Chocolate Pudding Cake

This fudgy, gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake recipe is SO EASY to make, and it doubles as a magic trick—perfect to entertain the kids! Who would have thought pouring boiling water over a cake would yield such delicious molten chocolate lava results!? The water helps create a chocolatey pudding-like layer on the bottom, and the chocolate cake on top is soft and moist. I use simple ingredients to make this easy dessert, and it’s also totally egg-free and easily made vegan!

What is Chocolate Pudding Cake?

I love a simple, no-fuss dessert recipe, and this chocolate pudding cake is exactly that! It’s what’s known as a ”self-saucing” cake, meaning as it bakes, it separates into two layers—a rich chocolate pudding layer and a chocolate cake top layer. This magical effect is achieved by pouring boiling water over the unbaked cake before putting it in the oven. The hot water sinks to the bottom, creating a deliciously gooey chocolate sauce. It’s totally simple, yet so impressive and delicious! This recipe is up there with my ”Do Nothing” cake in terms of ease, that’s for sure.

Make it Vegan!

This old fashioned chocolate pudding cake is super easy to make vegan. Just sub the half & half for coconut milk or any vegan creamer of your choice, use dairy-free chocolate chips, and you’re good to go.

The Secret to A Fudgy cHOCOLATE pUDDING cAKE

Okay, so this isn’t so much a secret, but it IS what makes this cake so special. After you’ve sprinkled the cocoa sugar topping over your cake batter and poured the boiling water on top, DON’T MIX IT. As the cake bakes, the boiling water and cocoa topping sink to the bottom and create the rich, hot fudge sauce while the cake rises and cooks on top. So don’t mix it! You’ve really got to trust the process on this one.

Storage Instructions

Once cooled, this chocolate fudge pudding cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It won’t be as gooey as freshly baked after being in the fridge, and I recommend warming it up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds before serving. You can also freeze this cake in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature or in the fridge overnight, and reheat it in the microwave for a quick dessert option!

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Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe

This self-saucing Chocolate Pudding Cake is soft and moist, with a gooey chocolate pudding layer on the bottom. Serve it warm with ice cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Total Cost ($5.84 recipe / $0.97 serving)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings (approx 3-inch square of cake each)

Calories 387kcal

Author Jess – Budget Bytes

Equipment

• 8×8 Cake Pan

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

• ½ Tbsp instant coffee $0.93
• ¼ cup light brown sugar $0.13
• ¼ cup granulated sugar $0.18
• 1 cup flour $0.39
• 1 tsp baking powder $0.04
• 1 tsp baking soda $0.01
• ¼ cup cocoa powder $0.73
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips $0.99
• 1 tsp vanilla extract $0.65
• ¾ cup half & half $0.98

Topping Ingredients

• ½ cup brown sugar $0.26
• ¼ cup granulated sugar $0.18
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder $0.36
• ⅛ tsp salt $0.01
• 1 cup boiling water $0.00

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350. Combine instant coffee, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and mix to combine.
• In a separate bowl, combine vanilla extract and half & half. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture with a spoon until combined. Pour it into a buttered or sprayed cake pan.
• Then, combine the topping ingredients: brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Generously sprinkle all the sugar cocoa topping over the cake. Don't mix it in!
• Then, pour the boiling water over the top (don't mix it in!)
• Transfer the cake pan to the oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 333mg | Fiber: 4g

how to make Chocolate Pudding Cake – step by step photos

Preheat oven to 350. Combine ½ Tbsp instant coffee, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ cup cocoa powder, and ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 tsp vanilla extract and ¾ cup half & half. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture with a spoon and pour it into a buttered or sprayed cake pan.

Then, combine the topping ingredients: ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp cocoa powder, and ⅛ tsp salt in a separate bowl.

Generously sprinkle all the sugar cocoa topping over the cake. Don’t mix it in!

Then, pour 1 cup boiling water over the top (don’t mix it in!)

Transfer the cake pan to the oven for 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Next time you’re in charge of dessert, try this unbelievably easy chocolate pudding cake recipe. It’s the perfect treat for birthdays, family dinners, the holidays, and everything in between!

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

Chocolate Depression Cake (egg-free, dairy-free)

$2.41 recipe / $0.27 serving

The Best Chocolate Mug Cake

$0.30 each

Chocolate Banana Muffins

$3.97 recipe / $0.33 serving

Texas Sheet Cake

$11.27 recipe / $0.75 serving

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