Mississipi Mud Cake

This recipe comes courtesy of Paula Deen. I love Paula's show on the Food Network but cannot imagine eating her food on a daily basis. Wow...I'd end us as big as a house!!! This is a cake my husband requested and I finally got around to making it for him. After my St. Patricks's Day post showing the chocolate cream sandwich cookies, he said I have no right to complain about how rich Paula's cooking is!!

This recipe is easy as can be. Just bake and watch it disappear in a hurry!

(By the way I plan on redoing my Blog List so if I miss any of you that are reading this and you would like to be added on, just let me know and I'll add your blog.)

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
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk (I use 1/2 milk and 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice)
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 bag miniature marshmallows

Icing
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 tbs cocoa
6 tbs milk
1 (1 lb) box confectioners' sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
Combine the sugar, salt and flour in a large mixing bowl. Bring the butter, oil, cocoa and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add to the flour mixture.
Beat together the eggs, baking soda, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to the chocolate mixture, mix well and pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the icing by melting the butter in the cocoa and milk over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the confectioners' sugar. Slowly mix in the nuts and the vanilla. Take the cake from the oven, and when it cools a bit cover it with miniature marshmallows. Pour the warm icing over the cake and the marshmallows. Cool the cake before serving.