Recipe: 00246 Title : Mississippi Mud Cake Author: Joel Ehrlich Date : July 1995 _________________________________________________________________________ Yields 1 9" Cake CAKE: 2 Cups Pecans, Coarsely 1 1/2 Cups Butter, At Room Temp. Chopped & Toasted 1 1/2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar, FROSTING: Packed Firm 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, 1 Cup Sugar Packed Firmly 3 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, 1 Cup Whipping Cream Chopped & Melted 1/2 Cup Sweet Butter, Cut Into 1/4 Cup Whipping Cream Pieces 2 tsp Vanilla 5 oz Unsweetened Chocolate, 6 LARGE Eggs, At Room Temp. Chopped 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour 2 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Chopped Powder 2 Tbls Dark Corn Syrup 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 1 tsp Vanilla 1/4 tsp Salt 3 Cups Mini Marshmallows Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the (9") square cake pans [with 2" high sides] (2 per cake) with foil, extending the foil over the sides. Butter and flour the foil. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate, cream and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together into a medium bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the batter (it will be VERY thick). Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Spread evenly. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Remove from the oven. Sprinkle half the marshmallows and half the pecans over each layer. Return to the oven. Bake until the marshmallows just begin to melt (about 6 minutes). Transfer in the pans to racks to cool completely. Prepare the frosting: Combine the sugar and cream in a heavy, medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar melts. Cook without stirring until a candy thermometer registers 220 degrees (about 8 minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients. Whisk until all the chocolate melts and the frosting is smooth. Refrigerate until spreadable (about 75 minutes). Use the foil to help you lift the cakes from their pans. Remove the foil. Place one layer on a plate, marshmallow side up. Spread 1 1/2 cups of frosting over. Top with the second layer, marshmallow side up. Spread the remaining frosting in waves on the sides (not the top) of the cake. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=- _________________________________________________________________________