Heavenly Hash Chocolate Snack Cake

A Sweet Blast from the Past

I’m still enjoying some beach time, but I couldn’t resist bringing back this delicious family recipe from my husband’s grandmother. This Heavenly Hash Chocolate Snack Cake is rich, nostalgic, and a true crowd-pleaser. And let’s just say—I really hope the calorie count isn’t accurate, because it’s outrageous!

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Heavenly Hash Recipe

A rich chocolate dessert—part cake, part snack—filled with marshmallows and pecans. My husband grew up enjoying this treat, and the recipe comes from his grandmother, Mrs. Opal Burchfield (or “Mrs. Opal,” as I always called her). She’s been gone for nearly 25 years now, so you can imagine—this is a recipe with a lot of history baked in.

I was surprised to discover that an internet search for “Heavenly Hash” turns up everything from fruit salad to candy to ice cream! Apparently, you can mix up just about any sweet concoction and call it Heavenly Hash. 😄

I’m not sure exactly when Mrs. Opal wrote down this version, but it’s in her own handwriting. Since she was 91 when she passed away, I’m certain it was penned many, many years before that.

History

Even before my husband and I were married, I had plenty of chances to enjoy Mrs. Opal’s Heavenly Hash. Anytime there was a community event, a church gathering, a family celebration—or even a funeral—you could count on a tray of these chocolate-marshmallow treats arriving from Mrs. Opal.

We’re in the South, and I reckon we believe that when someone passes away, their family will instantly go hungry—so we bring food. All jokes aside, it’s a deeply kind tradition, and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of it, you know how much it’s appreciated. I promise, I’m not making light of it.

Heavenly Hash Recipe

Heavenly Hash starts with a rich brownie- or cake-like base, topped with a layer of lightly toasted marshmallows and finished with a smooth chocolate fudge frosting. They’re cut into small squares—because trust me, they’re so rich you won’t need a big piece. The flavor reminds me of those chocolate-covered marshmallow bunnies… and really, who doesn’t love those?

Batter

2 Cups Sugar

4 Tablespoons Cocoa (I like Hershey’s)

1 Cup Nuts (Chopped pecans or walnuts)

1 Cup Flour (I used self-rising)

2 Sticks Oleo Melted (I used one stick of oleo and one of butter, no particular reason, but I had a stick of oleo I thought I would get rid of)

4 Eggs

Mix the ingredients together and spread the batter into a prepared rectangular pan. Mrs. Opal’s handwritten recipe says “loaf pan,” but I’m pretty sure that’s not what she meant—it would never all fit! A standard 9″ x 13″ pan works perfectly.

I like to line my pan with parchment paper, then spray both the paper and the sides with cooking spray for easy removal.

I also added 1 teaspoon of vanilla to my batter—because really, what’s cake without a little vanilla?

Bake at about 350°F, or slightly lower depending on your oven. I usually bake mine at 325°F and start checking around the 20-minute mark. Use the toothpick test for doneness—since no two ovens bake exactly the same.

Marshmallows

1 Bag of Marshmallows

The recipe simply says “1 bag of marshmallows,” but I used a one-pound bag of miniature marshmallows. I’m not sure how many ounces came in a bag back when Mrs. Opal wrote this recipe, but I figured… more could only be better!

Once the cake comes out of the oven, while it’s still warm, sprinkle the miniature marshmallows evenly over the top. Return the pan to the oven for just a few minutes—long enough for the marshmallows to begin melting and turn lightly golden.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting. Trying to spread frosting over warm marshmallows is nearly impossible, but once they’re lightly browned and cooled, it’s much easier.

Heavenly Hash Frosting

1 Box Powdered Sugar

1 Stick Oleo

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

Pet Milk

I didn’t have a box of powdered sugar—mine was in a bag. A standard box of confectioners’ sugar usually weighs 16 oz., so you’d expect it to be about 4 cups. But an internet search told me it’s actually closer to 3.5 to 3.75 cups. So, I started with around 3.5 cups, figuring I could always add more if needed.

Be sure to sift the powdered sugar. This is something I’ve only started doing recently, but it makes such a difference—it helps the frosting turn out silky smooth with no lumps.

I also added ½ teaspoon of vanilla to my frosting—because, well, vanilla makes everything better.

The original recipe calls for oleo, but I used butter. Don’t melt it—just soften it. Then add Pet milk (which is simply evaporated milk in a can). Pet milk has a consistency similar to half-and-half, a little thicker than regular milk from the fridge. I actually used heavy cream in mine, only because I had some on hand that needed using up.

Add the milk (or cream) just one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. I could have thinned mine a bit more, but I didn’t want to overshoot and have to add more sugar.

Once your marshmallow topping is completely cooled, drop the frosting over it by spoonfuls and gently spread with a knife. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover perfectly—mine didn’t either. But once you cut it into squares, no one will ever notice.

The frosting sets up nice and fudgy. Let the bars cool completely before cutting into small squares. For cleaner cuts, wipe your knife often and dip it in water between slices. Mine were a little messy—but trust me, no one complained. 😄

Store Heavenly Hash in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It keeps beautifully for days—mine is going on 10–12 days, and I just had a piece while I started writing this!

Memories

Treasure those handwritten recipes—like my husband’s grandmother’s Heavenly Hash—and keep them in a safe place. They may not seem all that important at the time, but years down the road, they become priceless. They carry sweet memories, and I think we can all agree… you can never have too many of those.

And if you have a few special recipes your family loves, take the time to write them down and pass them along for safekeeping. One day, they’ll be more than just recipes—they’ll be cherished gifts your loved ones will treasure. Here’s a recipe of my mother’s for her fried apple pies. Taalor is going to apply it to a tea towel for me)))

Note:

I’m not the only one who remembers eating these yummy bars growing up)) Here’s a Facebook comment from an old friend:

Phyllis “She would bring them to the Homecoming and Lynn and I eat our weight in them. Oweda show this to Lynn!”

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