Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake is to die for. Really. This gooey, chocolatey, marshmallow cake is absolutely divine! The cake itself is chocolate. Almost like a Red Velvet Cake. Then it has a caramel praline-type filling. It’s topped with a homemade marshmallow creme frosting. It’s sprinkled with chocolate shavings from a grated Hershey’s chocolate bar. Oh my. This over the top dessert is rich, decadent and so, so drool worthy!
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What’s not to love! You get your chocolate fix, praline or toffee fix, and marshmallow fix all in one dessert! Seriously, this is one of the best chocolate cakes you’ll ever eat. I will say, this is not the easiest recipe on the block, but it sure is delicious. It’s terrific for company and holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. I also like it for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
I first tried this recipe back in the late 1970s. I was a novice cook but the picture looked so heavenly. It’s actually a lot of steps for a brand new cook, but this cake is worth it. The cake is rich and chocolaty. That toffee-tasting praline layer in the middle makes it exceptional. The Marshmallow Frosting makes it outrageous! 🙂
This excellent Betty Crocker recipe uses one of the old-fashioned 7-minute icing recipes on top. Although mine took closer to 15 minutes to finish. You cook it on top of the stove. You also beat it with an electric mixer the whole time. So get ready to use those arm muscles holding up the mixer for that long. This vintage frosting was really popular in the 1950s and 1960s before the invention of Cool Whip.
It’s a pretty cake as well as tasting marvelous. For those who love chocolate, Marshmallow Fluff and a little bit of pralines thrown into the mix, this recipe is a fantastic find. I hope you’ll try it sometime.
I initially posted this recipe right after I started my blog in June 2012. I remade the recipe a year later, but my pictures still weren’t all that great. I recently remade this fantastic dessert for our Friday night care group (March 2019). Without exception everyone raved over it. I had a little left over and served it to our college group the following Sunday. They enjoyed this delectable Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake as well. While this isn’t the easiest cake to make, it certainly is one of the most scrumptious ones I’ve ever tasted. I assure you, every bite will have you drooling. 🙂
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake is so delicious — I just want to sink my teeth into this luscious cake right now!
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake has quite a few steps but the outcome is superb. If you love chocolate and marshmallows you will love this sumptuous cake.
You can also make this as a layer cake. There is plenty of frosting to frost two or three layers.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients for the chocolate cake.
This recipe requires buttermilk. Since I didn’t have any on hand I made my own. Measure milk into a measuring cup. Add 3 tablespoonfuls of white vinegar and let milk sit on counter for about 5-7 minutes until it gets thick.
Place shortening in a mixing bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, baking soda and salt.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate over low heat in small saucepan. Cool completely before adding to ingredients in mixing bowl.
Add chocolate, buttermilk or soured milk and red food coloring.
Mix with an electric mixer. The melted chocolate breaks down a little bit so that’s why the mixture looks odd.
Add cake flour or UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods.
Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
Pour into a greased and floured 9×13″ baking dish (or two 9″ round cake pans). Regular cooking spray probably won’t work with this recipe.
Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake completely.
I used these ingredients to make the Caramel-Praline Layer.
Place brown sugar in saucepan. Add cornstarch and salt.
Stir well to combine. Mash out lumps where possible.
Add water and stir to combine.
Whisk and cook until thickened. Add butter and whisk to combine. Set aside and cool.
Spread the caramel-praline layer over the top of the cake.
Sprinkle pecans over top of caramel-praline layer.
I used these ingredients for the marshmallow frosting, plus water.
Separate eggs. Use yolks for a different use or discard entirely.
Place egg whites in a medium sized saucepan. Add sugar, cream of tartar, light corn syrup and water.
Stir ingredients to combine.
This is a vintage recipe. It calls for a rotary beater which we haven’t had to use since the invention of electric mixers in the 60s or 70s!
I used my small hand mixer and while this was cooking over a low heat I continued to mix at high speed for about 15 minutes until the mixture was thick.
Begin beating mixture with an electric mixer. It should only take about 5-7 minutes, but mine took closer to 15 minutes before it was done. I’m showing the pictures so you can see the different stages.
This is after about 5 minutes of mixing.
Continue beating constantly with electric mixer. This is after about 10 minutes. It’s still foamy so it’s not ready.
Finally after about 15 minutes the frosting set up and thickened. (Continue to beat with an electric mixer the whole time).
Remove from heat. Add marshmallow creme.
Remove pan from stove. Beat ingredients with electric mixer again to distribute the marshmallow creme among all the other frosting ingredients.
Spread marshmallow frosting on top of cake.
Grate a Hershey’s chocolate bar and sprinkle shavings over top of cake.
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake is so rich and delicious. Your guests will LOVE this cake!
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake is a decadent, sensational dessert that’s excellent for birthdays, holidays or special occasions.
If you enjoy chocolate and marshmallow fluff you will have a hard time stopping at just one piece of this lovely cake.
Our company drooled over every bite of Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake!
Here’s the recipe.
CHOCOLATE CARAMEL MARSHMALLOW CAKE
(Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker cookbook)
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 3 small sauce pans
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (Swans Down is good)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk by adding 2-3 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Crisco shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. red food color (or more, if desired)
CARAMEL-PRALINE FILLING:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped, walnuts also work well (measure after chopping)
MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp. Karo light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup Marshmallow fluff
- 1 Hershey's chocolate bar grated, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE:
- Heat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour oblong 9x13” baking dish.
