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:

FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!

Recipe

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

Ingredients
  

For topping:

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 38-45 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 3-5 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
Have you tried this recipe?!

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.x

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

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

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.

0 0 votes
Recipe Rating
4.90 from 405 votes (356 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

126 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ashley
8 years ago

My frosting was really runny compared to the one in the video

Taylor
8 years ago

This cake is reminding me of my childhood from Mississippi.

Linda Baker
8 years ago

Love your recipes!!!

dd
8 years ago

I had never heard of this 🙁 I have seen other versions since & yours looks the best. I’m so going to make it for a potluck this wknd. Could the cake be made a day ahead of time & then go from there the next day?

dd
8 years ago
Reply to  dd

Also does it matter what kind of cocoa powder you use? I’m thinking for one it needs to be sweetened vs unsweetened. Never baked with it before.

Maria Gagnon
8 years ago
Reply to  Lauren Allen

Love your recipes and thank you so much.

Maria

Kristen
8 years ago

My husband was just telling me how much he loves this cake–and I have never even tried it myself. Time to make!

Amy
8 years ago

Oatmeal cake is so yummy. And I like to think that it is a little healthier too. I will have to change things up and give your recipe a try. It looks amazing.

Stacey
9 years ago

Hi Lauren. Great Recipe. We posted this on “Rad Cake Network” Facebook page. ❤️

Amanda
9 years ago

I just made this for my husband’s birthday, and it was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing it!

The Little Tourist
9 years ago

The pictures are mouthwatering!
Thanks for sharing 🙂

Muchaneta Gora
9 years ago

i love choclate cakes, thank you very much for the inspiration

1 2 3 10