Humpty and Dumpy and Marshmallow Birthday Cake

I made a couple new guys from a new pattern that I have been sketching for awhile now. Their legs---or, more accurately, their feet are jointed. They are hilarious to me. I love the looks of polite little fellows in ridiculous attire.



My man is one. Unbelievable. I wanted to share his birthday cake recipe with you because it is super special. It's the richest cake I have ever eaten and definitely the richest thing that Walter has ever-in-his-whole-year-of-life tasted. The recipe comes from a Babe the Pig cookbook (my favorite pig). It's a vegetarian cookbook, though definitely not a vegan cookbook, as you will be able to tell by the copious amounts of butter required. The book was gifted to me ages ago by my beautiful friend Gretchen. It's a very good cake. Go make it and eat it to celebrate Walter being 1!

Great Grandma's Chocolate-Marshmallow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated white sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut (I omitted this)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 package (10 ounces) large marshmallows

Frosting:
1 box (16 ounces) confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butted (softened)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan---butter is good.

Making the cake:
sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt.
In an ample bowl with an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until smooth and creamy (5 minutes or so). On low speed beat in the eggs, one at a time.

On low speed, beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. With a wooden spoon, stir in the pecans, coconut and vanilla. Spread batter into the buttered pan.

Bake in the 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the top of the cake is set and dry looking.

Remove the pan from the oven, place on a wire rack, and immediately cover the top of the cake with the marshmallows. Place the cake back into the oven until the mallows melt about half way, 6 minutes or so. They should be puffes and soft. Then remove the pan from the oven again. Use your mitts! Place on a wire rack to cool.

Making the frosting:
In a bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the milk until the frosting reaches a good spreading consistency. Beat in the vanilla. Spread the frosting over the marshmallow layer.

Yum.