Mississippi Mud Bars

I've been cranking out a few baked goods this week, despite the heat. I decided to get on a little Southern themed kick and, this time, made a bar cookie version of the Mississippi Mud Pie. This came from an old Good HouseKeeping Cookie recipe book I've had for years. It contains some of the best cookie recipes around. And, you know, I am not one for eating or baking with marshmallows, but they are very subtle in this recipe and make a nice gooey stickey layer. They also freeze really well. I'm headed to a BBQ this weekend and I am sure they will be a huge hit. And, of course, bar cookies are the easiest of the easy. My one other thought would be to add some booze into either the cake batter or chocolate layer on top, but don't I always think that? Rum would work. Kahluha. Or some nice southern whiskey to give it a redneck kick.

Mud Cake
3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
3 cups mini marshmallows

Fudge Layer
5 tablespoons butter
1 oz (1 sqaure) unsweetened chocoalte
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanila extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup pecans roughly chopped
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut

For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 13"x9" baking pan. In a saucepan over the stove, melt butter on low heat. With a whisk, stir in granulated sugar and cocoa. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and salt until blended well. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour just until blended. Then, stir in pecans and coconut. Spread batter into pan. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle marshmallows in an even layer on top of the cake. Put the pan back in the oven and bake about 10 minutes until the marshmallows are golden and puffy. Cool on a wire rack.

For Topping: When cake is cool, make the topping. In a pan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir frequently until smooth. With a whisk, stir in cocoa and salt. Stir in cream and vanilla. Beat in confectioner's sugar. Pour over the cake and even out. Cool for about 8 minutes. Then, sprinkle the remaining coconut and pecans over the fudge topping. Cool completely. Cut into bars.