Lucky Charms Layer Cake

Frosted Lucky Charms are magically delicious and they make a mean (sweet, sticky, possibly addictive) layer cake for St. Patrick's Day, too.
By: Michelle Buffardi
lucky charms layer cake

I haven't had Lucky Charms cereal in a good 15 years. I eat grown-up food like yogurt and fruit and poached eggs for breakfast instead. And because I like this grown-up food, I assumed that my mature self wouldn't enjoy the fantasy food of my childhood: super sugary cereals that my mom only allowed once or twice a year, if ever.

I was wrong. Lucky Charms cereal is good. Maybe because I haven't had it in a decade +, or maybe because it's laced with some kind of magically delicious, addictive fairy dust, when I recently popped a handful of hearts, stars, clovers and what's essentially sugar-coated Cheerios in my mouth, I was sort of in love. Do I love it enough to add it into my grown-up breakfast routine? No. But I love it enough to turn it into a cooler-than-corned-beef-and-cabbage St. Patrick's Day layer cake.

The "cake" is very much like another iconic cereal-of-my-youth dessert: Rice Krispies Treats, but made with Lucky Charms instead of the snap-crackle-pop stuff, and stacked like a cake with marshmallow creme in between the layers. It looks pretty sticky (because it is), but the clean-up is pretty easy and the cake cuts easily with a sharp knife -- serrated or chefs'.

You can make the cake layers a day ahead, but don't frost the cake until you're ready to serve it. Marshmallow creme gets melty very fast.

Lucky Charms Layer Cake
10 cups Lucky Charms cereal, plus more for decorating
6 tablespoons butter
8 cups mini marshmallows
1 16-ounce jar of marshmallow creme

Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and mini marshmallows, stirring constantly, until smooth.

Turn off the heat and add the cereal to the marshmallow; stir to coat.

Working quickly, divide the cereal-marshmallow mixture between the two pans. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Just before serving, turn out one of the cereal layers and set it, flat-side down on a platter. Spoon 3/4 of the marshmallow creme onto the middle of the layer. (The marshmallow creme will soon ooze its way onto the edges; no need to spread.) Lay the top layer onto the marshmallow creme and spoon the remaining marshmallow creme onto the middle. Decorate with remaining cereal.

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