Southern Living: Mississippi Mud Cake

For a long time, Southern Living magazine was my source for the most over-the-top, horribly bad for you, yet amazing in your mouth recipes.  I mean, this is the South.  We eat some amazing stuff, and we make no promises about the nutritional aspect.  And when we make dessert, we make DESSERT.  How else can you describe what is basically a brownie topped with toasted marshmallows topped with chocolate pecan frosting?  Over the top probably applies.

This is certainly a sugar bomb, so if you already have diabetes, you probably want to steer clear.  Otherwise, I probably wouldn't eat more than a slice or you're liable to make yourself sick.  But it would be such a good sick...

Mississippi Mud Cake
From Southern Living magazine, June 2004

1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10½-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting

Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour batter into a greased and floured 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.

Bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. Return to oven, and bake 5 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. Cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

½ cup milk

¼ cup butter, softened

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa

Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.