Decadent Mississippi Mud Cake Recipe: The Ultimate Easy, Fudgy Chocolate Delight
Indulge in a true Southern masterpiece! This incredible Mississippi Mud Cake is crafted from scratch with rich cocoa, fluffy marshmallows, and a dreamy chocolate frosting. Every bite promises a moist, tender crumb, a delightful chocolate marshmallow layer, and an irresistible flavor that will make this easy cake recipe a cherished favorite in your kitchen.
The Mississippi Mud Cake stands as a legendary classic in Southern dessert traditions, cherished for its incredibly rich, deep chocolate flavor and delightfully gooey texture. This iconic cake typically starts with a supremely moist and fudgy chocolate cake base, generously topped with a soft, sweet layer of marshmallows, and then finished with a thick, decadent chocolate frosting. While some variations introduce a satisfying crunch with pecans or other nuts, our recipe focuses on delivering that classic, melt-in-your-mouth experience everyone adores.
From your very first forkful, you’ll understand why this Mississippi Mud Cake is such an enduringly popular dessert. The chocolate cake itself is a masterpiece of moisture and fudginess, offering a profound cocoa flavor that harmonizes perfectly with the sweet, slightly sticky marshmallow topping. The accompanying frosting is wonderfully rich and creamy, striking just the right balance of sweetness to complement the intense chocolate goodness of the cake layers.
As a trained professional baker, I’ve had the pleasure of creating many famous cakes. Yet, despite its show-stopping appearance and utterly mouth-watering flavor profile, this Mississippi Mud Cake recipe is surprisingly straightforward to make! Much like my beloved chocolate cake with sprinkles or our highly-rated one-bowl chocolate cake, this recipe relies on simple, readily available pantry ingredients such as flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and eggs. What’s more, you can even prepare the luxurious chocolate frosting directly in your microwave, making the process even simpler!
Perhaps the most challenging part of this entire baking endeavor is patiently waiting for the cake to cool sufficiently before you can add the marshmallows and that irresistible frosting. But I assure you, the moment you taste the final creation, you’ll agree that the wait was absolutely worth every second!
If you happen to have any mini marshmallows left over after making this glorious cake, I wholeheartedly recommend using them to whip up these fantastic s’mores brownies or these cozy hot chocolate cupcakes for another delightful treat!
Why You’ll Love Baking This Easy Mississippi Mud Cake
This Mississippi Mud Cake isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience waiting to happen. Here’s why this recipe deserves a spot in your baking repertoire:
- Unforgettable Chocolate Indulgence: With its incredibly moist chocolate cake base, a soft and fluffy marshmallow layer, and the crowning glory of creamy chocolate frosting, every single bite is a truly heavenly chocolate experience. The frosting, in particular, is adapted from my 5-star rated brownie frosting, guaranteeing a rich and smooth finish.
- Perfect for Any Gathering: This cake is generously sized at 9×13 inches, making it absolutely perfect for sharing with family, friends, or bringing along to potlucks, BBQs, or brunch events. It’s designed to feed a crowd, and any delicious leftovers will keep beautifully for days.
- Impressive Yet Effortless: Despite its stunning appearance and complex-tasting layers, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make. You’ll use common pantry ingredients, and the straightforward steps ensure a successful bake even for those new to baking.
- Endless Customization Options: Feel free to get creative and personalize your cake! Consider adding chopped pecans or walnuts for an extra nutty crunch, a sprinkle of shredded coconut, or even a decadent drizzle of homemade caramel sauce (like our Bourbon Caramel Sauce mentioned later) to make this dessert uniquely yours.
- A Taste of Southern Comfort: By baking this Mississippi Mud Cake, you’re bringing a delightful slice of Southern hospitality and a rich culinary tradition right into the comfort of your own home. It’s more than just a cake; it’s a warm, comforting hug in dessert form.
Essential Ingredients You’ll Need
Gathering your ingredients is the first step to creating this incredible Mississippi Mud Cake. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need for both the cake and its luscious topping:
For the Moist Chocolate Cake Base:
- Granulated Sugar: This provides the primary sweetness to the cake and plays a crucial role in creating a tender and moist crumb, ensuring the cake isn’t dry.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cake, flour provides essential structure, holding all the rich ingredients together to form a cohesive and stable cake.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Natural): The star of the show for that deep chocolate flavor and rich brown color. Using natural cocoa powder allows it to react perfectly with the baking soda for optimal rise.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These are the dynamic duo of leavening agents. Baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like sour cream/yogurt and cocoa powder) to create gas, while baking powder provides an additional lift, ensuring a light and fluffy texture.
