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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!
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.
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.
More Chocolate Cakes to love:
- The BEST Texas Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling
- German Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- Dark Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
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Mississippi Mud Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, , packed
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup oil, , canola or vegetable
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 cup boiling water
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 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.
- Next time try Mississippi Mud Brownies!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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.
Can I just make a cake from a box “with pudding” instead from scratch as your recipe calls for? To save time
Yes, that would be fine.
I recall when my mom switched from scratch to a box mix. My favorite cake became undesirable. Do yourself and family and favor and take an extra 5 minutes to make from scratch.
Delicious! Made it two days in a row for two different events-No leftovers! Because I read the comments before baking, I decided to use a disposable lasagna pan. There was no overflow, as stated in on comments. So good!
Hello Lauren, I love your recipe Mississippi Mud Cake . In fact I’ve made it numerous times. I especially love the cake it’s so moist and delicious. I love it so much I’d like to make it into a Bundt cake. But , without the marshmallows of course. Then just put a chocolate glaze on it. Would it work? Thank you for your awesome recipe.
I followed the instructions for using the amount of marshmallows but they overflowed in my oven making a huge mess. I used a deep glass cake dish. I won’t get to taste it because I’m taking it to a senior citizen for his 96th birthday. Next time I’ll use a deeper aluminum roasting pan.
Ditto. Didn’t literally overflow but there’s no room (AT ALL!) for frosting. Going to take it out of the pan & pour the frosting over the top. Wish me luck! Next time I’m going to use the same pan but 1/2 the recipe.
I remember my grandmother making this for Sunday dinners when I was a girl. I never got her recipe before she passed away. I’m excited to give this a try.
I used to make this cake to take camping every time we went but misplaced the recipe. I should be able to make it from memory but since becoming a senior citizen, the memory isn’t that reliable. Thanks for including this one! (Mississippi Mud Cake)
Ditto what S Johnson said about overflowing the pan. Next time I’ll use same pan but 1/2 the recipe. Currently waiting for it to cool, then I’m going to remove it from the pan so I can frost.
this looks great
Found this recipe for Mississippi mud cake in southern living Dec. 2006. Someone on Facebook accused me of spam because I said I made it many times. I have the cookbook still. I’m holding it right now. Maybe ingredients are not exactly the same as yours but I certainly didn’t commit spam
Absolutely delicious! And very rich! Was a hit with everyone who tried it!
Hello! Is this cake good for stacking layers?
Yes, I think that would be fine! (I wouldn’t use the marshmallows in the center layer necessarily, to avoid sliding issues.)