This Mississippi Mud Cake includes a homemade chocolate cake with melted marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting poured on top. Trust me, it’s as delicious as it sounds!

A slice of Mississippi Mud Cake on a white plate.

When I think of a chocolate lover’s dream, this is the cake that comes to mind! It’s called a “Mississippi Mud” cake because of the layers of soft marshmallow and chocolate that make up the topping and frosting. It’s one of the easiest cakes to make, baked in a simple 9×13” pan.

I adapted the recipe from my favorite Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Cake recipe but instead of buttermilk I used milk and sour cream for an extra moist and tender cake. The warm chocolate frosting is the same recipe I use for this popular Texas Sheet Cake. It’s SO GOOD!

How to Make Mississippi Mud Cake:

  • Combine dry ingredients: flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add wet ingredients: Add oil, eggs, vanilla, milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Reduce speed and carefully pour in the boiling water. Beat on high speed for 1 minute to add air to the batter.
  • Bake: Pour batter into greased 9×13” pan and bake for 28-33 minutes.
  • Add marshmallows. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle marshmallows all over the top of the hot cake, completely covering it. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes until marshmallows are puffed up. Cool cake before frosting.
  • Make the Frosting: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add milk and cocoa powder and whisk well. Cook for about 2-3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer to make the frosting smooth.
  • Drizzle frosting over cake.
Two process photos for adding marshmallows and warm chocolate frosting to a Mississippi Mud Cake baked in a 9x13 inch pan.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

The cake can be made 1-2 days in advance, stored covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The baked and frosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.

A pan of Mississippi Mud Cake with a spatula lifting out the first piece of cake.

More Chocolate Cakes to love:

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Recipe

A slice of Mississippi Mud Cake on a plate.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 1 hour
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Ingredients
  

For topping:

  • 10.5 ounce package mini marshmallows
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 6 Tablespoons milk
  • 3 heaping Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13” baking pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add oil, eggs, vanilla, milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Reduce speed and carefully pour in the boiling water. Beat on high speed for 1 minute to add air to the batter.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove cake from oven and sprinkle marshmallows all over the top of the hot cake, completely covering it. 
  • Return to oven (at 350 degrees F) for 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are just slightly puffed and melted. 
  • Allow cake to cool completely before drizzling frosting on top.

For the frosting:

  • Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. 
  • Add milk and cocoa powder and whisk well. Cook for about 2-3 more minutes, stirring constantly. 
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer to make the frosting smooth.
  • Drizzle warm frosting immediately over cake. Refrigerate cake for about 30 minutes or until frosting has set. Store at room temperature.

Notes

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions: The cake can be made 1-2 days in advance, stored covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The baked and frosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 633kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 394mgPotassium: 224mgFiber: 2gSugar: 78gVitamin A: 300IUCalcium: 75mgIron: 2.1mg

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I originally shared this post September 2015. Updated February 2021.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Thank you! This recipe is great. I have made it twice now. But today I am not sure what I was thinking and didn’t read the icing recipe. I made it like butter cream(not heating the butter) I thought it looked wrong. Didn’t go back and read until I already iced the cake. Hopefully it will taste and set up ok

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