Mississippi Mud Cake

So.

Paula Deen.

After Martha Stewart, Paula is my favorite cook.  First, she seems like she is probably super fun.  Secondly, I know where to turn when I decide to throw caution to the wind and eat rich foods.

I don’t like most “Southern” foods.  However, I always find myself lusting after recipes from Paula Deen.  For some reason, I can forgive her for the 1,000 sticks of butter and 10 cups of heavy cream it seems most recipes need.

Last year, I read her autobiography, It Ain’t All About the Cookin’.  Even if you can’t stomach the idea of eating something so fattening and rich, you need to read this book.  It is easily my favorite autobiography of all time.  She is so honest and raw.  It is incredible to see her journey from young girl to single mom to megastar cook.  Plus, each chapter has a recipe at the end!

Here’s the thing about Paula Deen recipes.  You just have to eat them as they are.  Lightening up one of her recipes is pointless.  The flavor comes from the butter, cream, chocolate, etc etc.  You just go with it.  I wouldn’t make one of her desserts every week, but a few times a year I find myself digging through her cake recipes.  This was one of those times.

Mississippi Mud Cake {Paula Deen – It Ain’t All About the Cookin’}

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 bag miniature marshmallows

For the icing:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tbs cocoa
• 6 tbs milk
• 1 lb box of confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 13 x 9 baking pan.
2. Combine the sugar, salt, and flour in a large mixing bowl.
3. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan.  Add to the flour mixture.
4. Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk, and vanilla.
5. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture.  Mix well.
6. Pour into the prepared pan.  Cook for 25 minutes.
   
7. While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat.
9. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar.  Slowly mix in the vanilla.
10. Taking the cake from the oven and let it cook for a few minutes.  



11. Cover the cake with marshmallows.
12. Pour the warm icing over the cake and marshmallows.
13. Cool the cake before serving.

Grade: A+

Comments: O. M. G.  I wanted to eat the entire thing after I had my first bite.  It was every bit as delicious as a Paula Deen dessert should be.  Rich, flavorful, and just melts in your mouth.  Pouring the warm icing over the marshmallows melts them into this gooey layer.  The icing tastes something between cake icing and donut icing.  I’d make this 100 times over if I didn’t think it would lead to me gaining 200 lbs.  This is definitely a must try recipe.  You will love it.  I promise.

Tagged as: cake recipes, cakes, chocolate, dessert, dessert recipes, Paula Deen, recipes