This 7 ingredient no bake s’mores icebox cake has 14 delicious layers! The marshmallow meringue comes together quickly on the stovetop, the chocolate ganache is only 2 ingredients, and the graham crackers provide necessary structure. Layer everything together in a square baking pan and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
I’ve had “s’mores cake” on my baking bucket list for awhile. I envisioned 3 brown sugar cakey layers enveloped with milk chocolate frosting and marshmallow-y meringue topping. Toasted, of course.
Only I completely switched directions in favor of something easier with 14 layers of No Bake S’mores Cake. I saw something like this on Tasty, so I used that as inspiration. I made the marshmallow layer using homemade marshmallow creme. The chocolate is chocolate ganache. I stuck the whole thing in the refrigerator, crossed my fingers, and waited what seemed like a lifetime. It worked!!
14 Layer No Bake S’mores Cake
This no bake s’mores cake has 14 layers:
- 6 layers of graham crackers
- 5 layers of homemade marshmallow creme (marshmallow meringue)
- 3 layers of chocolate ganache
You only need 7 ingredients to prepare this dessert recipe, and that includes the ingredients for the marshmallow meringue and the ganache!
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Did you know you only need 2 ingredients to make rich, velvety, smooth chocolate ganache? To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream until warm and pour over chopped chocolate. Use pure chocolate. You know the 4 ounce bars you buy in the baking aisle? I like Baker’s, Ghirardelli, Nestle Toll House, or Lindt baking bars. Chop the chocolate into super tiny pieces. The smaller the pieces, the quicker and easier they’ll melt to create the ganache. Do not use chocolate chips. They contain stabilizers which prevent them from melting properly. They’re great for chocolate chip cookies, but not ideal for smooth ganache.
Tip on chopping chocolate: Use a serrated knife to chop chocolate.
Let the warm heavy cream and chocolate sit in the bowl for a few minutes, then stir together. It will seem too liquid-y at first, but it will come together as you continue to stir. Set the ganache aside as you prepare the marshmallow.
How to Make Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Meringue)
This is a simple 4 ingredient mixture cooked on the stovetop, then beaten into stiff peaks. It’s similar to Swiss Meringue Buttercream, only without the actual buttercream. It tastes like marshmallow fluff—but better because it’s completely homemade. You can watch me make it in the video below. And if you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you’ve seen it many times before:
- Brownie baked Alaska
- S’mores brownie cupcakes
- Ultimate birthday cupcakes
- Chocolate mousse pie
- Peanut butter hi-hat cupcakes
- S’mores tartlets
So hopefully you’ve had some practice up to this point! Whisk egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar together in a double boiler or heat-proof bowl over a small pot. You can use the stainless steel bowl that comes with your stand mixer. (You need your stand mixer for whipping anyway.)
- What’s the cream of tartar for? The cream of tartar is imperative. It stabilizes the egg whites and helps the meringue whip into stiff peaks. Once the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar are gently cooked, remove from heat, add some vanilla extract, and begin whipping.
- The real trick: Whipping is where the magic happens. The mixture will go from thin liquid to as voluminous as my hair on a humid day. But much prettier and appealing. While the structure of the marshmallow meringue is stiff, the texture is soft, gooey, and sticky. The best part of marshmallow!
Graham Cracker Layers
The graham crackers are the structure of the entire cake. You need a little over 1 standard box, about 30-36 graham crackers. There are 6 layers of graham crackers, so about 5-6 graham crackers are used for each layer. As the cake sets up in the refrigerator, the graham crackers soften. They’re chewy and tender, not crunchy in the slightest! Remember my berry icebox cake? Just like that.
Video: Assembling No Bake S’mores Cake
A layer of graham crackers lies between each layer of either marshmallow creme or chocolate ganache. You’ll finish with a layer of chocolate ganache before refrigerating for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. This is the best make-ahead cake for the summertime because it literally needs to be made ahead.
