This is the most amazing smores poke cake ever! If you love chocolate with marshmallows and graham crackers over the campfire but want that same flavor at home this is the perfect dessert! With rich cake dripping with chocolate inside and on top it is decadent but easy to make with just a few ingredients.
Ok, so my four favorite c’s are chocolate, cake, coffee, and my children. 😉 I love being in the kitchen with my kids and one of our favorite desserts is this smores poke cake. We LOVE S’Mores any way we can get them. Sponsored by The Hershey Company. (originally posted 6/17, affiliate links present)
SMores Cake Recipe
It’s part of my childhood. Sitting at the beach after a long day in the waves. A marshmallow on my skewer, legs covered in sand. Smooshing chocolate between two graham crackers was the best. I remember the friends I was with, the messes we made, and have lots of pictures of us like this.
This is my middle child. Love her! Like me she loves chocolate and baking too so we try to think outside of the box often and come up with new yummy ideas to try. First we used kisses to make our Hershey kiss Christmas cookies, then it was time to go for the whole shebang!
I have three daughters of my own and I want them to have those same memories, friends, and photos. I also want to share the memories I had with them as a child, and create memories of our own in the kitchen. Yes we still love traditional S’Mores when we are camping.
Chocolate Poke cake
- Every time we make anything resembling S’Mores, we reminisce about the adventures we’ve had traveling together.
The chocolate covered faces and sticky noses made while huddled up around our campfire. The best. 😉 Why not make them at home right in your oven right? Well this smores cake is a great way to do just that.
If you love baking with your kids, this smores dessert is a great dessert to make with them. It is sure to bring up a memory or two of your own, when you too were enjoying this sweet classic treat as a child.
What can you use instead of graham crackers for Smores
There are several other options including crushed Golden Grahams cereal or Nilla wafers work great as well.
- 7 HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate bars
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (& ingredients to make it)
- Marshmallow creme
- Mini marshmallows
- Crushed graham crackers
- Chocolate sauce
- 9×13 baking dish
If you’re hosting a Christmas cookie exchange, but want to offer something different on the side, this is a great one. How to make a poke cake is easy. The whole idea is to “poke” holes into it and allow your favorite flavors to seep thru those holes and inside the cake, ours being melted milk chocolate!
This is probably the kids’ favorite part because you really can’t do it wrong, just make sure to pour the milk chocolate over the holes so it can drain inside and you’re good!
One of the many great things about HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate bars is that they are made with farm fresh milk which makes them REALLY easy to melt and maintain that creamy smooth flavor. What’s the first memory that comes to mind for you when I say the word s’mores?
Smores poke cake recipe
I learned all about the process and where Hersheys milk comes from last year when I visited Meadow Lane Dairy. Some of their milk is produced there. That in itself was such an incredible experience, and just adds to the memories I have now when baking their chocolate!
- Melted and poured on top of this warm cake it sinks in and creates a little slice of heaven I tell you. I saved 1 of the bars to break up and put pieces on the top of the smores poke cake when it was done.
- Just to add to the “prettiness” of it all. It really doesn’t matter what it looks like though…it’s all about the taste!
After you make this you should try our other s’mores dessert recipes like these smores rice krispy treats too!
Easy Smores Cake
Time needed: 25 minutes.
Chocolate Poke Cake
- Bake
Make cake as directed on box, pour mix into a 9×13 cake pan and bake as directed.
Do so just long enough so middle springs back when touched lightly. 25 min. is perfect for us so it isn’t overdone. - Cool
When done set on a cooling rack for about 15 min.
Then when your cake is still warm poke holes all over so the holes go all the way thru to the bottom of the pan. - Melt
Pour 24 oz of chocolate sauce on top so it seeps into holes OR….
In a bowl break up 6 of your broken up chocolate bars into smaller pieces and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, microwave for 30 seconds more, then stir again.
It should be warm and nice and smooth without any chunks now. - Prepare
Pour over your cake making sure the melted chocolate is poured directly over the holes so it can seep thru. Place into the fridge for at least an hour, or until it is cooled.
Take out and spread your marshmallow fluff on top evenly. Sprinkle your mini marshmallows on top of that. Sprinkle your graham cracker crumbs.
Break up the remaining chocolate bar and push the pieces into the top layer of marshmallow gently so each piece that will be cut will include a chocolate square. Enjoy!
Now that you know how to make a smores poke cake, get creative! Try our no bake eclair cake next.
Want to see a few of my favorite things that I am totally obsessed with?? Take a peek and see how many you might already have…twinsies!
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Smores Poke Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (and ingredients to make it as directed)
- 2 bars Milk Chocolate HERSHEY’S
- 1 jar marshmallow creme 14 oz
- 2 c mini marshmallows
- 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs
- 24 oz chocolate sauce
Instructions
- Make cake as directed on box, pour mix into a 9×13 cake pan and bake as directed, just long enough so middle springs back when touched lightly (25 min. in the oven is perfect for us so it isn't overdone).
- When done set on a cooling rack for about 15 min.
- When cake is still warm poke holes all over so the holes go all the way thru to the bottom of the pan. Pour 24 oz of liquid chocolate sauce all over the sauce so it seeps in all the way to the bottom.
- OR if you don't want to use chocolate sauce you can: In a bowl break up 6 HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate bars into smaller pieces and microwave for 30 seconds, stir, microwave for 30 seconds, stir. It should be warm and nice and smooth without any chunks now.
- Pour over your cake making sure the melted chocolate is poured directly over the holes so it can seep thru.
- Put into the fridge for at least an hour, or until it is cooled.
- Take out and spread your marshmallow fluff on top evenly.
- Sprinkle your mini marshmallows on top of that.
- Sprinkle your graham cracker crumbs.
- Break up the remaining chocolate bar and push the pieces into the top layer of marshmallow gently so each piece that will be cut will include a HERSHEY’S square. Enjoy!
Stephanie
Tuesday 24th of July 2018
Can I make this a day ahead and do steps 7+ on the day of my party? Or do the whole thing ahead nd put in the fridge? What do you recommend?
The Typical Mom
Tuesday 24th of July 2018
If you have to make ahead of time I might make the cake, pour in the condensed milk and refrigerate. Then do the other steps the day of the party so the cake looks fresh on top with toppings.
Elizabeth
Thursday 5th of April 2018
Hello, The first thing (memory) that comes to my mind about s'more's is, Girl Scout camp. :) That is the first time I ever had them and it is a good memory! I'm now 75yrs old and have 5 wonderful grandchildren and they love "smore's" . Thank you for this wonderful find for a "smore's" cake and all the other variations of it. The best to you and family too.
The Typical Mom
Friday 6th of April 2018
Loved Girl Scouts!!