The Best S’Mores Poke Cake Recipe: Gooey Campfire Flavor in Every Bite

The Best S’mores Poke Cake Recipe

If you love the classic campfire treat, this S’mores Poke Cake brings all of that gooey, toasty flavor right into your kitchen. No campfire needed, and no waiting for summer. You can make it any time of year, and it tastes just as good in January as it does in July.

Every layer works together here. There is a buttery graham cracker crust, a moist chocolate cake, a fluffy marshmallow filling piped into poked holes, a rich chocolate layer, whipped cream, and toasted marshmallows on top. It is an easy, no fail dessert that still looks like a showstopper on the dessert table.

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This recipe is adapted from The Best S’mores Poke Cake Recipe at OMG Chocolate Desserts. Whether you are baking for a birthday, a potluck, or a cozy night in, this cake is guaranteed to disappear fast.

Why You’ll Love This S’mores Poke Cake:

This really is the best kind of dessert because it delivers big flavor without complicated baking.

• Classic s’more flavors: gooey marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers in every single bite.
• Three textures at once: creamy, crunchy, and fluffy.
• Starts simple: it begins with a box of chocolate cake mix, then gets elevated with homemade style fillings and toppings.
• Make ahead friendly: perfect for holidays, birthdays, and potlucks, because you can build it ahead and chill it.
• Beginner friendly: if you can stir, spread, and poke holes, you can make this cake.

The best part is that you can put it together a day ahead, which means far less stress on the day you are hosting.

How to Make the Best S’mores Poke Cake

You do not need any special baking skills for this one. If you can bake a box cake, you can absolutely make this poke cake, and it will still taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.

The ingredient list is short and mostly pantry friendly: chocolate cake mix, graham crackers, marshmallow fluff, mini marshmallows, and chocolate pudding that gets upgraded with butter and milk chocolate. That upgrade is what takes this dessert from good to unforgettable.

Everything comes together in one 9 by 13 inch baking dish. That means easy storage, easy transport to potlucks and parties, and easy slicing when it is time to serve. There is no stacking of cake layers, no leveling a cake, and no fussing over fillings and frosting.

The graham cracker crust goes into the fridge while you mix the cake batter. That short chill keeps the crust firm and makes it much easier to spread the batter on top.

Here is how the layers stack up:

The whole process is simple. Press a crust, bake a cake on top of it, poke holes, fill them with marshmallow, pour on the chocolate layer, chill, and finish with whipped cream and toasted marshmallows. The fridge does most of the waiting for you, and the finished cake slices cleanly into 12 to 16 servings.

Ingredients for S’mores Poke Cake

This recipe makes 12 to 16 servings and uses a total time of 1 hour 30 minutes, with 1 hour of prep time and 30 minutes of cook time. Here is everything you need, divided by component so it is easy to shop and easy to follow.

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Chocolate Cake:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix, plus the ingredients listed on the box

For the Marshmallow Filling:

• 1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
• 2 Tablespoons hot water

For the Chocolate Filling:

• 1 (3.9 oz.) box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups milk, room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped

For the Topping:

• 2 cups whipped cream
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup graham cracker chunks
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces, or milk chocolate chips
• Chocolate topping or hot fudge sauce for drizzling, optional

A few quick notes before you shop. The cake mix is the shortcut that keeps this dessert easy, so just check the box for the extra ingredients you need to add.

The milk is listed at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge a little before you start. The chocolate topping or hot fudge sauce is optional, so drizzle it on or leave it off.

Step by Step Instructions

Work through these steps in order and the cake practically builds itself. Each component is simple on its own, and they all come together in one dish.

1. Prep the dish. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish and set it aside.
2. Make the crust. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together, then press the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Place it in the fridge while you mix the cake.
3. Mix the cake. Prepare the cake batter as listed on the box.
4. Bake. Pour the batter over the chilled crust, smooth the top, and bake according to the box instructions.
5. Poke the holes. When the cake is baked and slightly cooled, about 5 to 10 minutes, poke holes all over it with the handle of a wooden spoon. Do not poke all the way to the bottom. Go about two thirds of the way down.
6. Fill with marshmallow. Stir the marshmallow fluff with the hot water to thin it slightly. Transfer it into a Ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and pipe it into the holes.
7. Melt the chocolate. Melt the chopped chocolate and butter together, stir to combine, then set the mixture aside.
8. Make the chocolate filling. Whisk the pudding mix with the milk just to combine. Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, then pour it over the cake.
9. Chill. Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours, until fully set.
10. Add the toppings. Spread the whipped cream on top and sprinkle with the mini marshmallows. If you have a kitchen torch, use it to lightly toast the marshmallows.
11. Finish. Sprinkle with graham cracker chunks and chocolate chunks or chips. Finally, drizzle with chocolate topping.

