Chocolate Pudding Cake (recipe)
If I had a quarter for every time my husband has requested this Chocolate Pudding Cake, I could hire a personal chef to make it for him. I might have enough left over to take a little vacation. Maybe wallpaper the bathroom in twenty dollar bills? I could… okay, you get the idea. He loves this cake. And I love him, so I make it. A lot.
I must admit, the man has good taste. Chocolate Pudding Cake is pretty incredible.
The cooking method for this cake is kind of unusual. You spread the chocolate cake batter into the baking dish before sprinkling the top with a combination of brown sugar and unsweetened cocoa. Then you pour boiling water over everything and slide it into the oven. While baking, the soft, crackly cake layer rises to the top, and the rich hot fudge pudding sinks to the bottom. It is a match made in heaven.
And oh man, it smells amazing while bubbling and baking. In fact, my daughter came running into the kitchen while this was still in the oven and asked, “Can I eat that smell?!” Scoop it into bowls while it’s still piping hot and make sure you top it with a dollop of whipping cream or homemade vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and heated in the microwave one delicious bowl at a time.
Make this cake for someone you love. It’s highly likely they will take one bite and love you just a little bit more.
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Yield: 6 servings
1 cup unbleached flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 T. + 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (divided)
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 cup half & half
1 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup boiling water
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and 2 T. cocoa.
- In a smaller bowl, mix melted butter, vanilla extract, and half & half together. Add to the flour mixture, blending lightly.
- Spread the cake batter on the bottom of a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Combine the brown sugar and 1/4 c. cocoa and sprinkle it over the batter.
- Carefully pour the boiling water over the top of the cake. Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes. (The top should be set and feel slightly spongy to the touch. The cake will still seem jiggly because of the pudding layer on the bottom.)
- Serve immediately with whipping cream or ice cream.
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I love these Signature Housewares Fluted Bowls (Amazon). They come in a set of 6 assorted colors. So fun & bright and perfect for Chocolate Pudding Cake! Dishwasher & microwave safe.
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I’ve got to try this. I hope it’s as you describe as I’ve been looking for years for a pudding cake I had as a kid in the 60’s on a camping trip. It was made by someone else’s mom and I never saw her again. I’ve tried many of these pudding cake recipes so this just has to be it. It sure sounds good!! I’ll let you know in the future!
This cake looks so chocolaty and delicious!
That reminds me of the warm chocolate melting cake on Carnival Cruise line. I LOVE that stuff. I am going to try this recipe and see how it compares. Thanks for sharing!
I made this tonight and as always, your recipes are delicious! Slurpy, chocolatey goodness, mmmmmm:)
I tried this last night and I ended up with chocolate water instead of chocolate pudding on the bottom. I even cooked it 5 minutes more. I double-checked that I was using the correct measure for the water. Any ideas what might have gone wrong?
BTW… I looked at other similar recipes and they say 1-1/4 cup water versus 1-3/4 cup water. Maybe a typo in this recipe?
Nope, 1 3/4 cup is the correct amount for this recipe. Did you remember the brown sugar & cocoa combo on top of the cake batter?
Hmmm… I did put the brown sugar and cocoa on top… poured carefully on the water and cooked for 35 minutes since I could tell that it was very soupy. Looking at your dish compared to my 1-1/2 quart dish, it looks like yours is wider and shallower. I wonder if that would make a difference. What size (length/width) do you use?
Almost exactly like our family recipe passed down from my grandmother. She used to make it as a bribe to get my father and his brothers to clean stalls and other unpleasant chores. That would have been in the late 40’s and early 50’s. Now every family gathering someone takes a turn to make the Chocolate Pudding Cake! Some variations we like: Add raisins; Add instant coffee or some coffee instead of hot water; Add walnuts. And you can always add chocolate chips! Spooned hot over ice cream is my favorite. Enjoy!
I know this dessert as “Chocolate Upside-Down Dessert” – it was a family favorite. My dad got the recipe from his mom so I know it was from the 50’s. It has the same ingredients as yours but different ratios. I haven’t made it in years and I really want to try your recipe (our family recipe tends to dry out and leftovers aren’t as good, if there are any that is). Thanks for sharing!
I have a recipe from the Oregonian, maybe 6-7 years ago, for a very similar dessert called Upside-Down Hot Fudge Sponge Pudding. I made it once, and my usually-stingy-with-the-compliments wife said it was “Excellent”. The ingredients aren’t exactly the same as yours, but are very close. I made it in a pie dish per the instructions. If someone wants it, email me hgroopman@yahoo and I’ll send it along. It is heavenly…..just like the Mrs, who went there one year ago tomorrow. 🙁
I’m so sorry Howard! My mom passed away a year ago February 15 (my birthday is February 14, just to make it extra painful). It’s been a rough year for me. I cannot even imagine if it had been my hubby! My heart goes out to you in a huge huge way.
Thanks, you are very kind.
That looks to die for!!!! Can’t wait to make it for my sweethearts on V-day!!! Thanks for the idea! Decadent yet very simple to make… So it seems!
Yes, it is simple! I actually think this recipe is easier and better than those molten chocolate cakes that are all the rage right now… Let us know how your sweethearts like it! 🙂
Oh my…that looks so yummy right now! My mom used to make something similar but it was done on the stovetop. I will have to give this one a try. 🙂