Introduction
Oh my goodness, y’all. Get ready to dive into a piece of pure comfort food heaven! If you’ve never had Mississippi Mud Cake before, you are in for such a treat. This isn’t your fancy, fussy layer cake; it’s a rich, gooey, fudgy delight that feels like a warm hug from the South. It reminds me of potlucks and family gatherings, simple times with seriously delicious dessert. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to whip up, comes together surprisingly fast, and tastes absolutely divine. Trust me, this one’s going into your regular rotation!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast
- Easy
- Giftable
- Crowd-pleasing
Ingredients
Gather ’round, sweet friends! Here’s what you’ll need to make this magical cake:
- For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (that’s about 120 grams, just scoop lightly and level off) – Just your standard pantry flour!
- 1 cup granulated white sugar – For sweetness and structure.
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – This is where our deep chocolate flavor comes from. Make sure it’s unsweetened!
- ¼ teaspoon salt – Helps balance all that sweetness.
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder – Gives it a little lift.
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda – Works with the cocoa for tenderness and rise.
- ½ cup milk (whole milk used) – I like whole milk for richness, but use what you have!
- ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil – Keeps the cake super moist and tender.
- 2 large eggs – Our binders!
- ½ cup boiling water or hot brewed coffee – This is the secret! It blooms the cocoa and makes the cake extra moist and fudgy. Hot coffee adds another layer of flavor.
- 10 ounces mini marshmallows – These melt into a gooey layer on top of the warm cake. So essential!
- For the Chocolate Frosting:
- ½ cup salted butter – Adds richness to our frosting. If you only have unsalted, add a pinch of salt.
- 3 cups powdered sugar – Gives the frosting its smooth texture.
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder – More chocolatey goodness for the frosting!
- ¼ cup milk – To get that perfect pourable, yet set-able consistency.
- ½ cup chopped pecans – Crunchy perfection stirred into the frosting. Walnuts work too!
- For Garnish:
- Finely chopped pecans – Totally optional, but adds a nice finishing touch.
How to Make It
Alright, let’s bake this beauty! It’s super simple, promise.
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. I usually just give it a good spray with baking spray that has flour in it – easy peasy!
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Give it a good stir to combine everything.
3. Add the milk, oil, and eggs to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously) until just combined. Don’t overmix!
4. Carefully pour in the boiling water or hot coffee. The batter will be very thin – don’t worry, that’s exactly how it should be! Whisk gently until smooth.
5. Pour the thin batter into your prepared 9×13 inch pan.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). The cake should be mostly set, but not completely dry.
7. Take the cake out of the oven. Immediately sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the hot cake. Return the cake to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are puffy and just starting to melt. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!
8. While the marshmallows are melting, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the salted butter.
9. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. It will be very thick at this point.
10. Gradually whisk in the ¼ cup milk until the frosting is smooth and a pourable consistency. It should be thick but able to spread easily.
11. Stir in the chopped pecans.
12. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven with the melted marshmallows, pour the warm frosting evenly over the top, spreading it gently to cover the marshmallow layer. The heat of the cake and marshmallows will help it spread beautifully.
13. If using, sprinkle with finely chopped pecans for garnish.
14. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the frosting to set up a bit, but it’s still wonderfully gooey when warm!
Substitutions & Additions
- Milk: Any milk will work here – skim, 2%, almond, soy, etc.
- Oil: You can use melted unsalted butter in place of vegetable oil, but the oil often provides a moister cake.
- Nuts: Not a pecan fan? Walnuts are a classic substitute. If you have a nut allergy, simply omit the pecans from the frosting and garnish.
- Extra Chocolate: Stir a cup of chocolate chips into the cake batter or sprinkle them over the marshmallows before adding the frosting for extra chocolatey pockets!
- Flavor Boost: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or even a touch of almond extract to the cake batter or frosting for a little extra depth.
Tips for Success
- Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping directly can compact the flour and result in a dry cake.
