine cracker crumbs and baking powder; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

Transfer to prepared pans.  Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Marshmallow Frosting Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar over low heat.  With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute.  Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160, about 8-10 minutes.  Pour into a large bowl; add vanilla.  Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Place a cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 2/3c frosting and sprinkle with half of chips.  Top with remaining cake layer.  Frost top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining chips.

Whitney's Thoughts & Amendments

 Cake: Wouldn't change a thing. Quite possibly the most delicious cake recipe I have ever found!

Marshmallow Frosting: First, the beating part took a lot longer for me, as you read in my previous post.  Perhaps I was doing something wrong, but just FYI.  Second, I thought the frosting tasted more accurately like marshmallows before adding the vanilla and definitely think the recipe calls for too much.  When I make it again I will probably take it down to just 1t vanilla extract, if not only 1/2t.  Also, I got impatient after the incessant beating with my hand mixer and didn't finish all the way.  Definitely finish your beating or you marshmallow frosting will slowly creep down the sides of your cake.  =)  I knew this would be the consequence, but I my impatience won over my desire for the cake to be pretty.  lol

Chocolate Chips: I used way more than called for... let's face it, you can never have too much chocolate in a s'more!  =)

Other Twists: Being the chocolate lover I am, I also thought about icing the delicious graham cracker cake with chocolate frosting and dropping either mini marshmallows or dollops of marshmallow frosting/cream between the cake layers and on top .

Though I will make a few changes next time, all in all this cake was a big hit with this Young family!  =)