- Kosher Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for enhancing all the other flavors in the cake, particularly the chocolate, and helps to balance out the sweetness, preventing it from being cloyingly sweet.
- Large Eggs: Eggs act as binders, helping to emulsify the batter and provide structure. They also contribute significant richness and moisture, making the cake tender and flavorful.
- Yogurt or Sour Cream: A secret weapon for moisture and tenderness! These dairy products add a subtle tang that beautifully complements the sweetness and deep chocolate notes, while keeping the cake incredibly soft.
- Vanilla Extract: A classic flavor enhancer, vanilla extract adds warmth and depth to the chocolate, creating a comforting and aromatic profile.
- Boiling Water (or Hot Black Coffee): This hot liquid serves multiple purposes. It helps to “bloom” the cocoa powder, intensifying its flavor and creating a smoother, more velvety batter. If you use hot black coffee, it will further deepen the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Vegetable Oil: Unlike butter, oil contributes pure moisture and tenderness to the cake without adding stiffness. It helps keep the cake wonderfully moist for longer, preventing it from drying out.
For the Iconic Marshmallow Topping and Decadent Frosting:
- Mini Marshmallows: These small, delightful puffs are essential for creating the signature gooey, chewy texture of the cake’s middle layer. When lightly toasted, they add a wonderful caramel-like sweetness and a textural contrast to the soft cake.
- Unsalted Butter: The base of our rich frosting. Melted butter provides a smooth, creamy foundation, binding the other frosting ingredients together and contributing to its luscious texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Infuses the frosting with a deep, intense chocolate flavor, ensuring every part of this cake delivers that signature cocoa punch.
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This finely milled sugar sweetens the frosting and is crucial for achieving its incredibly smooth, lump-free consistency, dissolving easily into the melted butter and cocoa.
- Heavy Cream: Adds luxurious richness and creaminess to the frosting, making it wonderfully spreadable and decadent. It perfectly complements the moist cake and the delightfully chewy marshmallows.
Choosing the Best Marshmallows for Your Mud Cake
For the marshmallow layer, **mini marshmallows** are unequivocally the easiest and best choice. Their smaller size allows them to spread evenly across the cake and makes them much simpler to frost smoothly than larger, regular-sized marshmallows. This ensures that gooey, fluffy layer is consistent throughout the cake.
I haven’t personally experimented with marshmallow fluff for this specific recipe, as the solid mini marshmallows provide a distinct structural and textural component when melted and lightly toasted. If you only have regular-sized marshmallows on hand, don’t worry! You can still make this cake. Just try to pack as many marshmallows as possible onto the warm cake surface to create a dense layer. You might even consider cutting larger marshmallows in half to help them conform better and make the frosting process smoother.
How to Make Mississippi Mud Cake From Scratch
Creating this show-stopping Mississippi Mud Cake is a rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps for a truly incredible homemade dessert:
- Prepare for Baking: Begin by preheating your oven to a steady 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats, thoroughly spray a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with a non-stick baking spray, ensuring all corners and sides are coated to prevent sticking. Set this prepared pan aside.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In the large bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, measure and add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix these dry ingredients slowly on low speed until they are just combined and evenly distributed throughout the bowl.
- Incorporate the Wet Ingredients (First Stage): To the dry mixture in the stand mixer bowl, add the large eggs, yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla extract. Continue mixing slowly until these wet ingredients are just combined with the dry, resulting in a slightly crumbly but blended mixture.
- Add the Remaining Liquids: With the mixer still running on a low speed, carefully and slowly pour in the boiling water and vegetable oil. This slow addition helps the batter come together smoothly without overmixing or splashing.
- Finish Mixing the Batter: Continue to mix the batter until all ingredients are fully combined and the batter is smooth and uniform. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tougher cake texture.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the smooth chocolate cake batter into your prepared 9×13 inch baking pan. Transfer it to the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. To check for doneness, a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, but not wet batter.
- Cool and Add Marshmallows: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes on a wire rack. While the cake is still warm, generously pour the entire bag of mini marshmallows evenly over the top surface. Feel free to add more if you desire an extra-thick marshmallow layer!
- Toast the Marshmallows: You have two options for toasting:
- Using a Kitchen Torch (Recommended): For beautiful, even browning and a slight smoky flavor, use a kitchen torch to toast the tops of the marshmallows until golden brown and slightly caramelized.
- Using the Oven: Alternatively, return the cake to the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes, watching carefully, until the marshmallows are lightly browned and puffed.
Making the Rich Chocolate Frosting:
This quick and easy frosting comes together in minutes, thanks to the microwave!
- Melt the Butter: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, place the unsalted butter. Microwave it in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the butter is completely melted and smooth.
