Chocolate pudding cake is an easy to make dessert with two deliciously decadent layers - a moist and fluffy chocolate cake topping a warm, rich and gooey pudding sauce. Make this homemade pudding cake for a simple, indulgent and foolproof dessert everyone will love.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore chocolate cake. My Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Chocolate Ganache Cake and Almond Flour Chocolate Cake and are just a few homemade chocolate cake recipes I love from the blog. I am so excited to add this chocolate pudding cake recipe. I know you’ll love it because:
- It has the perfect rich, moist and tender texture. This pudding cake has two deliciously decadent layers. The top layer is a fluffy, moist and tender chocolate cake. The bottom layer is a rich, gooey and fudgy pudding sauce.
- Make with simple ingredients. This chocolate cobbler cake is made with pantry basics, a few bowls, a whisk and a baking dish.
- Impressive dessert with little effort. Just mix the cake layer, the pudding layer, assemble, bake and enjoy. This chocolate cake pudding dessert looks like a five star restaurant worthy dessert, but is super quick and easy to make.
Ingredients
This moist chocolate cake requires only a handful of ingredients to make and is as simple as mixing the ingredients in a bowl, pouring the batter into a cake pan and baking it.
- Chocolate Cake Layer: Gather all purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, milk, melted butter and vanilla extract.
- Chocolate Pudding Layer: Gather sugar, light brown sugar, cocoa powder and boiling water.
Substitutions
This chocolate pudding cobbler cake is meant to be quick, easy and delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe if you need them:
- All Purpose Flour: To make this self saucing cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. I recommend weighing the flour (120 g) versus measuring it cup for cup.
- Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: This recipe hasn’t been tested using other types of sugar. However, maple sugar would be a good substitute to make this cake refined sugar free.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is the recommended cocoa powder for this buttermilk cake recipe.
- Melted Butter: Use salted butter if needed. Just make sure to omit the added salt. Vegan or dairy free butter can also be used if needed.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Milk: Feel free to use your preferred milk.
- Boiling Water: This is an essential ingredient in creating the self saucing cake layers. This cake has not been tested with other boiling liquid.
How To Make
Learn how to make chocolate pudding cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) baking dish. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients well to fully combine. In another mixing bowl whisk the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well to create a cake batter. Evenly spread the batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside for now.
2. In anther mixing bowl whisk sugar, light brown sugar and cocoa powder to well combined. Evenly spread the sugar mixture on top of the chocolate batter in the prepared pan. Heat water to boiling (212 F, 100 C). Carefully pour the boiling water on top of the cocoa sugar mixture. Be very careful not to mix the sugar with the water. Just gently pour the water on top, but do not mix after pouring the water into the dish.
3. Bake the chocolate pudding cake for about 20 - 30 minutes. The pudding cake is ready when the top is set, with a crack and is starting to pull slightly away from the sides of the dish. Cool the pudding cake on a cooling rack for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or freshly whipped cream and enjoy.
How To Store and Serve
- Store: Fully cool this pudding chocolate cake. Transfer the remaining cake to in an airtight container or simply cover the serving dish in plastic warp. Store in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
- Serve: The best way to enjoy this chocolate pudding cake is warm, topped with a dusting of powdered sugar or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
M’s Expert Tips
- Use a nice baking dish. One thing I love about this chocolate pudding cake is how beautiful it looks once baked. It looks like a giant lava cake with a beautiful chocolate cake crust and a fudgy pudding sauce. Part of the fun is serving this decadent dessert from the same pan it was baked in.
- Sift the dry ingredients. To help the dry ingredients mix together well, it helps to sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixing bowl. This breaks up any clumps and allows for more even mixing.
- Don’t over bake the cake. Start checking the doneness of the cake on the early side of the baking range. Check for a set top with cracks and edges of the top pulling slightly away from the edge of the cake. The toothpick test doesn't work for this chocolate cake because of the self-saucing nature of the cake.
- Top or serve with your favorite toppings. This pudding chocolate cake is delicious served warm on its own. However, I think this cake really shines when topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, topped with ice cream or freshly whipped cream. For a bit of brightness, serve a bowl of fresh berries alongside the cake.
FAQs
This self-saucing chocolate cake goes by a couple of different names such as “pudding cake,” “chocolate pudding cake,” “self saucing cake,” and “chocolate cobbler cake.” The classic characteristic of all these cakes is a bottom fudgy pudding like sauce topped with a fluffy chocolate cake.
Double the recipe to make this self saucing chocolate cake in a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Yes, after baking the pudding cake, fully cool the cake to room temperature. Cover the baking dish or transfer the cake to an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 3 - 4 days.
More Decadent Chocolate Recipes to Try
If you try this Chocolate Pudding Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking!
Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8 inch (20 cm) or 9 inch (23 cm) baking dish
- 1 fine mesh sifter optional
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layer
- 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Chocolate Pudding Layer
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) or 8 inch (20 cm) baking dish.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients well to fully combine. In another mixing bowl whisk the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract together until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix well to create a cake batter. Evenly spread the batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Set aside for now.1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (120 ml) milk, room temperature, ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- In anther mixing bowl whisk sugar, light brown sugar and cocoa powder to well combined. Evenly spread the sugar mixture on top of the chocolate batter in the prepared pan.½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar , ¼ cup (20 g) cocoa powder
- Heat water to boiling (212 F, 100 C). Carefully pour the boiling water on top of the cocoa sugar mixture. Be very careful not to mix the sugar with the water. Just gently pour the water on top, but do not mix after pouring the water into the dish.1¼ cups (300 ml) boiling water
- Bake the chocolate pudding cake for about 20 - 30 minutes. The pudding cake is ready when the top is set, with a crack and is starting to pull slightly away from the sides of the dish. Cool the pudding cake on a cooling rack for 15 - 20 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or freshly whipped cream and enjoy.
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