These tasty bars are an adaptation of a recipe in Good Housekeeping Favorite Recipes: Cookies.  For this batch, we sprinkled milk chocolate chips on the top vs. the coconut flakes in the original recipe.

Mud Cake Layer

¾ cup butter (1-1/2 sticks)

1-3/4 cup sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup pecans, chopped

½ cup flaked sweetened coconut

3 cups mini marshmallows

Fudge Topping

5 Tbs. butter

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/8 tsp. salt

¼ cup evaporated milk (or heavy/whipping cream)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

½ cup pecans, coarsely broken

¼ cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan.

Start the mud cake layer by melting the butter in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat.  Wisk in the sugar and cocoa and remove from the heat.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla and salt, until well blended.  Stir in the flour with a spoon until blended, and stir in the pecans and coconut.   Spread this batter at the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the top of the hot bottom layer.  Return to the oven and bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

When the cake is cool, prepare the topping.  In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently.  Whisk in the cocoa and salt, and then the evaporated milk and vanilla.  Beat in the confectioner’s sugar and pour the fudge topping over the cake.  When cool, sprinkle the pecans and chocolate chips (or coconut) over the top.  Cut and serve.