There’s nothing better than this rich, molten chocolate Pudding Cake that bakes with a hidden layer of hot fudge sauce below. Made from start to finish in under an hour, this easy dessert recipe delivers a double dose of decadence with a deep chocolate flavor.
If you love an easy cake recipe, our Oreo Dump Cake is another delicious option!
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Our homemade hot fudge pudding cake recipe, sometimes called chocolate lava cake, takes only 5 minutes to prepare completely from scratch – no pudding mix packets or chocolate cake mix needed here! Imagine a soft and tender cake on top with a puddle of creamy chocolate pudding sauce below. This old-fashioned dessert magically forms multiple layers as it bakes, but you don’t have to be a magician to create this dessert masterpiece.
The process for this easy chocolate pudding cake may sound strange at first and feel very wrong, pouring hot water over the top, but trust me on this one! As the cake bakes in the oven, the water seeps to the bottom of the baking pan, where it forms a puddle of hot fudge sauce below the moist, warm cake.
What is Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate Pudding Cake is a decadent dessert that combines the best of two worlds: a soft, tender cake and a rich, gooey pudding-like sauce, all in one dish. The magic happens during baking: the batter separates into layers, with the cake rising to the top and a luscious, fudgy sauce forming underneath.
Sometimes called chocolate upside-down cake, hot fudge pudding cake, brownie pudding cake, or self-saucing pudding cake, these decadent chocolate desserts deliver a warm, comforting texture and an indulgent taste to satisfy the most devout chocolate connoisseur. The delicious contrast of light, spongy cake on top and the gooey, molten chocolate sauce below is downright divine!
Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Pudding Cake
- All-purpose flour: You can make a gluten-free version of this pudding cake by swapping the all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder: You can substitute plain unsweetened or dark chocolate for the unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Half and half
- Vegetable oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Light brown sugar
- Boiling water
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Create The Cake Batter: Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in the half and half, oil, and vanilla just until combined.
- Pour In The Pan: Spread the cake batter into the baking dish.
- Whisk together the sugars and cocoa powder and sprinkle the dry mixture on top of the cake batter. Pour the boiling water over the dry ingredients. Do not stir!
- Bake: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes.
- Serve: Allow the cake to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Pudding Cake
- Prepare The Pan: I like greasing the pan’s bottom and sides with a little butter or non-stick cooking spray before adding the batter for easy removal. I used a 8 x 8 square baking pan for this recipe. You may need to adjust the baking time if using a different size pan.
- Dessert Is Done: Be careful not to overbake your cake. You’ll know the cake is done when the top is set, and you can see the hot fudge sauce bubbling up around the edges.
- The Not-So-Secret Step: Do not stir or mix the dry cocoa/sugar mixture once sprinkled over the cake batter. You want two distinct layers, and if you mix it up, it won’t bake properly.
- Cool The Cake: Allowing the cake to rest before serving is very important. It will be incredibly hot, and the chocolatey, gooey goodness will thicken the longer it is allowed to cool.
Variations and Serving Ideas for Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Make With Mix-Ins: You can add chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans to the chocolate cake for extra texture, mix in chocolate chips for even more chocolate flavor, or add a swirl of peanut butter or Nutella through the batter before baking!
- Grab Some Instant Coffee Granules: Feel free to include some instant coffee in the cake batter to enhance the chocolate taste. It doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it does give the cake a richer, more intense chocolate flavor.
- Tasty Toppings: Serve this cake warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce, some sprinkles, fresh berries, or a maraschino cherry on top.
- Make A Vegan Version: Since this pudding cake recipe requires no eggs, it can be made vegan using non-dairy half-and-half and vegan-friendly sugars. If you want to make it both vegan AND gluten free, go for it!
Storing and Reheating Chocolate Pudding Cake
- In The Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In The Freezer: You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
- To Reheat: Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating individual servings in the microwave for 25-30 seconds.
More Easy Cake Recipes
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Hot Chocolate Poke Cake
- Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake
- Dairy Queen Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Cake
If you tried this Pudding Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons half and half
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed
- 4 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the half and half, oil and vanilla. Whisk just until combined.
- Evenly spread the cake batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Add the sugars and cocoa powder to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Sprinkle the dry mixture over the cake batter.
- Pour the boiling water over the dry ingredients. Do not stir. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- In The Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In The Freezer: You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
- To Reheat: Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating individual servings in the microwave for 25-30 seconds.
- I like to grease the bottom and sides of the pan with a little butter or non stick cooking spray before adding the batter for easy removal. I used a 8 x 8 square baking pan for this recipe. You may need to adjust the baking time if using a different size pan.
- Be careful not to overbake your cake. You’ll know the cake is done when the top is set and you can see the hot fudge sauce bubbling up around the edges.
- Do not stir or mix the dry cocoa/sugar mixture once sprinkled over the cake batter. You want two distinct layers, and if you mix it up it won’t bake properly.
- It is very important to allow the cake to rest before serving. It will be incredibly hot, and the chocolatey, gooey goodness will thicken the longer it is allowed to cool.
