Mississippi Mud Cake (Mississippi Mud Pie)

Mississippi Mud Cake (or Mississippi Mud Pie) may come from Mississippi—or it may not. The name “Mississippi Mud” was popularized by a 1927 song of that title. In 1953, “Mississippi Mud” meant “chocolate pudding.”
 
In the 1960s and 1970s, recipes for “Mississippi Mud Cake” and “Mississippi Mud Pie” appeared in print—mostly from newspapers outside of Mississippi. “Mississippi Mud cake” was printed in the The Richland Beacon-News (Rayville, LA) on July 10, 1964. A recipe for “Mississippi Mud Cake” was printed in the Port Arthur (TX) News on June 25, 1967, A recipe for “Mississippi Mud Pie” was printed in the Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, AR) on April 30, 1971. A recipe for “Mississippi Mud Pie Cake” was printed in the McComb (MS) Enterprise-Journal on October 23, 1973.
 
       
Wikipedia: Mississippi mud pie
Mississippi mud pie is a chocolate-based dessert pie that is likely to have originated in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The treat contains a gooey chocolate sauce on top of a crumbly chocolate crust. The pie is usually served with ice cream.
(...)
The name “Mississippi mud pie” is derived from the dense cake that resembles the banks of the Mississippi River. Its earliest known reference in print is dated 1975.
 
International Lyrics Playground
MISSISSIPPI MUD
(James Cavanaugh / Harry Barris)
 
Paul Whiteman & His Orch. (vocal: Irene Taylor & Bing Crosby) - 1928
Frankie Trumbauer & His Orch. (vocal: Bing Crosby) - 1928
Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band - 1954
The McGuire Sisters - 1956
Joy Bryan - 1957
Ray Charles - 1960
Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer - 1961
Jim Kweskin - 1968
The Muppets - 1977
D.C. Anderson - 1997
BSQ - 1998
Also recorded by: Dinah Shore; Bix Beiderbecke; Bob Crosby; Lawrence Welk; Lester Lanin; The Platters;
Johnny Wiggs; Pasadena Roof Orchestra.
 
When the sun goes down, the tide goes out,
The people gather ‘round and they all begin to shout,
“Hey! Hey! Uncle Dud,
It’s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud.
It’s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud”.
 
What a dance do they do!
Lordy, how I’m tellin’ you…
They don’t need no band…
They keep time by clappin’ their hand…
Just as happy as a cow chewin’ on a cud,
When the people beat their feet on the Mississippi Mud.
(...)
 
7 June 1953, New York Herald Tribune, This Week section, “Full-Time Father” by Dick Ashbaugh, pg. 20, col. 2:
MENU BY MOLLY: It made Daddy turn pale
(Illustration—ed.)
Menu
SLOPPY JOES
BIRDLEGS with DRAGONS BLOOD
FLYING SAUCERS
MISSISSIPPI MUD
MOO JUICE
(Col. 3, end of text—e d.)
“Everything yummy,” said the young cook. “Sloppy Joes, birdlegs with dragon’s blood and flying saucers. For dessert there’s Mississippi mud and whipped cream.  Moo juice to drink.”
 
“Sounds wonderful,” I said paling slightly. “But if you don’t mind I’ll—uh—eat later.  I may just slip down to the corner for a humburger with onion slice and French fries.”
   
She looked at me curiously.  “But, Daddy, that’s just what we’re having.  Sloppy Joe hamburgers, French fries with catsup and onion ring.  For dessert there’s chocolate pudding.  If you don’t want milk I’ll make you coffee.”
 
“Is there anything I can do?” I asked.
 
“You could whip the cream,” said Molly, “only I can’t find the eggbeater.”
 
From above stairs came a series of splashes and shrieks of glee.  “Never mind,” I said.  “I’ll take my Mississippi mud plain.”
       
Newspapers.com
10 July 1964, The Richland Beacon-News (Rayville, LA), “Shower honors Miss Lisa Ware,” pg. 4, col. 2:
Dessert was Mississippi Mud cake.
 
November/December 1964, Paradise of the Pacific, pg. 128, col. 3:
Kona Mud Pie.  Make crumb crust by stirring 3/4 cup chocolate cooky crumbs and 1/2 cube shredded coconut into 1/2 cube melted butter. Press into pie pan; bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees. Fill with 1 1/2 to 2 quarts coffee ice cream. Frost with chocolate frosting (made from 1/2 box mix) flavored with instant Kona coffee. Freeze until serving time. Top with whipping cream and shredded coconut.
 
25 June 1967, Port Arthur (TX) News, pg. 19F:
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
Mix:
One-third cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
Add:
2 sticks margarine, melted
4 eggs beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
 
Pour into greased (3x7 1/2-inch) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Pull from oven and put a layer of miniature marshmallows over top. Put back in oven until marshmallows toast. Take out cake and cool.
 
Icing
Mix:
1 box confectioners sugar
One third cup cocoa
1 stick margarine, melted
One-third cup milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla
 
Mix icing well and spread over cool cake.
Mrs. James Cross
   
Newspapers.com
31 May 1968, Current-Argus (Carlsbad, NM), “Hard Working Woman Finds Joy In Life,” pg. 5, cols. 3-4:
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
4 whole eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1-3 cup cocoa
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 package small marshmallows
 
Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat by hand. Sift flour, cocoa and salt and add to above mixture. Mix well and vanilla and nuts.
 
