I love the history of food almost as much as I love the food itself! Rocky Road was a popular cake flavor in the Sixties, but it was actually invented by a California ice cream maker in 1929. He named his chocolate, marshmallow, and nut combination “rocky road” after the struggle people were facing during the Great Depression. He hoped the new flavor would be a delicious reminder that from perseverance comes sweet reward.

Rocky Road Cupcakes
Makes 18 cupcakes

Cake:
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
2/3 cup (about) water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at very soft room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 (7.5-ounce) jar marshmallow cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations
1 cup mini marshmallows
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium bowl, sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the sour cream with water until combined. Add vanilla and butter and beat on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and chocolate, and mix until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until smooth.

3. Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about three-quarters full. Smooth the tops. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

4. Transfer the pans to wire cake racks and cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans and let cool completely.

5. To Make the Frosting: Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. In four or five additions, gradually beat in the marshmallow cream. Beat in the vanilla and the chocolate. Immediately spread the frosting over the cupcakes. Decorate with mini marshmallows and walnut pieces.

Mad60s – From “The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Sixties Cookbook”
by Rick Rodgers & Heather Maclean