A while ago I was experimenting with brownies, but I didn’t have enough fat content and they baked a bit too dry. So, instead of lamenting, I blitzed them into brownie crumbs, and froze them for a later date. I knew they’d come in handy as a base layer for something.

One day, while needing to take something to a work event, I decided to bake up these S’more cake bars. So, I pulled out my brownie crumbs and got to work. Of course, you can use Oreos or Digestive biscuits as a base instead.

I also happened to have a box of cake mix at home, while I used for this recipe to make my life a bit easier. There’s nothing wrong with using a box mix, especially if you know how to improve the flavour through a slight adjustment of ingredients.

Now, these do get incredibly sticky due to the marshmallows, but I promise, it will be worth the mess! These will last for 3 days at room temperature in an air-tight container. If you put them in the fridge, you’ll need to let them sit out for 30 minutes before cutting, as the marshmallows will need time to soften up.

Ingredients

125 – 175g Leftover dried-out brownies/Oreos/digestive biscuits
50g unsalted butter
Yellow box cake mix (or from-scratch cake batter, found here – omit lemon extract)
3 eggs – if using box mix
125ml skimmed milk – if using box mix
110ml buttermilk/melted butter – if using box mix
200g dark chocolate
200g marshmallows

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20x30cm baking tray with baking paper.
2. Blitz your brownies/oreos/biscuits in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs/sand. Melt the 50 grams of unsalted butter, then mix thoroughly with the brownie crumbs. Press the crumbs into the base of the baking tray. Place in the fridge.
3. Making your cake batter. If making from scratch, follow the recipe instructions. If using a box mix, combine the mix with the eggs, milk and buttermilk. When your batter is ready to pour, remove the baking tray from the fridge. Pour the cake batter over the brownie base, and spread evenly. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out almost clean.
4. Remove the cake from the oven, and place the chocolate evenly over the top of the cake. Return to the oven for 3 – 5 minutes for the chocolate to melt. Remove cake from the oven.
5. Change oven setting to grill/broil.
6. Spread the chocolate over the entire cake with an offset spatula or knife.
7. Place marshmallows over the chocolate layer, trying to leave as little space as possible between the marshmallows (they will expand, so don’t worry too much).
8. Place the cake under the grill for approximately 5 minutes, until marshmallows have puffed up and turned golden brown. Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.