Description
Decadent Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake combines a moist cocoa-flavored cake with a rich, gooey fudge sauce underneath, all baked together to create an irresistible dessert that’s perfect served warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients for Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or plain flour)
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients for Cake
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping Ingredients for Sauce
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened recommended)
- 1 ¼ cups boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan. While doing this, pre-boil the water in a kettle to use later for the sauce.
- Mix Dry Cake Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine ½ cup white granulated sugar with the flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Whisk: Pour in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract into the dry mixture. Whisk everything together until you get a smooth, fairly lump-free batter.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer the cake batter evenly into your prepared baking pan, spreading it out uniformly.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a small bowl, mix the remaining ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder evenly.
- Sprinkle Sauce Mixture: Evenly sprinkle the sauce sugar and cocoa mixture over the cake batter in the pan.
- Add Boiling Water: Slowly and carefully pour the 1 ¼ cups boiling water over the top of the batter and sugar mixture, being careful not to stir or mix it in; allow the water to sit on top.
- Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the center is just set but the pudding beneath is still gooey.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm in dessert dishes, scooping cake and spooning the luscious hot fudge sauce from the bottom over the top. Optionally garnish with ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder for the richest flavor in the sauce mixture.
- The boiling water poured on top creates the gooey fudge sauce beneath the cake.
- Do not stir the boiling water into the batter or sugar mixture to maintain the cake and sauce layers.
- This dessert is best served warm immediately after the resting period for optimal texture.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute milk and butter with plant-based alternatives.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