- Combine with Cocoa: Add the cocoa powder to the melted butter. Whisk vigorously until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth, with no lumps remaining.
- Assemble the Frosting: Sift the powdered sugar directly into the butter-cocoa mixture. Then, pour in the heavy cream. Whisk everything together until the frosting is perfectly smooth, glossy, and free of any lumps.
- Frost the Cake: Immediately spread the warm chocolate frosting evenly over the toasted marshmallow layer on the cake. Work quickly, as the frosting will begin to set as it cools. Serve and enjoy!
Top Tips for Recipe Success
To ensure your Mississippi Mud Cake turns out absolutely perfect every time, keep these valuable tips in mind:
- Cream Substitute: If you don’t have heavy cream for the frosting, whole milk can be used as a substitute. However, be aware that the frosting’s consistency may be slightly thinner and less rich.
- Sift Powdered Sugar: For the smoothest, most luxurious frosting, always remember to sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the mixture. This crucial step prevents any unsightly lumps or gritty texture.
- Utilize a Kitchen Torch: Investing in a good kitchen torch (like this one) is a game-changer for browning marshmallows. It provides a professional finish and a unique, lightly charred marshmallow flavor that an oven can’t quite replicate. Don’t be intimidated; they’re very easy to use!
- Optimal Serving Time: This cake truly shines when served about 20-30 minutes after the frosting has been applied. This allows the frosting to set slightly but remain wonderfully soft and gooey beneath. If left longer, the top layer of frosting will firm up more significantly.
- Slowly Add Boiling Water: When incorporating the boiling water into the cake batter, pour it in a slow, steady stream while the mixer is on its lowest speed. This prevents splashing and ensures the water is fully integrated for a smooth batter.
- Even Marshmallow Coverage: For a consistent and satisfying marshmallow layer, make sure to spread the mini marshmallows evenly across the entire surface of the warm cake. This ensures uniform melting and a balanced texture in every slice.
- Mixer Versatility: Both a powerful stand mixer or a convenient handheld electric mixer can be successfully used to prepare both the cake batter and the chocolate frosting components of this recipe.
Storage and Freezing Guidelines
To keep your Mississippi Mud Cake fresh and delicious, proper storage is key:
Storing: Once your cake is fully frosted, the best way to maintain its delightful texture and flavor is to store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will remain delicious for up to 3 days. If you prefer, you can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Just be mindful that refrigeration can cause the frosting to harden slightly. To counter this, simply let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to soften the frosting.
Freezing: For longer storage, this Mississippi Mud Cake freezes beautifully. Wrap the cooled and frosted cake tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Then, place it in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty zip-top bag. The cake can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, transfer the frozen cake to the refrigerator overnight to thaw, or let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Delightful Ways to Enjoy Your Mississippi Mud Cake
While this Mississippi Mud Cake is absolutely perfect on its own, here are some delightful ideas to elevate your serving experience:
- Caramel Drizzle: For an extra layer of sticky sweetness and complex flavor, generously drizzle the top of your cake with this delicious Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
- Creamy Toppings: Cut the cake into individual squares and top each piece with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of premium vanilla bean ice cream for an ultimate indulgent treat.
- Tangy Twist: If you enjoy a slight tang to balance the sweetness, consider using a rich Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting instead of the traditional frosting to spread over the marshmallow layer.
- Crunchy Chocolate Goodness: For added texture and an intensified chocolate experience, sprinkle some crumbled Brownie Cookies or chocolate chips over the frosted cake.
Easy Mississippi Mud Cake From Scratch
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Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder, natural
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
For the cake topping
- 10 oz mini marshmallows
- ½ cup butter, unsalted
- ⅔ cup cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cream
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13” pan with baking spray.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cups cocoa powder, 1/2 tablespoon baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and mix on low until combined.
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Add the 2 eggs, ½ cup yogurt or sour cream, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix until combined. The mixture will be crumbly.
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With the mixer running on low speed add in the ¾ cup boiling water and 1/4 cup oil slowly.
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Continue mixing until the batter is evenly mixed.
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Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. -
Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes then add the whole package of marshmallows on top. Feel free to use more if you want!
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You can either torch the marshmallows with a kitchen torch (my preferred method) or return to the oven for 5 minutes to brown.
Make the frosting
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In a medium microwave safe bowl melt the ½ cup butter for 30 seconds at a time until melted.
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Add the ⅔ cocoa powder and mix well until smooth. There should be no lumps from the cocoa powder.
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Sift the powdered sugar on top, and add the ½ cup cream. Whisk until smooth, then slather on top of the marshmallows and enjoy!