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, which can make the cake tough.
- Boiling Water/Coffee is Key: Make sure the water or coffee is actually boiling when you add it. This helps bloom the cocoa and creates the unique texture.
- Watch the Marshmallows: They go from perfectly melted to burnt quickly under heat! Keep a close eye during those last few minutes.
- Pour Frosting While Warm: Applying the frosting while the cake is still quite warm helps the marshmallow layer soften and the frosting spread easily, creating that characteristic gooey top.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the frosting ahead of time and store it at room temperature. You might need to gently warm it slightly before pouring if it’s too stiff.
How to Store It
This cake is best stored at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap or foil. It will stay wonderfully moist for 2-3 days. If you need to keep it longer, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but the texture is truly best at room temp. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
FAQs
Q: Is this cake supposed to be really fudgy and moist?
A: Absolutely! That super moist, almost brownie-like texture is part of what makes Mississippi Mud Cake so special.
Q: Can I skip the marshmallows?
A: You could, but the melted marshmallow layer is a pretty key part of the “mud” texture and flavor. It adds a unique gooeyness that’s hard to replicate.
Q: Can I make this in a different size pan?
A: This recipe is specifically for a 9×13 inch pan. Using a different size will affect baking time and the cake’s thickness. I recommend sticking to 9×13 for best results.
Q: Why is it called Mississippi Mud Cake?
A: It’s said to resemble the dark, thick mud banks of the Mississippi River! Pretty descriptive, right?
Easy Classic Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan greased and floured (or use baking spray with flour)
- Large bowl
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (about 120 grams); standard pantry flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar for sweetness and structure
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder make sure it's unsweetened!
- 0.25 teaspoon salt helps balance all that sweetness
- 0.25 teaspoon baking powder gives it a little lift
- 0.25 teaspoon baking soda works with the cocoa for tenderness and rise
- 0.5 cup milk whole milk used; any milk will work (skim, 2%, almond, soy, etc.)
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil or canola oil keeps the cake super moist and tender; melted unsalted butter can be used but oil often provides a moister cake
- 2 large eggs binders
- 0.5 cup boiling water or hot brewed coffee blooms the cocoa and makes the cake extra moist and fudgy; hot coffee adds another layer of flavor; make sure it is actually boiling
- 10 ounce mini marshmallows these melt into a gooey layer on top of the warm cake
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 0.5 cup salted butter adds richness; if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt
- 3 cup powdered sugar gives the frosting its smooth texture
- 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder more chocolatey goodness for the frosting
- 0.25 cup milk any milk will work
- 0.5 cup chopped pecans crunchy perfection stirred into the frosting; walnuts work too; can omit for nut allergy
For Garnish
- finely chopped pecans totally optional, but adds a nice finishing touch; can omit for nut allergy
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. I usually just give it a good spray with baking spray that has flour in it – easy peasy!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Give it a good stir to combine everything.
- Add the milk, oil, and eggs to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously) until just combined. Don't overmix!
- Carefully pour in the boiling water or hot coffee. The batter will be very thin – don't worry, that's exactly how it should be! Whisk gently until smooth.
- Pour the thin batter into your prepared 9x13 inch pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). The cake should be mostly set, but not completely dry.
- Take the cake out of the oven. Immediately sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the hot cake. Return the cake to the oven for another 3-5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are puffy and just starting to melt. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn!
- While the marshmallows are melting, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the salted butter.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. It will be very thick at this point.
- Gradually whisk in the ¼ cup milk until the frosting is smooth and a pourable consistency. It should be thick but able to spread easily.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven with the melted marshmallows, pour the warm frosting evenly over the top, spreading it gently to cover the marshmallow layer. The heat of the cake and marshmallows will help it spread beautifully.
- If using, sprinkle with finely chopped pecans for garnish.
- Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the frosting to set up a bit, but it's still wonderfully gooey when warm!