Toasted Marshmallow Topping
In the recipe and video, you can read and see that I reserve some marshmallow creme for the topping. Why? This type of meringue breaks down overtime when exposed to even the smallest crack of air. (The layers inside the cake are fine, don’t worry.) We want a creamy, fluffy, soft top so that’s why I recommend reserving about 1 heaping cup of marshmallow creme for the topping. Cover and refrigerate it separately from the cake. When ready to serve the cake, give the topping a little whisk to reincorporate some air, then spread all over the top.
Do you have a kitchen torch? (Affiliate link—that one is my favorite.) Break it out again and toast the marshmallow topping. If you don’t have one, they’re surprisingly inexpensive. If you’re not in the market for one or don’t feel like using yours, no worries. The cake is literally a 14 layer s’more so it will taste good with or without a toasted topping.
Do not attempt to toast the topping in the oven; the entire cake will melt.
No bake s’mores cake, including preparing the ganache and marshmallow creme, took me about 1 hour to assemble. Most of the work is hands-off in the refrigerator. Grab your kids or a friend to help break up those graham crackers and they’ll surely be entertained as you torch the topping!
More S’mores Recipes
- S’mores Brownie Pie
- Marshmallow-filled S’mores Cupcakes
- S’mores Puppy Chow (an oldie but goodie!)
- Toasted S’more Chocolate Chip Cookies
- S’mores Tartlets
- S’mores Rice Krispie Treats
For more summer dessert inspiration, see my roundups of favorite Memorial Day recipes, 4th of July Desserts, and BBQ cookout dessert recipes.
No Bake S’mores Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 13 hours, 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Layering
- Cuisine: American
Description
This 7 ingredient no bake s’mores cake has 14 delicious layers! Layer everything together in a square baking pan and chill in the refrigerator overnight. When you’re ready to serve, torch the marshmallow topping—campfire style!
Ingredients
- three 4-ounce bars (339g) semi-sweet or milk chocolate, finely chopped*
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 30–36 full-sheet graham crackers (a little over 1 standard box)
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square baking pan or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the cake out (makes cutting and serving possible!). Set aside.
- Make the ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Cover and refrigerate as you make the meringue. Ganache can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before using.
- Make the marshmallow meringue: Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with two inches of simmering water. Do not let it touch the water. (You can use a double boiler if you have one.) Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture has thinned out, about 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, then using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on high speed for 5-6 minutes until stiff glossy peaks form. Remove 1 heaping cup (just eyeball it), cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. This will be the topping.
- Assemble the cake: If the marshmallow meringue and ganache are still slightly warm as you assemble the cake, that’s ok. Spread a super thin layer of marshmallow meringue on the bottom of the pan. Doesn’t need to be even or perfect; it’s just so the graham cracker base has something to stick to. Do the best you can with the marshmallow meringue because it’s sticky. Spread it slowly. Top with a layer of graham crackers. You’ll need to break them apart to evenly arrange them; see my video below for a visual. Top with a layer of marshmallow meringue, then another layer of graham crackers, then a layer of chocolate ganache, then a layer of graham crackers, then another layer of marshmallow meringue. Repeat for a total of 6 layers of graham crackers, 4 layers of marshmallow meringue (including the thin bottom layer), and 3 layers of chocolate ganache. The top layer will be chocolate for now. Layers listed out: super thin marshmallow meringue, graham crackers, marshmallow meringue, graham crackers, chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallow meringue, graham crackers, chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallow meringue, graham crackers, chocolate.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
- Remove reserved marshmallow meringue from the refrigerator. If it seems deflated, whip it with a fork or whisk a few times.
- Remove cake from the refrigerator, then remove from the pan using the overhang on the sides. Peel off the parchment paper (or don’t—if you trust yourself torching the top without the paper lighting up!) and place onto a heat-proof serving platter or cutting board. Spread marshmallow meringue on top. Use a spoon to create peaks and swirls. Serve immediately OR torch it with a kitchen torch and serve immediately OR loosely cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour before torching/serving.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 2 days. Topping may begin to wilt.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Ganache can be prepared ahead of time. See step 2. Entire cake (without top layer of marshmallow meringue topping applied) can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 days. To freeze: prepare only enough marshmallow meringue for the layers inside the cake. This would be 4 egg whites, 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Assemble cake as instructed in step 4. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Prepare the marshmallow meringue topping: 2 egg whites, 1/2 cup (100g granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Continue with step 7.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 8-inch Square Baking Pan or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Double Boiler | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Offset Spatula | Kitchen Torch
- Marshmallow Meringue: The marshmallow meringue will break down overtime. (The layers inside the cake are fine!) We want it fluffy on top, so that’s why I recommend separating the top layer (1 heaping cup) in step 3 and gently whipping it with a fork or whisk in step 6 before adding to the top of the cake.
