Recipe updated: April 4th, 2024
If you haven’t tried this easy Mississippi mud cake recipe yet, you are missing out on a chocolate lover’s delight! It’s amazing with so much chocolate in every bite that includes mini marshmallows, chocolate frosting, chocolate chips, and then chopped pecans to top it off. An ooey gooey treat that is so good!
🔑 Key Ingredients
The Cake
- 1 cup of butter
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of table salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 5 cups of miniature marshmallows
- 1 cup of milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup of finely chopped pecans (optional)
Chocolate Frosting
- 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter (melted)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
👩🍳 How to Make Mississippi Mud Cake
These step-by-step instructions are accompanied by detailed photos for enhanced clarity and guidance.
Step 1. Preheat the Oven
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2. Melt the Butter for the Cake
Put 1 cup of butter, or 2 sticks, in a small microwave-safe bowl, then put the bowl with the butter in it into the microwave for 30 seconds until the butter is melted.
Step 3. Add the Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, and Salt
In a large mixing bowl, put the melted butter together with the dry ingredients – 2 cups of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Then add the 4 eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Step 4. Mix the Chocolate Mixture
With a whisk, stir the melted butter together with the sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt creating the chocolaty mixture for the cake. If you don’t have a whisk, a spoon or spatula will work fine.
Step 5. Add the Flour
In the same large bowl, while stirring, slowly add 1 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour a little bit at a time together with the wet ingredients – the chocolate mixture. Keep stirring and adding more flour until the flour is all mixed in with the chocolate mixture.
Step 6. Mix the Flour and Chocolate Mixture
Using the whisk, mix the flour and the chocolate mixture until it is blended well into a chocolate cake batter.
Step 7. Add the Chocolate Chips
Put 1 cup of the milk chocolate chips in the bowl together with the chocolate cake batter.
Step 8. Mix the Chocolate Chips and Chocolate Cake Batter
Stir the milk chocolate chips and the chocolate cake batter until thoroughly blended.
Step 9. Put the Chocolate Cake Batter into Greased Baking Pan
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour batter into the baking dish until it is evenly spread throughout the dish. Put the chocolate cake batter into the oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The baking time is 30 minutes. If you are using a dark pan, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.
When the chocolate cake is done, stick a toothpick in the center of the cake to make sure that it is done. The toothpick should come out clean.
Step 10. Make the Chocolate Frosting
While the cake is baking in the oven, put 1/4 cup of butter in another microwave-safe bowl. Melt butter for 15 seconds, depending on your microwave. Keep an eye on the butter while it is melting.
Step 11. Add the Powdered Sugar, Milk, and Cocoa Powder
In a medium bowl add the melted butter together with 2 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Step 12. Mix the Melted Butter, Powdered Sugar, Milk, and Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
With an electric mixer, or you can use a spoon or spatula, mix the melted butter, powdered sugar, milk, and unsweetened cocoa powder until creamy and smooth. Set the chocolate frosting aside for now.
Note: If you want warm chocolate frosting, you can heat the butter, milk, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan on the stove on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or just until the butter is melted. Stir constantly. Then, on low heat, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to stir. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then pour the warm frosting over the cake in step 17. Some folks like warm frosting, but we didn’t heat ours on the stove, just mixed it in the bowl.
Step 13. Remove the Cake From the Oven
After the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven while it is still hot, but do not turn off the oven. We need the cake to be hot for step 14, and we will be putting the cake back into the oven in step 15 for another 5 minutes.
Step 14. Load on the Mini Marshmallows
Evenly sprinkle marshmallows, about 5 cups, on top of the cake.
Note: We advise against it for this Mississippi mud cake recipe, but you can substitute one 7-ounce jar of marshmallow cream if you don’t have any mini marshmallows. We use mini marshmallows because it is easier than spreading marshmallow creme (or cream) over the top of the cake. Also, note that marshmallow cream may change the taste and texture of the Mississippi mud cake. The mini marshmallows (in step 15) end up being gooey marshmallows, and that is exactly what we want, so good!
Step 15. Bake Another Five Minutes
Put the cake back into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. The mini marshmallows will melt somewhat and have a slight brownish color on top of them. Let the Mississippi mud cake with the melted marshmallows sit on the countertop at room temperature for about 20 minutes so it can cool completely.
Step 16. Do the Drizzle
After the cake has cooled, drizzle the chocolate frosting over the cake until it is all covered.
Step 17. Add the Pecans and More Chocolate Chips
Sprinkle 1 cup of chopped pecans and more chocolate chips over the top of the marshmallows and frosting. This step is optional but it sure makes the mud cake taste even better than it already tastes.
