Try this I Heart Eating recipe.
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 c. vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 c. buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 c. hot (not boiling) water
- 1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows
- 8 oz. semisweet baking chocolate chopped
- 1/2 c. milk
- 2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Carbohydrate 0.286211666269842 g
- Cholesterol 91.268333333002 mg
- Fat 19.4419033332604 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 1.58610833305912 g
- Saturated Fat 11.9928126666213 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (37g)
- Sodium 209.501979991301 mg
- Sugar 0.286211666269842 g
- Trans Fat 1.45744349999628 g
- Calories 179 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and vegetabl oil.
- Whisk in eggs one at a time.
- Stir in dry intredients until just combined.
- Add hot water and vanilla.
- Whisk until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
- Bake 30-40 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool to room temperature.
- To make the chocolate mousse, add mini marshmallows, chocolate, and milk to a large, heavy saucepan.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and well-combined.
- Remove from heat, and cool completely.
- In a large bowl, beat whipping cream and vanilla together.
- Fold whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture.
- Spread over cooled cake.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Unsweetened cocoa powder carries the heaviest load in this formulation, dictating both the bitter backbone and the deep color of the crumb without adding excess moisture. Baking requires precise adherence to temperature thresholds, specifically heating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and watching for a wooden toothpick inserted into the center to emerge clean after 30 to 40 minutes of baking.
Understanding the Mousse Base
Melting semisweet chocolate alongside mini marshmallows and milk over low heat creates a dense base that relies on gelatin within the marshmallows for structural set. Folding whipped cream into this cooled chocolate mixture traps air bubbles to achieve lightness, though failing to let the base cool completely before folding will deflate the heavy whipping cream instantly. Fat molecules in the dairy and vegetable oil coat the flour proteins, limiting gluten formation to maintain a tender crumb rather than a chewy texture. Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to firm the fats before slicing.
- Ensure the chocolate and marshmallow mixture drops to room temperature before incorporating whipped cream to prevent melting.
- Whisk eggs individually into the wet ingredients to ensure even emulsification.
- Refrigerate all leftovers promptly due to the high dairy content in the heavy cream and milk.