- Non-US Readers: Use digestive biscuits instead of graham crackers. I’m unsure exactly how many.
- What to Do with Leftover Egg Yolks? Here are recipes using only egg yolks. I recommend lemon curd!
- What to Do with Extra Graham Crackers? Here are recipes using graham crackers and graham cracker crumbs.
Inspired by Tasty
Reader Comments and Reviews
I love to bake, I bake every week (often from Sally’s website!) but this was a total disaster. The recipe said you could use milk chocolate bars so I splurged on some expensive Lindt milk chocolate as it was for my sister’s birthday, however as others have experienced my ganache was extremely thin and did not set up – even after chilled. So, I went back to the store for bakers brand semi-sweet. Sadly while I remade the ganache the marshmallow deflated so I tried to re-whip but it never came back to its original glory. Then it came time to assemble…and there was no guidance on how much of each item to put in each layer and the layers were so hard to follow. I ended up with a lot of marshmallow and ganache left. The crackers were sliding around while spreading…it really was a disaster . I’ll serve it tomorrow but I think it will be an epic fail.
I was a little intimidated by this but gave it a shot. It was great – really rich but great. Idk if I did something different but it definitely did not fit in an 8×8 or even a 9×9. Easily could have filled a 9×13.
The ganache was so beautiful and simple. I don’t care for marshmallow cream but this is an entirely different animal! It was so good!
Anyway, I made it for my son in law for his birthday because s’mores is one of his favorite flavors. He suggested next time cut some of the chocolate to reduce the richness, perhaps down to just one layer.
Hi. I made this once and it was a hit! Very yummy. Can I use lemon curd instead of the chocolate ganache?
We haven’t tested that – let us know if you do!
Do you know if there’s such a thing as milk chocolate bars for baking? I would prefer milk chocolate over semi sweet, but I can’t seem to find them.
Hi Grandma! They are out there, but they’re not as easy to find in the stores. Ghirardelli does make them, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever come across them in my regular grocery stores, and Baker’s does too, and those are labeled “German sweet chocolate.” If you are able to get to a Trader Joe’s, they sell large “Pound Plus” chocolate baking bars and those do come in milk. You could try using milk chocolate chips instead, if that’s all you can find. Hope this helps!
The first time I attempted the marshmallow meringue failed so I gave it 1 star. The next time I made it, all went perfectly. Note, the results improve with longer chilling as my family said it was good after 12 hours, but great the next night and even better the following night. Patience with chilling yields perfection!
(And never spray PAM type sprays to avoid meringue sticking to equipment – it will cause your meringue to fail!!)
Is there a substitute for cream of tartar that works well?
Hi Jenny, Unfortunately, cream of tartar is an imperative ingredient. Lemon juice can work as a substitution in some recipes, but it doesn’t work as well here.
I used full-size digestive biscuits and this was the progression: four whole ones in the bottom +2 broke in half along the sides, the next later used six in the same way plus an extra half nestled in, the third layer used seven with three cut in half to fill the edges, etc. I used thicker filling and less digestive biscuit layers as per my son’s preference, so I didn’t need a full 355g package. Wish I could attach pictures, but hopefully you get the idea. Hope this helps someone!
I made this for a summer BBQ. It was delicious and everyone loved it. I used carton egg whites and they worked fine. It was surprisingly easy to make the marshmallow fluff. Will make again.
Can you use actual marshmallows for the creme filling? Like melting them? And would Hershey bars work for ganache?
Hi Ellen, you can give this a try with store bought fluff or marshmallows, but those layer may be quite a bit stickier / tackier than using the homemade version. Let us know if you give it a try.