If you noticed and are wondering why there are half chopped pecans on one side and half chocolate chips on the other side in this photo, it is because we have a few family members who don’t like nuts, so we were nice enough to give them half of this Mississippi mud cake all to themselves. 🙂
Note: You can put extra chocolate chips on the whole cake and omit the pecans if you prefer. Or you can do both, put chocolate chips and chopped pecans on the whole cake.
Step 18. Wait!
As hard as it is going to be, you must wait before cutting this delicious homemade chocolate cake with lots of chocolate. It needs to be set so it will stay into squares when cut. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator and can last for about a week. Make sure to cover the cake with aluminum foil or plastic wrap before putting it in the refrigerator.
🙋 FAQs For Mississippi Mud Cake
If you have any leftover Mississippi mud cake, it is best to store it in the refrigerator, which can last about a week. Put the cake pan lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap over the top of the baking dish protecting the cake while it is in the refrigerator. Any leftovers after that, either throw the leftover in the trash or put in the freezer.
Yes, you can freeze Mississippi mud cake. It’s ideal if your baking dish has a lid. Cover the cake with the lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap. I usually cut the cake in squares, then wrap about 3 or 4 squares together with aluminum foil. Then when we want cake, I take one package out of the freezer instead of having to deal with the whole frozen cake.
📄 Final Thoughts
This old fashioned Mississippi mud cake recipe tastes like delicious homemade chocolate cake, but better with all of its chocolate flavors, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crunchy pecans! Your mouth won’t know which bite it likes the best. This is an amazing recipe you must try, the best chocolate cake around! And yes, vanilla ice cream goes great with it. Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Mississippi Mud Cake
🫕 Equipment
- Electric hand mixer (optional)
- Baking dish (9×13-inch)
🧂 Ingredients
The Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
The Chocolate Frosting
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
👩🍳 Instructions
The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter to the granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix thoroughly creating the chocolate cake batter.
- Add the flour slowly to the chocolate cake batter a little at a time. Stir, add flour, then stir until all of the flour is used and it is mixed thoroughly with the chocolate cake batter.
- Add the chocolate chips to the cake batter. Blend well.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Pour the cake batter into the baking dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. (Reduce the temperature by 25 degrees if using a dark pan).
- A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean.
The Chocolate Frosting
- While the cake is baking in the oven, put the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and put it in the microwave for 15 seconds until soft. Keep an eye on it.
- In a different bowl, put the powdered sugar, milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, and melted butter. Mix thoroughly. Set aside for now.
Finishing the Cake
- When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and toss the mini marshmallows evenly on the top of the cake, then put it back into the oven for about 5 minutes.
- The marshmallows will melt somewhat and have a slight brownish color on top of them.
- Let the Mississippi mud cake with the melted marshmallows sit on the countertop at room temperature for about 20 minutes so it can cool completely.
- After that, drizzle the chocolate frosting over the top of the cake.
- Add the chopped pecans and more chocolate chips on top of the choclate frosting.
- Let the Mississippi mud cake cool before cutting.
- Store in the refrigerator for about a week. Then either freeze the remaining or toss it out in the trash.
*️⃣ Recipe Notes
- If you want warm chocolate frosting, you can heat the butter, milk, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan on the stove on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, or just until the butter is melted. Stir constantly. Then, on low heat, add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to stir. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the warm frosting over the cake after the mini marshmallows step.
- You can use chopped walnuts instead of pecans if you prefer.
🥰 More Chocolate Dessert Recipes You Will Love
- Mississippi Mud Pie – This Mississippi mud pie is heavenly! A chocolate lover’s paradise come true! So good!
- Triple Chocolate Brownies – Triple the chocolate with butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, table salt, white chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips. Delicious!
- Oreo Chocolate Milkshake – A delicious crushed Oreo cookie ice cream milkshake that is amazing! Milk, Oreo double stuff cookies, chocolate ice cream, and topped with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Yum!
- Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies – A real treat – soft, crispy, and chewy all at the same time! They are filled with tons of mini chocolate chips and M&M’s.
- Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies – Loaded with chocolate chips and sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt on the top of each cookie gives them a unique taste all of their own. I bet you can’t eat just one!
A wife, a mother to a son and a daughter, and a grandmother to three granddaughters. Flo loves sharing recipes passed down from her own mother, her mother-in-law, and her grandmother as well as new recipes created with her daughter, Tamara Ray.
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