Mud Cake And Possum!
We have an odd sense of humor in my family. Perhaps it’s not odd, really, so much as it is constant. We are forever looking to laugh in any given situation. I blame it entirely on my mother, who made sure each day growing up was filled with as much laughter as possible.
My brother is no different. What began as a joke has now turned into a full fledged slogan for his restaurant, Hickory Barn BBQ in Athens. A few months back, he put “Possum and Crackers” on his sign out front just to see what his wife would say. This sign caused quite a stir as folks began stopping just to have their picture made next to it.
Requests for the dish began pouring in and disappointment at finding it was a joke surprised us all. Bill quickly added possum and crackers and possum and cheese sandwiches to the menu (don’t worry, its really just bologna) and delighted his customers by placing the slogan “I ate the possum” on his T Shirts as well.
Aside from the possum, all other cuisine at the restaurant is as authentic as it comes – From the chicken and ribs he won Grand Champion for at the Jack Daniel’s cook off to the homemade cakes served for dessert. The cake varies by week but the recipe always comes directly from our family cookbook, often ones which have been featured on SouthernPlate.com. Elvis Presley cake is a longtime favorite as is my grandmother’s Peanut Butter cake along with many others. This weekend, they’ll be serving up my Mama’s Mississippi Mud cake. In case you can’t make it out for a slice actually made by Mama, here’s the recipe.
This is a longer ingredient list than what you’re used to from me but its worth it so just sit back and take notes, you’re gonna have some happy campers in just a bit!
Stir together salt,baking soda, and flour. The recipe says to sift this together. Well folks, I’m a stirrer, not a sifter. Makes things a bit easier and I don’t have to dig in my cabinets to find the thing.
T’ain’t nobody complained yet!
Bring margarine, oil,cocoa, and one cup water to a boil in a sauce pot, stirring constantly.
Remove pot from eye and turn off heat as soon as it comes to a boil.
Place flour mixture in mixing bowl and pour hot mixture over it.
Add buttermilk…
Now honestly, have you ever once had a recipe that called for buttermilk that wasn’t good? I sure haven’t!
To a Southerner, adding buttermilk to something is about like tossing in golden nuggets!
Beat your eggs in a separate cup.
Add eggs and water called for in recipe and immediately turn your mixer on so the eggs don’t have time to
cook in the hot mixture.
It will look like this when its done. You really need to take a lick on accounta’ you’d hate to
feed your family and friends something you don’t know for a fact tastes good in the batter bowl 
.
Grease a 9×13 inch pan. You can use shortening for this but I just use nonstick cooking spray.
Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 pan and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nah, I didn’t grease my pan either…seriously guys, this isn’t that complicated ~winks~
Now lets make our icing!
Try to time your icing so it is ready as soon as your hot cake comes out of the oven for best results.
Place margarine, cocoa,and milk in a saucepan.
Stir constantly and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, remove from heat. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla, mix well.
Done!
Cover hot cake with marshmallows. Kids love to do this part!
Drizzle hot icing over the top and you’re done!
You’ll need:
Mama’s Mississippi Mud Cake
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 stick margarine
- 1/2 cup oil
- 4 T. cocoa
- 1 cup plus 1 t. cold water, divided
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 10oz. bag mini marshmallows
Sift flour, sugar, salt, and soda together. Bring margarine, oil, cocoa, and one cup water to a boil. Add to flour mixture. Add eggs, one teaspoon cold water, and buttermilk. Mix well. Pour into a greased and floured 9X13 pan and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Top with marshmallows while warm. Pour icing over top.
Icing
- 1 stick margarine
- 3 T. cocoa
- 6 T. milk
- 1 16 oz. box confectioner’s sugar
- 1 t. vanilla
Combine margarine, cocoa, and milk. Bring to a boil. Add sugar and mix well. Add vanilla. Pour over hot cake as soon as it come out of oven. Note: Chopped nuts are great added to cake.
Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching? ~Southern Plate Reader, Granny K.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is where I order my business cards from.
Using this link, I just ordered 2500 more for a little over thirty dollars!
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Apr 1 2009. Filed under Misc.
