Description
This decadent Chocolate Pudding Cake is a delightful dessert featuring a rich, moist chocolate cake layer with a luscious pudding-like sauce beneath. With a simple combination of pantry staples and an easy preparation method, this recipe yields a comforting, crowd-pleasing treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 2 tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Other
- 1 1/4 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish to ensure the cake doesn’t stick after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the milk, melted butter (or coconut oil), and vanilla extract into the dry mixture. Mix until you achieve a smooth batter, making sure there are no lumps. Spread this batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare the Topping: In a separate bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the baking dish.
- Add Boiling Water: Carefully and slowly pour the boiling water over the back of a spoon or gently over the topping layer without stirring. This will allow the water to settle beneath the batter, creating the pudding-like sauce as it bakes.
- Bake the Cake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cook until the top layer looks set and cake-like, but a rich, pudding-like sauce has formed underneath.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes to allow the pudding to thicken slightly. Scoop portions ensuring to serve both the cake and the sauce beneath for the full experience.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour blend that measures cup-for-cup like all-purpose flour.
- You can substitute the milk with any plant-based milk such as almond, soy, or oat milk to make it dairy-free.
- Use coconut oil melted in place of butter to keep the recipe vegan-friendly.
- Make sure to pour the boiling water gently to prevent mixing the layers.
- Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