This is a great recipe! I made it for a 4th of July party and everyone loved it!! The meringue and ganache were easy to make and the cake assembly was fun! My only problem was removing it from the pan after refrigerating. I used a disposable 8 inch dish and could not lift the cake out of the pan for serving. Next time l try a glass dish.
Good flavors, but I wish the crackers had softened a bit more. I think next time I will use fewer graham layers so there is a bit more filling between. And I did milk chocolate and would use semisweet next time so the ganache set up better. Fun recipe and the marshmallow meringue was tasty.
Note: it did soften more and was better after another day in the fridge.
I just made this. I haven’t eaten it yet. But the marshmallow fluff is to die for. I will never buy fluff in a jar. My ganache was very runny though even with refrigeration. Next time I will try less heavy cream. Also maybe I made my layers of fluff too thin bc I had enough to do a half metal tray!
We made this as part of the monthly baking challenge. It was very easy to make and the kids (7 & 11) loved helping with building the layers. The cake had a taste very similar to s’mores and looks beautiful. I had my doubts about making both a ganache and meringue, but both were very easy! We ended up with extra ganache and meringue and our 8×8″ pan was full to the very top. Unfortunately the cake was not a favorite of the kids or myself. If we make an icebox cake again, we would try one of the other flavors from Sally’s.
This has been on my “to bake” list for a while. I’m glad it came up as an alternative baking challenge recipe just in time for my husband’s birthday. The recipe instructions were easy to follow – I love how the layers were listed out to keep track! I won’t get to taste it until tomorrow, but the ganache and marshmallow came together beautifully and tasted great on their own.
This was so yummy! I halved the recipe and it was great, except that i used too many graham crackers. I’ll be more mindful of how many layers I’m doing next time and probably go with an even smaller dish.
I halved the recipe and assembled in a smaller container. I used carton egg whites and they worked just fine. We were a little impatient and sampled after 7ish hours. It was really tasty, but the graham crackers weren’t all the way softened so it was difficult to cut. Then we were busy the next day and didn’t get to the leftovers until the following day. By then the meringue texture wasn’t as nice, so I think the 24 hour mark is definitely the sweet spot for this dessert.
What’s the measuring equivalent to 6 egg whites? Would rather buy a carton of just whites and use that than waste yolk!
Hi Eloise, we haven’t tried the marshmallow Swiss meringue with carton egg whites, so we’re unsure of the result. The carton should include the measurements for you. Let us know if you try it!
Eloise, the lemon curd that Sally recommends for the egg yolks is delicious, so no waste, if you like lemon.
Truly amazing! Another SBA perfection.
Wish I could get graham crackers in Australia so I could try looks amazing xx
Can this recipe be halved for a smaller cake ?
Hi Joe, Yes, that should be fine. Enjoy!
First of all, this was a huge hit! Everyone loved it. I will say though the time estimates in the recipe seemed way too short. This took me about an hour and a half to get everything made and assembled. The reserved merengue for the topping also was super runny when I put it on the top after chilling for about 20 hours. I’m hoping next time it will go a little faster.
It was a fun showstopper dessert for a summer night. Love any reason to blowtorch meringue!
This recipe was so fun and delicious! It also looks very impressive. I think I’ll make the marshmallow fluff again by itself, but I will definitely make the recipe again.
We had to whip the frosting for like 10 min longer for some reason to get it to peak… also some of the wording in the recipe about torching or not torching was a bit confusing but all good. Also the spatula is mentioned in tools but not in the recipe… Otherwise it tasted good.
Easy to assemble, tastes exactly like s’mores!
This recipe provided a fun learning experience, and the results were delicious!
can I serve this after 6 hours? if not, why? why 12 hours?
Hi Estie, refrigerating for 12 hours will sufficiently and evenly chill and set the cake.
This recipe turned put so yummy. My family loves it! There’s a bit to it but definitely doable. The finished product is reminiscent of a Napoleon with all of the layers and the graham crackers acting as the pastry.
If using milk chocolate should it be baking chocolate or can it be like a herseys bar?
Hi Mya, pure baking chocolate is best so that the ganache melts and then thickens properly.
This was so simple and easy to make. It’s delicious and the perfect dessert for summer!