Original Cookbook Name:
The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes & Food Memories
Published By:
Simon & Schuster / The National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Year of Publication:
First Fireside Edition 1993 (originally published 1991)
Page Number (if available):
184
Author / Contributor (if listed):
W. Kamau Bell, Philadelphia, PA
Heritage & Cultural Context
Mississippi Mud Cake is a rich, gooey, deeply chocolate dessert that holds a special place in Southern baking traditions. In this cookbook, it comes to life through a cherished birthday memory shared by contributor W. Kamau Bell. This version features the signature dense chocolate base, topped with marshmallow cream and a silky cocoa icing—a dessert beloved at birthday parties, school events, and family gatherings alike. Mississippi Mud Cake’s roots run deep in African American Southern kitchens, often made for special occasions where indulgence was both a celebration and a form of love. Its name conjures images of the slow-moving Mississippi River and the dark, velvety texture of the cake itself. The inclusion of coconut and nuts offers texture and richness, while the marshmallow topping adds a playful, melt-in-your-mouth layer reminiscent of campfire treats.
Ingredients (As Written in the Book)
Cake
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups nuts
- 1½ cups flake coconut
Topping
- 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream
Icing
- 1 box confectioners sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
Instructions
Original Instructions:
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- For cake, combine butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Mix until creamy. Add flour, nuts and coconut. Mix thoroughly.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.
- For topping, remove cake from oven and immediately spread marshmallow cream on top. Let cool.
- For icing, combine confectioners sugar, cocoa, evaporated milk and butter. Mix thoroughly. Spread on top of marshmallow cream.
Editor’s Note (Optional Modern Guidance):
Bake in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let the marshmallow layer sit until slightly set before icing to preserve layering.
Cultural or Historical Insight
This cake echoes the tradition of layered Southern desserts that combine accessible pantry staples with indulgent flair. The use of marshmallow cream may reflect post-WWII ingredient innovations, while coconut and nuts nod to Caribbean influences and rural Southern adaptations. W. Kamau Bell’s story underscores how food memory becomes a powerful form of intergenerational bonding—especially through desserts shared in schoolrooms and family celebrations. Dishes like this served as both social currency and emotional comfort in African American households navigating joy amid structural inequality.
Visual Reference
ALT text:
Scanned recipe page for “Mississippi Mud Cake” from The Black Family Reunion Cookbook, page 184, featuring personal memory from W. Kamau Bell and instructions for a rich chocolate sheet cake topped with marshmallow and cocoa icing.