- Melt chocolate over low heat in small saucepan.
- Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, buttermilk (or soured milk), shortening, eggs, vanilla, red food coloring and melted and cooled chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Stir in flour until well mixed.
- Pour cake batter into prepared dish.
- Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Spread Caramel-Praline filling over top of cooled cake.
- Then sprinkle pecans over top of Caramel-Praline Filling.
- Spread Marshmallow Frosting over top of Caramel-Praline Filling.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and curls.
CARAMEL-PRALINE TOPPING:
- Place brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir together to combine ingredients.
- Stir in water.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
- Boil and stir 1 minute.
- Blend in butter.
- Spread on top of cake quickly to edge.
- Sprinkle pecans over top of caramel-praline filling.
MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
- Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, syrup and water in sauce pan on low to medium heat.
- Beat with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, scraping pan occasionally.
- This will take about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add marshmallow crème and continue beating until of spreading consistency.
- Frost cake with marshmallow frosting.
- Sprinkle chocolate curls and shavings over top.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker cookbook, circa 1972.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- [b]CAKE:[/b] [br]
- 1 ¾ cups [url href=”http://swansdown.com/site.php” target=”_blank” title=”swans down cake flour”]Swans Down cake flour[/url]
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¾ tsp. salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk (or sour milk by adding 2-3 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice)
- ½ cup Crisco shortening
- 2 eggs
- 2 oz. melted [url href=”http://www.kraftrecipes.com/Products/bakers-chocolate.aspx?cm_mmc=Search-_-dessertscale-_-google-_-consnonbrandbakersbroad_chocolate_chocolate&cvosrc=ppc.google.chocolate&matchtype=p” target=”_blank” title=”bakers chocolate”]Bakers[/url] unsweetened chocolate, cooled
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ½ tsp. red food color[br]
- [b]BUTTERSCOTCH FILLING:[/b][br]
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp. butter
- ½ cup finely chopped nuts[br]
- [b]MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:[/b][br]
- 2 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp. [url href=”http://www.karosyrup.com/” target=”_blank” title=”karo syrup”]Karo[/url] light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- ¾ cup[url href=”http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/” target=”_blank” title=”marshmallow fluff”] Marshmallow Fluff[/url]
- ½ square [url href=”http://www.ghirardelli.com/” target=”_blank” title=”ghirardelli chocolate”]Ghirardelli’s[/url] semi-sweet chocolate
- Heat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour oblong 9×13” baking pan.
- Beat with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.
- Remove from pan and cool completely.[br]
- Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt.
- Stir in water.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
- Boil and stir 1 minute.
- Blend in butter.
- Cool.
- Spread on top of cake to within ½ inch of edge.
- Sprinkle nuts over top of butterscotch filling.[br]
- Combine egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, syrup and water in saucepan on low to medium heat.
- Beat with mixer until stiff peaks form, scraping pan occasionally.
- Remove from heat.
- Add marshmallow crème and continue beating until of spreading consistency.
- Frost sides and top of cake with marshmallow frosting.
- Melt 2 squares of sweetened chocolate; cool.
- Drizzle chocolate along edges of cake.
- Drizzle chocolate in about 5 lines down length of cake.
- Cut through lines with a knife to decorate and swirl chocolate.
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake is a great cake to take to parties. Most people love marshmallow frostings and anything to do with chocolate.
Doesn’t Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake look yummy? It’s loaded with Marshmallow Frosting and a luscious caramel-praline layer.
Heavenly!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Banana Cake with Chocolate Marshmallow Frosting
Chocolate Butter Pecan Pound Cake
Chocolate Caramel Marshmallow Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 electric mixer
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 3 small sauce pans
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (Swans Down is good)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk or sour milk by adding 2-3 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Crisco shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. red food color (or more, if desired)
CARAMEL-PRALINE FILLING:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped, walnuts also work well (measure after chopping)
MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tbsp. Karo light corn syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 3/4 cup Marshmallow fluff
- 1 Hershey’s chocolate bar grated, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE:
- Heat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour oblong 9×13” baking dish.
- Melt chocolate over low heat in small saucepan.
- Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, buttermilk (or soured milk), shortening, eggs, vanilla, red food coloring and melted and cooled chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer until well mixed.
- Stir in flour until well mixed.
- Pour cake batter into prepared dish.
- Bake 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Spread Caramel-Praline filling over top of cooled cake.
- Then sprinkle pecans over top of Caramel-Praline Filling.
- Spread Marshmallow Frosting over top of Caramel-Praline Filling.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and curls.
CARAMEL-PRALINE TOPPING:
- Place brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir together to combine ingredients.
- Stir in water.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
- Boil and stir 1 minute.
- Blend in butter.
- Spread on top of cake quickly to edge.
- Sprinkle pecans over top of caramel-praline filling.
MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
- Combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, syrup and water in sauce pan on low to medium heat.
- Beat with mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, scraping pan occasionally.
- This will take about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add marshmallow crème and continue beating until of spreading consistency.
- Frost cake with marshmallow frosting.
- Sprinkle chocolate curls and shavings over top.