Mississippi Mud Poke Cake

Name: Mississippi Mud Poke Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 box chocolate cake mix; 4 eggs; 1 cup whole milk; 1/4 cup melted butter (unsalted); 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips; 1 cup heavy cream; 13 oz marshmallow cream (10.5oz); 1 stick melted butter (salted); 3 tbsp cocoa powder; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3 cups powdered sugar; 1 cup pecan pieces(toasted)

Last Updated on August 8, 2025

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January 1, 2024

Mississippi Mud Cake (Poke Cake)

This Mississippi Mud Poke Cake is simple to make with a box chocolate cake mix and is melt-in-your-mouth chocolate deliciousness. Make it in advance for a party and everyone will be asking you for the recipe.

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This Mississippi Mud Poke Cake is for all the chocolate lovers out there! With an easy to make box chocolate cake base, it’s topped with layers of a homemade chocolate ganache, melted marshmallows, and a melted chocolate crinkly icing. Add crunchy pecans, and it’s a flavor bomb in each bite.

Better yet, it’s easy to make this Mississippi Mud Cake in advance for dessert. The longer it sets in the fridge, the more the flavors meld together and the better it tastes. If you want to try some of our other insane desserts, give our Biscoff Poke Cake, Biscoff Toffee Dip and Dessert Crunchwrap a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

Easy yet decadent dessert to make. With a chocolate cake base with layers of chocolate ganache, rich chocolate icing, and melty marshmallows, each bite is pure heaven.
Family favorite recipe. This dessert is requested over and over in our family because it’s just that good.
Perfect make ahead sweet. This chocolate treat actually better if it sits for a few hours before serving. It becomes extremely moist and gooey.

What is Mississippi Mud Cake?

It’s a chocolate sheet cake that came about during the 1970s. It’s similar to a Texas Sheet Cake with a glaze-like chocolate icing plus the addition of marshmallows. It was a popular dessert in the Southern United States during World War II.

We put a twist on ours here and made it a poke cake with a chocolate ganache that seeps into the cake base itself. Plus, by melting the marshmallows on the top of the cake it becomes a chewy, gooey layer in each bite.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

Boxed chocolate cake mix: Use your favorite type or brand here.
Large eggs: According to box instructions.
Whole milk: A substitute for water that we love using with box cake to make it even better.
Unsalted butter: We add this to our cake mix to make the flavor even richer.

For the Ganache:

Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Use your favorite type of chocolate here, we love semisweet cause it’s not too bitter.
Heavy cream: The key ingredient to making a silky smooth ganache.
Marshmallow cream: An essential ingredient for Mississippi Mud Cake, when they melt in the oven it creates a layer of ooey gooey goodness.

For the Icing:

Butter: We melt the butter to make that melt-in-your-mouth texture that is also crackly at the same time.
Cocoa powder: Infuses the icing with great cocoa flavor.
Heavy cream: Also helps to create the best icing consistency.
Vanilla extract: Gives a caramel and floral-like note.
Powdered sugar: The sweetness for the icing recipe.
Pecan pieces: Adds a crunch in each bite.

How to Make Mississippi Mud Poke Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make the cake mix and bake in a greased 9×13-inch cake pan or deep glass baking dish for 30 minutes.

2. Poke holes all over the cake.

3. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer and pour over the chocolate chips. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes then whisk until smooth. Pour over the cake.

4. Add marshmallow cream to pan with a splash of milk. Heat on low stirring frequently until smooth. Pour over cake and place in fridge to chill 30-45 min.

5. Toast pecans for 10 minutes on a separate baking sheet at 350ºF.
6. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and milk. Combine well and remove from the heat. Add vanilla extract and then the powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Fold in the toasted pecans and spread over the marshmallow cream.

7. Place in the fridge for at least 60 minutes to cool then enjoy!

Expert Tips

Poke holes in warm cake. This makes poking the holes easier using a chopstick or metal straw. It also helps the chocolate ganache to absorb better into the cake.
When making ganache, let the hot cream sit on the chocolate chips for a couple of minutes. This ensures that the cream will fully melt the chocolate chips to make a smooth and silky sauce.
Toast the pecans before adding to the icing. This adds just an extra dose of rich flavor to every bite.
Be sure to cool the cake for an hour before serving. This lets the icing set and all the flavors to meld together nicely.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Take the chill off of the cake a few minutes before serving.

This Mississippi Mud Cake is perfect to make ahead and keep in the fridge until guests arrive. Make it a few hours or up to a day in advance.

We don’t recommend freezing this cake as it can compromise the texture of each bite.

FAQs

What is Mississippi Mud Cake?

It’s a sheet cake similar to a Texas Sheet Cake with a chocolate base plus a chocolate frosting and pecans.

Why is it called poke cake?

This is because you poke holes all in the cake layer itself and pour over the chocolate ganache. Let the chocolate ganache soak in for so much flavor in each bite.

What is the history of Mississippi Mud Cake?

It was a cake that started appearing in newspapers as a recipe in the 1970s. It was a popular dessert in the Southern United States during World War II.

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