Mississippi Mud Cake

Remember that time I was on KUTV on Father's Day? No? Click here to catch the whole thing!

Gooey, brownie-like cake. Toasted, melted marshmallows. Chocolate Chip Fudge Frosting.

Sounds like a hot, sticky, mess, right?

It is, but it isn't. It is, but it isn't! 

Introducing Mississippi Mud Cake! Growing up, I kind of thought this was my dad's cake because he was the one that would request it. My mom would make Mississippi Mud Cake with marshmallow cream and homemade chocolate buttercream frosting, and we would always eat it when the cake was no where near cool. It was so sugary, chocolaty, and rich that it would give me a headache. I would decide I didn't like Mississippi Mud Cake, until later when I would find the fork my mom left in the cake pan. Then I would realize the cake was uneven and in the spirit of family unity I would try to "even up the rows" of cake because you can't leave cake looking uneven!

Then, my mom would come by and notice I hadn't done a great job of making the Mississippi Mud Cake look even, plus the marshmallow cream was oozing out by now, so she would take the fork and try to "even out the cake." And over the course of the next day, we would continue to "even out" the cake, straight out of the pan, until it was gone. It was a good strategy though, because then I could say I only had one slice of cake, technically.

Little Red Hen's Mississippi Mud Cake has all the delicious features I grew up with but, possibly, perfected. I add chocolate chips and shredded coconut to the batter, both of which are optional. I also use miniature marshmallows and pour on my Chocolate Chip Fudge Frosting while the marshmallows are still gooey, giving  this Mississippi Mud Cake its marshmallowy, fudgy swirled
finish.

In looking at the ingredients, you might think this is just a glorified sheet cake. It could be. But, baking Mississippi Mud Cake in a 9x13 pan, and adding coconut and chocolate chips dresses it up. Try it out, and be sure to eat it with a fork...right out of the pan.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 small bag miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Pre-heat over to 300 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. 
2. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated.
4. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add to eggs, butter and sugar.
5. Stir in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips and coconut. Batter will be thick and fluffy.
6. Pour (spoon) batter into  prepared cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes. 
7. Pour marshmallows evenly onto cake and return cake to oven for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while preparing Chocolate Chip Fudge Frosting.
8. Make Chocolate Chip Fudge Frosting. Pour directly onto warm cake. Use a knife to make a marbled swirl, if desired.

Bake the bread. Share the slices.