This is one of my older posts, but I recently updated the photos and added a few more notes to the recipe. Chocolate Pudding Cake is just so underrated. With a scoop of ice cream on top, it's like chocolate cake and a hot fudge sundae all in one! And it's so easy because it mainly involves stirring things together and pouring into a pan. Speaking of which, this chocolate pudding cake recipe makes a 9-inch or 8-inch square pudding cake. In the past I made it in a 9-inch pan, but I think I prefer the 8-inch size. Here's the last one I made with black cocoa powder.
Who is Pat?
The recipe is from my stepmother, Pat, who is an avid cook. She's never been much of a cake lover because she finds it "too dry", but she does like pudding cake and was nice enough to share this recipe years ago. Since then I haven't made any real changes other than playing with the pan size and as in the last batch, using ¼ cup of black cocoa in place of ¼ cup cocoa powder. Below is the photo of an even earlier batch which I halved and baked in a 1 quart rectangular (slightly wider than a loaf pan) casserole dish.
More Pudding Cake Photos
I think this old fashioned chocolate pudding cake might be the most difficult to dessert to photograph -- or at least when you don't have any ice cream in the house! I did my best to model the oldest photo with some strawberries, but it's a good reminder that the key to serving this is nice serving dishes, a good baking dish and ice cream. This is not one you turn out of the pan.
Pat’s Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
Bottom Layer 1 cup flour (130 grams)
¾ cup sugar (150 grams)
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup milk (114 grams)
3 tablespoons melted butter (42 grams)
1 tsp vanilla
Top Layer ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
½ cup brown sugar (100 grams)
¼ cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder (again)
1 ½ cups boiling hot water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan or a small casserole dish.
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder.
Combine the milk, butter, and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup. Pour over flour mixture and stir just until combined (don't beat). Scrape batter into the pan.
Mix the remaining sugar, brown sugar and cocoa powder together and sprinkle over the top. Pour the boiling water over all. Set on center rack and bake 35-45 minutes.
Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe Notes
-- I don't know where Pat got this particular recipe, but most are similar with varying amounts of sugar. Now that I've tried this one, I am going to compare it to a few others.
-- I used Hershey's cocoa powder. This is perfect for showcasing the best you have, but any brand will work. For the dark one in the first photo, I used natural cocoa powder in the cake part (2 T.) and black cocoa powder in the top part (¼ cup).
-- A little espresso powder is a nice touch as is cinnamon
-- The cake thickens as it sits. It is kind of soupy straight out of the oven, but by day two it's thick and you can eat it cold or reheat it.
-- Good vanilla ice cream is highly recommended!
Recipe
Pat’s Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Bottom Layer
- 1 cup flour (130 grams)
- ¾ cup sugar (150 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons good quality unsweetened cocoa powder (10-12 grams)
Middle Layer
- ½ cup milk (114 grams)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (42 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Top Layer
- ½ cup sugar 100 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 100 grams
- ¼ cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder again
- 1 ½ cups boiling hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch or a 9-inch square pan or a small casserole dish.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder.
- Combine the milk, butter, and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup. Pour over flour mixture and stir just until combined (don't beat). Scrape batter into the pan.
- Mix the remaining sugar, brown sugar and cocoa powder together and sprinkle over the top. Pour the boiling water over all. Set on center rack and bake 35-45 minutes. A wider pan such as a 9-inch square should take around 35 while the 8-inch pan takes between 40 and 45.
Cece says
Here's a lemon version from the web http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Pudding-Cake-I/Detail.aspx
Holly says
We love a version of this at our house too (I do it in the crockpot) and 4th the request for the lemon version!
Michele says
I made a similar cake for a co-ed bachelor party using the Cook's Illustrated Hot Fudge Pudding Cake recipe. When it was sitting out, most people thought it was a baking experiment gone horribly wrong based on how it looked in the pan. But once I served it, lots of people came back for 2nds and 3rds. So, I agree that this would be difficult to photograph.
Cookies4kids says
This was what we called "crazy cake" when I was growing up at home. My Dad could eat most of this himself and was skinny as a rail. My mother was a terrific cook and I am glad to be reminded of this recipe. I too would love the lemon version.
Sue says
Happy Mother's Day!
Cece says
One of my favorite desserts! And your right, it is difficult to make it look attractive. The first time I made it for my husband, he turned up his nose. I failed to mention that it wasn't brownies. He married me anyway.
Lissa says
Hmmm, looks yummy! Third request for the lemon version 🙂
Anna says
This works well in the crockpot too!
Carol says
This sounds so yummy! I'd like the 13X9 version and the lemon version too!
devonshire says
I'd love to know the lemon version, would you try it and post it?
Louise says
I have a great lemon version that I occasionally make. It works well in individual ramekins too. I'll send it to you.
Fallon says
MMM Very decadent looking.
CindyD says
This was my favorite cake years ago. I have recipes for it in 8 inch pan, 13x9 inch pan and for two servings if you're interested. And did you know there's a lemon version too?
Lisa Ernst says
I used to make chocolate pudding cake all the time back in the 80's and I loved it! This recipe looks a little better than the ones I used because it calls for some butter. My recipes were really low fat, but the ice cream made up for that. 🙂