A note on the poking step: stopping about two thirds of the way down keeps the crust and the bottom of the cake intact, so your slices hold together when you serve them.

A note on baking: the cake bakes according to the directions on the box, so follow the temperature and the bake time printed there for your specific cake mix.

How to Toast Mini Marshmallows Without a Kitchen Torch

You can still get that campfire look without any special equipment. All you need is your oven and a few seconds of attention.

1. Arrange the mini marshmallows in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
2. Place them under the broiler for just a few seconds.
3. Watch them closely, because they toast very fast, usually in 15 to 30 seconds.
4. When the tops are golden brown, let them cool for about a minute.
5. Gently lift them off the paper and use them to top the S’mores Poke Cake.

Fresh, sticky marshmallows can melt and glue themselves to the parchment paper. Slightly stale marshmallows hold their shape better and release easily once they cool, so if yours have been sitting in the pantry for a while, this is the perfect job for them.

If you do have a kitchen torch, you can skip the broiler completely and toast the mini marshmallows right on top of the chilled cake instead. Both routes give you that warm, toasty finish.

Broilers work in seconds, not minutes. Stay right at the oven door the whole time so the marshmallows toast instead of burn.

Storage and Make Ahead Tips

Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator, where it stays fresh for 3 to 5 days. It is a wonderful make ahead dessert for parties, and the flavor gets richer after a night in the fridge.

Because it is made in a single dish and served chilled, it travels well too. Cover it tightly, keep it cold on the way, and it is ready to serve as soon as you arrive. If you want the topping at its crunchiest, add the graham cracker chunks and the chocolate right before serving.

Variations and Serving Ideas

Once you have the base recipe down, it is easy to change things up for the season or for your crowd.

• Holiday version: decorate with red and green mini marshmallows, M&M’s, or crushed peppermint bark for Christmas.
• Individual servings: if you would rather serve single portions instead of slicing a whole cake, try the S’mores Cupcakes Recipe.
• Peanut butter twist: drizzle melted peanut butter in place of the fudge sauce and add chopped Reese’s candies.

If you love poke cakes, you will want to try this Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake or this Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake. Both use the same easy poke cake method, so once you have made one, you will be hooked. Serve this s’mores version chilled, straight from the fridge, and watch it disappear fast.

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The Best S’mores Poke Cake Recipe

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• Total Time: 90 min
• Yield: 12–16 1x

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Description

The Best S’mores Poke Cake Recipe If you love the classic campfire treat, this S’mores Poke Cake brings all of that gooey, toasty flavor right into your kitchen. No campfire needed, and no waiting for summer.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Graham Cracker Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Chocolate Cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients listed on the box

For the Marshmallow Filling:
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow fluff
2 Tablespoons hot water

For the Chocolate Filling:
1 (3.9 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk, room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter
5 oz. milk chocolate, finely chopped

For the Topping:
2 cups whipped cream
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup graham cracker chunks
1/4 cup milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces or milk chocolate chips
Chocolate topping or hot fudge sauce for drizzling

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Instructions

Prepare the crust:
1-Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
2-Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted: Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter, then press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place in the fridge while mixing the cake.

Chocolate Cake:
3-Prepare the cake as listed on the: Prepare the cake as listed on the box. Pour the batter over the crust, smooth the top, and bake according to the box instructions.
4-When the cake is baked and slightly: When the cake is baked and slightly cooled (5-10 minutes), poke holes all over the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Do not poke all the way to the bottom, just about 2/3 of the height.

Marshmallow Filling:
5-Stir marshmallow fluff with hot water to: Stir marshmallow fluff with hot water to thin it slightly. Transfer into a Ziploc bag, cut off the corner, and pipe it into the holes.

Chocolate Filling:
6-Melt chopped chocolate and butter, stir to: Melt chopped chocolate and butter, stir to combine, then set aside.
7-Whisk pudding mix with milk, just to: Whisk pudding mix with milk, just to combine, then stir in melted chocolate mixture, and pour over the cake.
8-Chill: Chill: Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until fully set.

Add Toppings:
9-Spread whipped cream on top, and sprinkle: Spread whipped cream on top, and sprinkle with mini marshmallows. If you have a kitchen torch, use it to slightly toast the mini marshmallows.
10-Sprinkle with graham cracker chunks and chocolate: Sprinkle with graham cracker chunks and chocolate chunks or chips. Finally, drizzle with chocolate topping.

• Prep Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: bake

Keywords: The Best S’Mores Poke Cake Recipe