Rocky Road Cake
Rocky Road Cake – Rich, dark chocolate cake layers, filled with chocolate ganache, marshmallows, peanuts and toffee bits, covered with a silky chocolate buttercream.
Inspiration
I’m thrilled to relaunch my Rocky Road Cake Recipe today! I actually made this cake on a whim a couple years ago. Ryan and I were down in Provo for a BYU basketball game, and per usual, we stopped by Rockwell Ice Cream on our way home and I got my go-to combination of Rockwell Road and S’mores ice cream flavor. I haven’t always been a rocky road fan, but Rockwell uses homemade marshmallow cream, and candy bar style toffee and peanuts in their version – and it’s heaven!
 
I loved this rocky road original combination so much that I started working on a cake flavor inspired by Rockwell Road the very next day! And I am pleased to report — this Rocky Road Cake recipe is divine!
Rocky Road Cake
My cake layers in this creation are my favorite dark chocolate cake. It’s so easy to make and fool-proof! Just make sure you’re always using fresh baking powder and baking soda, and you don’t over mix your batter. It’s a truly a rich, moist dark chocolate that won’t sink!
The filling in this cake is like a rocky road fudge, with chocolate ganache, toffee bits, peanuts and marshmallows. This cake is not for the faint of heart, as it’s very rich. But, I think because it’s paired with a light, whipped chocolate frosting, it doesn’t feel too overwhelming. I also love the salty, sweet crunch the peanuts and toffee add.
Video Tutorial
Melted chocolate, nuts and marshmallows… what’s not to love?! Go big with a scoop of rocky road ice cream or chocolate ice cream on the side if you dare! Enjoy!
What are your favorite ice cream flavor inspired cakes? Let me know in the comments!
Rocky Road Cake
Yield One 3-layer, 8-inch cake
Rocky Road Cake.
Rich, dark chocolate cake layers, filled with chocolate ganache, marshmallows, peanuts and toffee bits, covered with a silky chocolate buttercream.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cups (88.5 g) good cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5.6 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water (or hot coffee)
For the Rocky Road Filling
- 1 1/2 cups (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (173.25 g) heavy cream
- 1 Â 1/2 cup (75 g) mini marshmallows
- 3/4 cup (112.5 g) chopped peanuts
- 3/4 cup (112.5 g) toffee bits
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, slightly coldÂ
- 10 oz. good quality chocolate of your choice (I use dark or semi), melted and cooled
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 2 teaspoons (8.4 g) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (57.7 g) heavy cream
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
For the Chocolate Drip
- 1 cup (150 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (173.2 g) heavy cream
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then spray the parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
- In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, water (or coffee) and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Evenly divide the batter into each of the three pans (about 15 to 16 ounces of batter in each 8-inch or 12 ounces in each 6-inch). Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
- Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (I like to spray my cooling racks with nonstick spray to ensure non of the cake sticks to the racks).
- If needed, level your cake layers to ensure a completely even surface for frosting and stacking. After leveling you can wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use.
For the Rocky Road Filling
- Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl for about one to two minutes. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Let sit for about five minutes.
- Stir the chocolate and cream until nice and smooth. Add the marshmallows, peanuts and toffee bits and stir until combined.
- Let the filling cool completely before using.
For the Chocolate Frosting
- In a bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for about two minutes.
- Slowly add the melted, cooled chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla, salt and heavy cream. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat the frosting for another 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.Â
- Before frosting your cake, use a wooden spoon to hand mix the frosting to push out air bubbles.
For the Chocolate Drip
- Heat the cream in a microwave safe bowl for about one minute. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Let sit for about five minutes.
- Stir the chocolate and cream until nice and smooth. Let cool before using on the cake.
Assembly
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board or cake plate.
- Pipe a rim of frosting around the cake layer before adding the filling. This creates a nice barrier so the filling stays in place.
- Spread half of the filling within the frosting barrier.Â
- Place the second cake layer on top and repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Place your final cake layer, bottom side up, on top of the cake. Crumb coat your cake with a light coat of frosting. Freeze for about 10 minutes to set the crumb coat.
- Continue to frost the cake with the remainder of the chocolate frosting, saving about one cup of frosting for piping.
- At this point, I like to freeze the cake for another 10 minutes before I do the drip. After you do the drip, use extra extra frosting, peanuts, toffee and marshmallows to decorate the cake.
Hi. I had a question about buttercream. Mine always turns grainy or greasy. Heavy cream doesn’t help. Doesn’t chilled butter cause graininess? How do you get it so smooth? Can you please do an in-depth buttercream video tutorial with all steps included? Thanks
No chilled butter doesn’t cause graininess in my experience. I use unsalted costco butter and I only take it out of the fridge for 30 mins before I use it. I cut it into cubes and then beat the butter for 2 minutes on medium high with the paddle attachment. I’ve noticed the whisk attachment doesn’t create the same texture in the buttercream. High quality heavy cream will help to lighten the texture of the frosting when you beat it all together with the powdered sugar for about 5 minutes.
Hi again! I wanted to know what brand of powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream you use. Please let me know.
Hi! Love your cakes! You are so inventive with your flavors! Just a quick question, do you use coarse or fine kosher salt. Thanks!
Thank you! I like coarse 🙂
Love this! Currently making it for my nephew’s birthday and all of the components are amazing separate, can only imagine how good it’s going to taste all together! What piping tip do you use for the top?
I love the Wilton 1M tip
Hi!
Another gorgeous creation!!
I just wanted to know if the filling and frosting can be made in advance?
This was so rich and decadent! I don’t normally like Rocky Road ice cream but I loved this cake. It was a huge success at work and there were no leftovers! I’ll definitely be making this again.
Hello! This is my most favorite cake recipe! Is there any way you’d be willing to change the measurement for granulated sugar to 1 3/4 cups? I use this recipe at least once a month and I mess up on the sugar part all the time! My math skills aren’t great on the fly 🙂
Thanks for all the great recipes & tips!
Your cakes have yet to disappoint me, and I doubt they ever will! I love your recipes, and this rocky road cake is defiantly one of my very favorites!! It is so good!
Thank you so much!!
Do you have a preference of chocolate for this cake – Natural or Dutch-processed? Or will both work?
I use a dutch process (Extra Brute Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder) but you’ll be ok with a natural.
Quick question on the peanuts…should they be plain, or salted peanuts?
Totally a personal preference. I like salted, personally.