This Chocolate Pudding Cake features two delicious layers that form while baking: chocolate cake on top and creamy chocolate pudding sauce on the bottom. Serve this dessert warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Welcome to chocolate heaven. Part cake, part pudding, with a touch of brownie-like fudginess thrown in.
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If you’re a fan of sticky-pudding-like desserts you’ve come to the right place. This chocolate pudding cake joins our pumpkin pudding cake and sticky toffee pudding as some of our favorite cake recipes. Ever.
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What sets this recipe apart
Two desserts in one: Chocolate pudding on the bottom, chocolate cake on top! Prefer brownie over cake? Try my Brownie Pudding.
No need for frosting: Since the cake is served with the sauce spooned over the top there is no need to add frosting.
Lots of chocolate: This pudding cake is fudgy and cakey with an almost brownie-like quality thanks to a mixture of cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and a bit of espresso powder.
From scratch: Often “pudding cake” recipes use a cake mix. I find this makes a dessert that is way too sweet and not chocolaty enough. Making this from scratch allows us to get the perfect balance of flavors!
What is a pudding cake?
A pudding cake is two desserts in one. The top layer is cake, and while baking a pudding-like sauce forms underneath the cake. This dessert is served warm, by scooping portions of cake into a bowl, then spooning the pudding sauce over the top. There is no need for frosting because the “pudding” serves as the topping.
Prefer a traditional chocolate pudding? Try our chocolate pudding or chocolate pie.
Visual recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Prepare the chocolate cake batter: Combine, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the cake batter into a lightly greased 9×9 square baking pan.
Add the topping: Sprinkle sugar and cocoa powder over the top of the batter. Gently pour boiling water evenly over the cake batter (this is what will form the sauce).
Carefully transfer to the oven: Bake for 25-30 minutes.
While baking, the cake will rise to the top and the pudding sauce will form on the bottom.
Recipe tips
Pouring trick: Pour the boiling water over the back of a spoon. This creates a gentle trickle instead of a solid stream which could disturb the cake batter underneath.
Do NOT stir: After pouring the boiling water over the cake batter do not stir or jostle the mixture. You want two distinctly separate layers, and if you mix it up it won’t bake properly.
Correct pan size: Use a baking pan that is at least 2 inches high. You need enough room for the sauce and the cake to bake on top of each other.
Topping suggestions: Serve with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and/or fresh berries.
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Recipe
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup light brown sugar*, packed
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk, preferably whole or 2%
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- generous ½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Topping:
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar*
- 1½ cups boiling water
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch** square baking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil and vanilla and whisk until well combined and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, stir in chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Proceed with the topping.
Topping:
- In a bowl, combine cocoa powder and brown sugar, mixing until well combined (I use a fork). Sprinkle this mixture in an even layer over the top of the cake batter.
- Slowly and carefully pour the boiling water evenly over the top. TIP: I pour the water over the back of a large spoon and slowly move it around the pan while pouring. Do not stir or disturb the cake batter underneath.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake layer (on top) is cooked through. The pudding sauce should be bubbling gently around the sides of the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve warm, scooping the cake into bowls and spooning the sauce over the top. Recommended garnishes: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Video
Notes
Serving and storage
Serving: This cake is best served warm, shortly after being removed from the oven. It is best within one day of baking, as the cake will absorb some of the pudding sauce over time. Storing: Leftovers should be tightly covered and refrigerated. Reheat individual servings in the microwave.Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Angelica says
what would the substitutions be if you were to make this paleo?
Allison says
Hi! I’m not the person to ask (haha). You’d have to eliminate more than half of the ingredients to make it Paleo. You’re welcome to play around with it! Best of luck.
Martha Baird says
Wanting to make this, but I do not have espresso powder. Not sure where to get it or if I could do it without it. Please advise.
Allison says
Hi! I purchase it at Target or Amazon, but you can just leave it out if you don’t have it. Enjoy!
Marko says
Hi!
Just made these and it was awesome!
One question,
The sugar and cocoa werent fully disolved so once cooled i could taste their crunchiness in the middle. I could visually see the cocoa and sugar, not a lot but here was a layer. What went wrong?
Allison says
Hi! Sorry to hear that. I haven’t had that problem before. Was the pudding the mixture bubbling around the edges when you removed it from the oven? Maybe your brown sugar had lumps in it that wouldn’t fully dissolve. Did you see the note about sugar at the bottom of the recipe card?
keeley says
Do you think I’d be able to freeze this and reheat it later?
Allison says
I haven’t tried it. I would assume that the texture of the cake might get too mushy.
Matilda Abdelnabi says
would we be able to use boxed chocolate cake for the cake portion? if so, are there specific ones you’d recommend?
Allison says
Hi! I’ve only made the recipe as written so I can’t say for sure.
Abiyah says
Perfect
Tooby says
I made with this with walnuts and unsweetened almond milk and it was incredible. Like a hot fudge sundae all in one step. It did need about ten minutes more of cooking time, but other than that it went exactly as the recipe said it would.
Allison says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Keith says
Is about to come out of the oven. The house smells incredible right now! I imagine it’s gonna be amazing because it’s a great recipe and I love these kind of chocolate cake puddings. They remind me of the old country buffet days and any other wonderful blue-collar Sunday brunch Buffet. Thanks for the spoon trick!
Allison says
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
Alice says
Could you make this in individual ramekin dishes? If so, how long would they need to bake?
Allison Mattina says
Hi! I would assume so. Just make sure you divide the batter and topping (including water) evenly. Bake time will depend on the ramekin size…I’d probably start checking them around 15 minutes, then every few minutes after that.
Leora says
Has anyone tried making this at a high altitude? I recently tried a similar recipe, and the cake never floated to the top, and the whole thing was just goo.
Ranae says
I made this last night and it was sooo good! The recipe was extremely easy and it came out great. Perfect flavor and texture!
Allison Mattina says
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. 🙂