Pour into greased and floured oblong pan (9 x 13 x 2 inches) and bake 35 minutes at 300 degrees. Take out of oven and spread marshmallows on top. Put back in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees; then cool completely.
 
Newspapers.com
25 January 1970, Atchison (KS) Globe, Globe Cookbook, pg. 18, col. 1:
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
Sandy Baumgardner
321 North 4th
2 sticks butter
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
Marshmallow cream’
Melt butter and cocoa. Let cool. Blend sugar, eggs and flour together. Add nuts to cooled chocolate mixture. Add vanilla and mix with flour mixture. Bake at 375 degrees until done 35-45 min. Remove from oven and wait 15 minutes then spread with marshmallow cream.
Topping:
1/2 box powdered sugar
1/2 stick butter
4 tbs cocoa
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Mix together with small amount of milk and spread on top of marshmallow cream.
 
Newspapers.com
30 April 1971, Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, AR), pg. 42, col. 2:
MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE
Lola M. Douglas
1375 Hendrix
Fayetteville, Ark.
1 cup oleo or Crisco
2/5 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup pecans
Melt together oleo and cocoa, pour over sugar and mix, add eggs and flour, then mix well, Stir in chopped nuts. Bake in oblong cake pan or pyrex dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. While the above is still hot, spread on top, one 7-oz. jar marshmallow creme. Then on top of marshmallow creme spread icing.
Icing
1 stick oleo or 1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup Pet milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 box confectioner’s sugar
Melt together oleo and cocoa, add Pet milk and vanilla, then confectioner’s sugar. Beat well. Add nuts to icing if desired.
 
11 January 1973, Coshocton (OH) Tribune, pg. 7, col. 4:
Another of the recipes she obtained while in Texas follows.
 
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
Beat together until thick:
(Col. 5—ed.)
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 pound melted butter
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cocoanut
1 cup pecans
Bake in greased and floured oblong pan at 250 degrees for 30 minutes or until done.
Cover with marshmallow cream as soon as you remove from oven.
 
FROSTING
1/4 pound melted margarine
6 tablespoons milk
1-2 cup cocoa
1 pound powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans
Mix above ingredients together, with exception of nuts, when well mixed it reaches consistency of icing add nuts and ice cooled cake.
 
15 January 1973, Coshocton (OH) Tribune, pg. 5, col. 4:
Recipes Corrected
In the recipe for Mississippi Mud Cake, which appeared in the Tribune’s Recipe file on Thursday, a third of a cup of (Col. 5—ed.) cocoa was omitted. Additionally, the milk glaze recipe required two tablespoons of milk instead of two teaspoons. In the Sock-It-To-Me cake recipe only one tablespoon of cinnamon is necessary, instead of two tablespoons as previously reported.
   
Newspapers.com
23 October 1973, McComb (MS) Enterprise-Journal, Recipe Edition, pg. 13, col. 4:
MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE CAKE
 
29 November 1974, Coshocton (OH) Tribune, pg. 8-B, col. 1:
Second Place
Mississippi Mud Cake
2 sticks oleo
3 1/2 tablespoon cocoa
(Col. 2—ed.)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup coconut
1 1/2 cup nuts
1 jar marshmellow cream
Melt 2 sticks oleo. Add cocoa and granulated sugar. Add eggs, flour, vanilla. Mix well and add coconut and nuts. Pour into 9x13 pan and bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and spread with marshmellow cream. Cool.
   
Icing
1 stick oleo
3 1/2 tablespoon cocoa
1-3 cup milk
1 package confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Prepare icing by melting remaining stick of oleo. Add remaining cocoa and milk. Boil one minute. Add confectioners sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Mrs. Paul Miller
332 S. Johnson Street
West Lafayette, Ohio 43845
 
Marshall County Historical Society
Bicentennial Cook Book
Holly Springs, Mississippi
1975
Pg. 117, col. 1:
MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE
16 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/4 C. melted butter
1 1/2 pints softened coffee flavored ice cream
1/4 C. chocolate fudge sauce
Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Line bottom of pie plate and put in freezer for 20 minutes. Spoon ice cream into pie shell. Cover with fudge sauce. Return to freezer until sauce hardens. 
A deluxe company pie.
Olive Mae Fore
Chulahoma
 
Pg. 146, col. 2:
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
1 C. butter
1/2 C. cocoa
2 C. sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
Pinch salt
Temp. 350 degrees
Cooking Time 35-45 min.
Melt butter and cocoa together. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and mix well. Add beaten eggs, flour, salt, nuts and vanilla. Mix well and pour into 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. When cake is done, sprinkle miniature marshmallows on hot cake and make chocolate frosting below.
   
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1 lb. confectioners sugar
1/2 C. whole milk
1/3 C. cocoa
1/2 stick butter
Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy and of spreading consistency—and pour over marshmallow topping.
Olive Mae Fore
Chulahoma

June 1978, Gourmet magazine, pg. 81, col. 2:
Q.  We recently dined at a charming restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, called Front Street. For dessert we had Mississippi mud cake, a memorable chocolate treat. Do you think you could satisfy my sweet tooth with the recipe?
MRS. GEORGE DALSHEIMER
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
A.  Edmond Di Stasi and Howard Gruber were pleased to send this recipe down by the riverside.
Mississippi Mud Cake Front Street
(Fudge Cake)
(Long recipe follows—ed.)
 
The Nashville Cookbook:
Specialties of the Cumberland Region
By Nashville Area Home Economics Association
1976, 1977
(Index—ed.)
Cakes:
Mississippi Mud, 161