Chocolate Marshmallow cake

If you haven’t noticed from my past posts, I love chocolate cake of most every kind. Growing up I LOVED choolate marshmallow ice cream (and still do) so when I saw a cake version, I knew I had to try it out. I’ve changed it a few times but I think this version is the best. It starts with a cake mix, so that helps speed up the process. There are a few steps to this one, but it’s worth the time and extra effort. WARNING: Make sure you really love who you make this for…. they will ask for it again, and again and again…..

Here’s what you need for the cake:

• Duncan Heinz dark fudge cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted plus 2 – 3 tbs for pans
• 1 cup of water
• Frosting:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup malted milk powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 4 oz. dark chocolated, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Filling:
• 12 large or 2 cups of small marshmallows
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 (1.75 oz) marshmallow fluff
• 2-3 tbl heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour (2) 9″ round cake pans and set side. Mix together the eggs, water and butter in a small bowl or mixing cup. Put the cake mix in a mixing bowl and blend in the egg/butter mixture 1-2 minutes on medium until blended, then on high for one minute more, scraping the sides to make sure it’s well incorporated. Spread batter evenly in to the pans and bake on the milddle rack of the oven for 25-30 mintues until cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack and cool complely. Note: You can make this in 8″ pans, just adjust your cooking time.

For the filling – You need to toast marshmallows and there are two ways I’ve tried this. I used to put them on foil sprayed with cooking spray and put them under the broiler. That works great, but you need to watch them like crazy. I did it this way a bunch of times when I started making this cake. You can also use a cooking tourch if you have one. One of my besties got me one as a gift and I love it. Either way, toast the top, let them sit for a bit then flip them over and do the other side. Next up, in a mixing bowl or a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar together on medium low speed until blended. Add the vanilla and beat about 3 minutes. Turn down the speed to about medium low and add the fluff and the toasted marshmallows to the bowl. Add the cream to thin it out enough to make it spreadable. Give the filling a final mix by hand to to make sure it’s well incorporated.

Starrt assembling the cake: Place one layer of the cake on a platter or cake stand that you can put into the fridge. Add the filing in an even layer, leaving a small boarder (1″ or so) and place the top layer on. Put in the firdge for 45 minutes or so to allow the filling to set so it doesn’t slide around when you put the icing on.

While you cake is taking a chill, make the frosting. Melt the chocolate – Two ways to do this: first, in the micorwave. Break up the pices of chocoate and microwave in a safe bowl, heat 20-30 seconds at a time until fully melted, sitring in between. I like to do this in a double boiler (because I tend to over do it in the microwave) – put the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and melt it over simmering water, makeing sure the bowl does not touch the water, sitring constantly until melted. Set melted chocolate aside to cool.

Combine the butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl on low speed for about 2 minutes. Add the malted milk powder, vanilla and a pinch of salt and mix until combined, about 2 more minutes on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the chocolate and beat for 2 minutes on medium high speed. Turn the speed back down to low and slowly add the whipping cream. Turn back upto medium for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl every 30 seconds or so. Make sure everything is well combined.

Frost the cake – I like to put a smooth/crumb layer down first. Then I go back and make it pretty. with the rest of the frosting. I don’t have a ton of decorating skills, but the end game is a good cake, right? Adding some ice cream is never a bad thing either! 🙂 Hope you make this soon – Enjoy!