Mississippi Mud Bars

Mississippi Mud Bars
Courtesy Good Housekeeping
This sounds like a lot of work for a cookie bar… and well, it is. But it is SO worth it if you love gooey chocolate and marshmallows.
Mud cake:
¾ c. butter
1 ¾ c. sugar
¾ c. unsweetened cocoa
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ c. flour
½ c. chopped pecans
½ c. flaked sweetened coconut
3 c. mini marshmallows
Fudge topping:
5 TBS butter
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. confectioner’s sugar
½ c. pecans, coarsely broken
¼ c. flaked sweetened coconut
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. Prepare cake: In a 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. With a wire whisk, stir in granulated sugar and cocoa. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla and salt until well blended. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour just until blended. Stir in pecans and coconut. Spread batter into prepared pan (batter will be thick).
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle marshmallows in an even layer ontop of cake. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are puffed and golden, 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
4. When cake is cool, prepare topping: 2-quart saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. With wire whisk, stir in cocoa and salt. Stir in evaporated milk and vanilla (mixture will be thick). Beat in confectioner’s sugar. Pour over cake.
5. Cool fudge-topped cake 20 minutes. Sprinkle pecans and coconut over top. To serve cut into bars.