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mississippi mud cake

Mississippi Mud Cake (So Moist!)

5 from 2 votes
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If you’re after a rich, chocolatey dessert that’s gooey, fudgy, and a little nostalgic, this Mississippi Mud Cake is it! It starts with a moist chocolate cake, topped with melty marshmallows and finished with a silky chocolate frosting. Decadent, messy in the best way, and perfect for feeding a crowd straight from the pan.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 27 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 42 minutes
Servings: 20 people

IMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.

Ingredients
 

Chocolate Cake

  • 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder - Dutch processed preferred (see note 1)
  • 2 tsps baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt - only use ½ tsp if using salted butter in this recipe
  • 1 cup (200 g) soft light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (180 g) whole milk - room temperature
  • ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter - melted
  • ½ cup (105 g) unflavored vegetable oil - I use canola oil
  • 2 large eggs - room temperature
  • 2½ tsps vanilla extract/essence
  • ¾ cup (180 g) strong hot coffee - I use 1 tbsp instant coffee powder in 180g (¾ cup) hot water, but you can use espresso as well.
  • 5½ cups (283 g) mini marshmallows - 10 ounces in the US. For putting on top once the cake is done

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • ½ cup (113 g) heavy cream
  • 1¼ cups (200 g) semi-sweet chocolate - roughly chopped. I use 50% dark chocolate
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup (85 g) powdered sugar - also known as icing/confectioners' sugar
  • ¼ tsp instant coffee powder
  • ¼ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
  • 2 tsps unsweetened cocoa powder - Dutch processed preferred (see note 1)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional (see note 2 if using a convection oven with a fan) and grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch cake pan (I use my homemade cake release). Don't line the bottom, as the cake is served straight from the pan.
  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, white sugar, melted butter, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Using a whisk, mix until well combined.
  • Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix.
  • In a separate bowl or jug, mix instant coffee powder with hot water to make a strong coffee (or use espresso). Add the hot coffee to the batter and whisk again until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake for about 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Once baked, immediately top the cake with the mini marshmallows. Return the pan to the oven for 2–3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are slightly melted and puffed up. Don’t overbake, otherwise the marshmallows will become tough.
  • Once done, set aside to cool completely. Once cool, prepare the chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

  • In a saucepan over low to medium heat, add the heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, instant coffee powder, salt, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together, and let the mixture melt gently. Once smooth and silky, remove the saucepan from the heat. Do not let it simmer or boil.
  • I like to run my frosting through a sieve to ensure there are no lumps, but this step is optional. Once the frosting is done, spoon the warm frosting evenly over the top of the cake. It helps to use a large spoon to distribute it, as spreading can be tricky over the marshmallows.
  • Let the frosting set at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

Note 1. Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a smoother and less acidic taste compared to natural cocoa powder. It also has a darker/richer color so will give you that deep chocolate color (like my chocolate sheet cake). One way to check if a brand of cocoa powder is Dutch processed is to check the package and see if it has any acidity regulators in the ingredients list. The cocoa will also be darker and less of a bright brown color (compared to natural cocoa). 
Note 2. If using a convection oven that has a fan function, bake at 160°C (320°F) as the fan function bakes food faster.

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.

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