Fans of rocky road ice cream will rejoice in this unabashedly retro chocolate cake. It’s a great make-ahead treat for picnics, tailgating, and kids’ parties.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 11 x 7-inch cake / serves 10 to 12

　　

Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　Pinch of kosher salt

　　1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

　　1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

　　4 large eggs, beaten

　　1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

　　1 cup chopped pecans

　　

Frosting

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

　　1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

　　12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

　　1/2 cup milk

　　2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　3 cups mini marshmallows

　　1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

　　

Cake

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour an 11 x 7-inch pan.

　　

Step 2

Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl and stir to mix.

　　

Step 3

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the cocoa until well blended. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and stir in the eggs and vanilla. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until well combined. Add the pecans and stir to mix.

　　

Step 4

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, but do not turn the oven off.

　　

Frosting

Step 5

While the cake is baking, combine the cocoa and confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl and stir to mix. Add the melted butter, milk, and vanilla and stir until combined.

　　

Assembly

Step 6

Scatter the marshmallows and pecans over the cake and return to the oven for about 4 minutes, just until the marshmallows are softened and puffy. Remove from the oven and pour the frosting over the marshmallows and pecans to cover, while the cake is warm. Cool completely, cut into squares, and serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.