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There’s a special type of magic when it comes to this chocolate fudge pudding cake. A quick batter is mixed together, and liquid is poured over the top. Once baked, the two layers flip, and a gooey pudding layer settles to the bottom while a fluffy cake layer floats to the top. It’s easy to bake and hits all the right chocolate notes!
Why I Love This Fudge Pudding Cake
Chocolate pudding cake was always a family favorite, and how could it not be? It’s a delicious layer of chocolate pudding on the bottom with a fudgy chocolate cake on top. The simplicity of the recipe is magic. Originally, this was a recipe from a microwave cookbook. When microwaves were a new invention, the idea was to cook entire meals with them. This has been adapted for the oven and is honestly a better experience. The first part of the recipe is a simple chocolate cake with a batter that is the consistency of a fudgy brownie. After being spread into a baking dish, the batter is topped with a dry mixture of sugar and cocoa. The last component is hot coffee or water that is poured over the dry mixture and batter. While baking, the coffee mixes with the dry ingredients and forms a pudding underneath the cake. When it comes out of the oven, the top is a fudge-like cake with a rich chocolate pudding.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Dutch process cocoa powder will have a rich darker color, and the flavor will be sweet and mellow compared to natural cocoa powder.
- Baking powder will be the small amount of lift that’s needed in this recipe, along with a lighter texture.
- Vanilla extract will strengthen and heighten the chocolate notes in this cake. If you want to make your own, make sure to check out my recipe for homemade vanilla extract.
- Chocolate chips help give a crackly shiny top to the cake and add another layer of chocolate flavor.
- Brewed coffee will enhance the rich chocolate notes of the cocoa. The coffee flavor will be hard to find but water can be used as a substitute.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
- Prepare the batter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, white granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, egg, milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Whisk all of the ingredients together until well combined. Then add in the chocolate chips and fold them in until incorporated as well.
- Prepare the chocolate topping. Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 baking dish, smooth the top, and set it aside. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, white granulated sugar, and cocoa powder. Whisk these three ingredients together until well combined. Sprinkle this mixture all over the top of the batter already in the baking dish. Pour the hot brewed coffee on top of the cake.
- Bake the cake. Place the baking dish in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Once baked, remove it from the oven and serve immediately. The pudding will still be jiggly when it comes out of the oven. As it sits, the cake will settle and tighten up, so it can either be served warm or cool.
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- When measuring out your flour, it’s best to avoid adding too much flour to the batter. To avoid overfilling your measuring cup, add the flour to a separate scoop and then add it into your measuring cup. Rather than pushing the measuring cup down into the flour, allowing it to fall into the measuring cup lightly will be a more accurate measurement.
- When mixing in the chocolate chips, make sure to fold them in gently with a spatula or spoon rather than a whisk. If the chocolate chips are mixed in too forcefully, they could break, which is undesirable. Additionally, chips can be hard to mix in with a whisk as they can get stuck in the tines.
- If averse to coffee, switch out the brewed coffee with hot water. While the coffee elevates the taste of the chocolate rather than adding a distinct espresso flavor, trepidatious people can use this substitute without too much flavor impact.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
Yes, this can be portioned into eight individual ramekins. However, the baking time will be less when baked in smaller portions.
The cake will maintain the same texture for 6 to 8 hours, and the leftovers after that will be delicious as the cake starts to soak in the pudding layer.
Yes, water can be used in place of coffee. Decaf coffee can also be used if caffeine is a concern.
You’ll love these other chocolate desserts.
Watch how to make this recipe.
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Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cake
Ingredients
For the cake batter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the dry mixture
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups hot brewed coffee (or hot water)
Instructions
For the cake batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine evenly. Add the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and butter. Whisk until completely combined and smooth. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp kosher salt, 1 large egg, ½ cup whole milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the dry mixture
- In a medium bowl, mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over the prepared batter. Pour the hot coffee over the dry mixture and batter.⅓ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups hot brewed coffee (or hot water)
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven until the cake is puffed and set on top but jiggly around the edges and underneath the cake layer, 25-35 minutes. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- When measuring out your flour, it’s best to avoid adding too much flour to the batter. To avoid overfilling your measuring cup, add the flour to a separate scoop and then add it into your measuring cup. Rather than pushing the measuring cup down into the flour, allowing it to fall into the measuring cup lightly will be a more accurate measurement.
- When mixing in the chocolate chips, make sure to fold them in gently with a spatula or spoon rather than a whisk. If the chocolate chips are mixed in too forcefully, they could break, which is undesirable. Additionally, chips can be hard to mix in with a whisk as they can get stuck in the tines.
- If averse to coffee, switch out the brewed coffee with hot water. While the coffee elevates the taste of the chocolate rather than adding a distinct espresso flavor, trepidatious people can use this substitute without too much flavor impact.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Kaleb, can this recipe be doubled? Any tips/suggestions for doing so? Like change in baking time for instance. Thanks.
This is amazing and a keeper! We have made it twice and it’s soooo good! Thanks for the recipe!
I just made this for my birthday and it’s amazing! (I used regular cocoa powder because that’s what I had on hand.) I can’t wait to see how things change once it’s been sitting for a while. I bet it’ll be just as good!