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Whaaaat? No cake mix? Just kidding, Christy! My momma went through a Mississippi mudcake baking phase when I was a kid so it brings back memories!
Hehehehe!
OH LAAWD HAVE MERCY that cake looks good! I need to fix that for the pops, he’d love it.
Your brother’s BBQ looks awesome too.
If you and your daddy are ever this way, you know I am so taking y’all out for bbq~!
You know you’re in the south when people are disappointed that they didn’t get to eat the possum. lol.
Love, love, love this cake. Thanks so much!!
LOL Ain’t that the truth!!!
Hey – where is the restaurant – on 72? Might just have to try it out!!
10047 Hwy 72 West
Athens, AL 35611
7 Miles West of Athens
1 mile west of Shaw Road
Hours:
Thurs,Fri,Sat 10:30 til 8:00
I just pasted this from my email. When you pass Browns Ferry on 72, it takes me about six or seven minutes to get there. Its on the right and a red building. Its past J&G but before you get to Clements High school..
I’m so hungry now!
Christy
If you go, be sure you take the coupon!! The ribs are AMAZING but my favorite is the BBQ Sundae!
Oh my goodness, this looks like chocolate heaven! I can’t wait to try it. My mouth is watering just looking at it…
and now my mouth is watering because i am thinking about your mouth watering and what I might cook to make other people’s mouths water…
oh lord, I got a problem with feeding people, I swear!
Wish I lived close enough to try out the BBQ. Looks Yummy! Wish I lived close enough to have a big ol’ slab of that cake too!
you and me both!!! I’d so feed you!
Okay Christy – where can I order a tshirt?
I’m going to call my brother here in a bit and I’ll get back with you!
I would love to get one! I do qualify – I’ve eaten that type of possum before ….
T shirt details??
Hey Christy,
I’m a new subscriber but I LOVE your site. I think I’ve spent a little time every day here since I found it. That cake and BBQ looks soooo good – I’m going right now to bake it! We also love the Peanut Butter brownies and Marbled brownies, too. I guess you should never let a pregnant woman loose on a site with Southern food and baked goods! Love from Georgia!
Hey Susan!! Thank you so much and WELCOME WELCOME WELCOME!!!! I’m glad you’re getting comfy! be sure you nose around at my earlier post and give me a holler if you have any questions!!!!
Now you gotta eat lots of good southern food so that baby can get all the nourishment it needs! lol
Now is the best time ever with such a grand excuse!!!
Do you know if its a boy or a girl yet? Let us know!!!
We’re having a little boy – our second child and second boy, too. I’m aswim in a sea of testosterone! One thing I really look forward to is giving my sons a good food heritage. Food plays a big part in all our family traditions (and a lot of my memories from childhood) and it is so important to me to preserve that to pass to them someday. This site has so many recipes that I love and remember my gramma making when I was little but I’ve never been able to get them right myself!
Thank so much for doing this!!!
OHhh my goodness. I love the mud cake. I have a recipe, Mississippi Mud pie that calls for coca cola in the icing. It is about 30 years old(the recipe). Have you ever tried it?? and yes, buttermilk is the thing for a good southern recipe.
Have a great day.
Pam
Hey Pam!!
That sounds a lot like my coca cola cake, have you checked out that tutorial? I bet its pretty much the same and YES YES YES the coca cola in the icing is divine!! You know what is even better though, DR PEPPER icing!! ~Falls over from pure glee~
I agree, Lawd have mercy. Tomorow is my hubby’s first anniversary for accepting The Lord as his Savior. Guess what I’m a fixin?? I am soooooooooo gonna be in trouble……….I know I shall love it too much. LOL
Congratulations!!!! Fix it and give him a big old hug from everyone at Southern Plate!!!!
Let me know how you like it!
What’s not to love about Mississippi Mud Cake?? Looks yummy Christy, but gotta admit … that big old platter your brother (I assume?) is holding looks pretty temptin’ too!
Christy, you must come by and visit my blog – I have something special I just posted that is in your honor and has to do with a little packet of Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid I recently received in the mail from somebody!!
http://mynew30.blogspot.com/2009/03/lime-icebox-pie-with-pretzel-crust.html
Be sure to check it out!!
Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary
I don’t even know what to say! That post….oh Mary!!!!
~Wraps her arms around you and hugs you so tight your back pops!~
Gratefully, gleefully, giddily, blushingly,
Christy
I LOVE IT.!!!!!!!!!!! I HOWEVER LIKE MY POSSUM(BOLOGNA) fried with cukes on white bread and a prarie beer cake might be good tooo
You and me both!!!!!
Were we separated at birth?
Oh girl that looks Oh So GOOOOOOD!!!! My momma makes Mississippi Mud Pie! My family always asks for it when a special event is coming up! Thanks for the recipe I’m gonna have to try it! ^_^
oh yummy!! I’m so glad you like it!! Save me a slice, k?
Christy,
Lov’ your brother’s sign. It reminded me of the time my son had oppossum on his list of spelling words. He immediately raised his little hand and told his teacher it was spelled wrong….everyone
knows it’s possum.
Thanks for cake recipe too!
hehe! you got a smart boy!!!
Thank you so much, Linda! Its always a delight to see you!!!
Hey Christy, I was in Rogersville, AL this past weekend and I remember driving right by your brothers restaurant!!! I am so excited to know where it is!!! I live in Murfreesboro, TN and in the spring/summer we head to the river almost every weekend…I will definitely be stopping in to check it out the next time that we pass through Athens!!!
I absolutely love your site and your recipes are delicious!!!
Katie
Hey Katie!!
My entire family lives in Rogersville except for us! My parents have a place on the river and both grandmothers live across the street!!!
Don’t you just love going in that Fred’s? lol
Thank you so much!!
Christy
My parents have a place on the river too…we love it there!!! They live on Ramblewood Dr. and I am all about the Fred’s right there!!! I was in there a few times this past weekend…LOL!!! I also LOVE Pam’s shoe store!!!
Wow…what a small world!!!
Nice to “meet” you and keep the recipes coming!!!
)
Katie
I was gonna mention Pam’s but didn’t know if you’d know what I was talking about! lol
They are neighbors of Mama and Daddys, I think. I’m gonna have to look up Ramblewood drive, I’m thinking its one of the new subdivisions by my parent’s place!
YUP!!!! You’re practically neighbors, too!!!!!!!
Well, maybe we’ll run into each other when we’re out and about in Rogersville!!!
)
I’m making your Chicken and Dumplings tonight…my hubby is soooooo excited!!!
OH MAAAAAAAN!!!! This is SO not fair to those of us in California. Rubbin’ salt in the wound … today our taxes went up … bad enough. But that picture! Almost too much to bear ..
I’m packing up my husband and moving to Alabama. We’ll let the kids know the new address/location via email – but there won’t be much leftover by the time they roll up!
Love ya!
~bursts into action as her kitchen fills up with a flurry of flour and sugar~
OOH GOODY!!! One more person to feed!!!!! Stop here first, you’ll need a good meal to keep your strength up!!!!
Christy,
the story is great and your brother has figured out the right way to attract customers and still be on the good side with humor!
This cake looks great…it´s a shame I am too far away to go get a bite in his restaurant!
Love, Verena
Brasil
Oh how I wish I could have some southern BBQ right now!
I really thought it was possum! I was expecting to see another recipe for BBQ possum or something!
You really shouldn’t send recipes for chocolate cake to a pregnant lady due in 3 days!!! I had to RUSH to the store IMMEDIATELY to buy everything I needed for this cake and I made it last night. I left a couple pieces at home for hubby and two-year-old daughter and brought the rest to work…it was gone within one hour. BIG HIT! Christy Jordan, doing her part to keep the pregnant ladies of the world fat. LOL!! Thanks, Christy!
My son ate the mud cake at Hickory Barn the last time he went with his Mimi. He loved it. I told him I now have THE recipe. He said, “you better hurry up and make that, but don’t forget the marshmallows!” He is 7 and goes for the ribs. I cant wait till this weekend. My mom’s out of town till late Friday and said we’d better not go w/o her!
Man, I hate I overlooked that coupon. Anyway, it was awesome and we will definitely be back!