Description
This Ridiculous Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe is a delectable, self-saucing dessert that combines a rich chocolate cake layer with a gooey pudding base. Perfectly balanced with sweet cocoa and chocolate chips, this easy-to-make American classic is best served warm, ideally paired with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (for topping)
- 1 3/4 cups hot water (not boiling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare the Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in the whole milk, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips gently to evenly distribute them throughout the batter.
- Transfer Batter to Baking Dish: Spread the prepared batter evenly into the greased 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Prepare Topping Mixture: In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the batter in the baking dish.
- Add Hot Water: Carefully pour the hot water over the entire dish without stirring. This step is essential for creating the self-saucing pudding layer.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is set and puffed, indicating the cake is cooked and the pudding layer has formed underneath.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool slightly before serving. The dessert is best enjoyed warm and pairs wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Do not stir after pouring the hot water on top; this maintains the layered texture with pudding at the bottom.
- Best served warm to enjoy the gooey pudding texture, but leftovers can be stored and reheated in the microwave.
- Use hot, not boiling, water to ensure proper pudding formation without affecting the cake batter negatively.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream complements this cake beautifully, balancing the rich chocolate flavors.
