This Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is a warm, chocolatey romance of decadent cake drizzled in silky smooth fudge sauce, and when married with vanilla ice cream, it becomes a match made in heaven. This is the dessert that everyone raves about and continues to ask about months down the road as they remember the crispy, chocolate crust protecting that soft, rich cake, soaked in warm fudge sauce.
Why I Love This
- Comfort Food: This hot fudge pudding is decadent and delicious. With its warm chocolate sauce drizzled over vanilla ice cream, it soothes the soul and brings comfort on the coolest of days.
- Easy to Make: Not only is this wonderful comfort food, but it's quick and easy to make. The batter whips up in no time and while it bakes away in the oven, your home will become filled with the sweet aroma of warm chocolate.
- Great for Winter Occasions: While you can enjoy this dessert any time of the year, it lends itself to the winter months perfectly. The warm cake and hot fudge sauce are best enjoyed curled up on the couch with a blanket and a hot cup of coffee at your side, bringing comfort, warmth, and cheer.
Need a meal to serve before dessert? Try my Blackened Salmon Alfredo or my Pesto Caesar Salad recipes!
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Ingredients
- All purpose flour: I use regular all-purpose flour-no special type needed. Avoid whole wheat, as it makes the cake dense. This is a treat, not a health food!
- Baking powder: This is the sole rising agent for this cake as their is no yeast or eggs in it. This makes it a quick dessert to put together although it does still have a long bake time.
- Salt: Simply to add flavor and a touch of rise to the cake.
- Sugar: It's dessert-sweetness is the point! Sugar makes the cake light, sweet, and delicious. Coconut sugar works too but changes flavor and texture a bit.
- Cocoa: There is cocoa powder in both the cake and the fudge sauce as this is a chocolate lovers haven!
- Brown sugar: Combined with cocoa, it forms the fudge sauce-adding sweetness and flavor. Coconut sugar works too, but alters the taste slightly.
- Pecans: Adding in pecans or walnuts is optional and one I admittedly typically omit but some people, most of my family included, love it.
- Milk: Milk keeps the cake moist and light. Non-dairy substitutes work well, though the cake may be slightly denser-still delicious!
- Vanilla: For flavor in the cake.
- Butter: Butter adds moisture and flavor to the cake and, when used to grease the pan, helps form the rich fudge sauce.
- Boiling water: Yes, the water must be boiling-it's key for the fudge sauce. Though poured on top, it sinks and forms a rich layer beneath the cake.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, first portion of cocoa powder and pecans if adding. Gently stir to combine.
In a small mixing bowl combine the milk, vanilla and melted butter.
Step 2: Add these wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix to combine well.
Step 3: Grease a 6 cup casserole dish or cast iron pot using soft butter (do not use cooking spray) and then spread the mixed batter evenly in the dish.
Step 4: In a small bowl combine the second portion of cocoa powder and brown sugar. Sprinkle this evenly over the batter.
Step 5: Pour the boiling hot water over the entire cake. Bake for 50 minutes uncovered at 350 Fahrenheit. The boiling water will combine with the cocoa powder and brown sugar to create the fudge sauce and will end up at the bottom of the dish under the cake.
Step 6: To serve, cut and plate the cake first. Then spoon the fudge sauce on top of each piece. Top with ice cream (and more fudge sauce) if desired. Serve while still hot.
Hint: To ensure your hot fudge pudding cake is done, insert a toothpick into the center-if it comes out clean, with no batter or crumbs stuck to it, then the cake is finished. If you poke it too far through it will come up with chocolate sauce on it so be careful how far you insert it. The cake should be crispy on top and around the edges. I have found that 50 minutes is simply the perfect time. I never have to take it out sooner or later.
Substitutions
This fudge pudding cake really does not lend itself well to substitutions I'm afraid. This is not meant to be a healthy snack or dessert, and unfortunately, it just isn't good if you try to change it up too much. The one substitution that works well is going dairy-free.
- Dairy-free - you can use oat milk or almond milk in the cake and then use margarine to grease the pot/dish.
- Gluten Free - this cake will become dense and heavy very quickly which will greatly change the level of enjoyment in the cake. However, if you are determined, I would suggest a 1-to-1 gluten free flour mixture.
Variations
- Extra Kick - needing more than just chocolate for your boost? Add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the fudge pudding cake or substitute ½ cup of water for coffee when pouring over the cake batter.
- Deluxe - top the hot fudge cake with maple walnut ice cream rather than just plain vanilla
- More Sweetness - drizzle the cake with caramel sauce once plated.
Need some breakfast ideas? Try my Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Pancakes or my delicious Cranberry Walnut French Toast!
Equipment
I like to use my enameled LeCreuset pot for this hot fudge pudding cake but I have also used a glass casserole dish which works equally as well. The most important thing is to ensure it is the right size so your cake doesn't boil out the sides and make a large mess in your oven. A 6c casserole dish is the recommended size for a single batch of hot fudge pudding cake.
Storage
The first few days: I recommend storing the leftovers in the fridge. You can store the cake and fudge sauce together or separate.
Freezing: I would not recommend freezing this dessert before or after baking. This is best eaten as soon as it is baked or within a few days.
Reheating: The best way to reheat fudge pudding cake is in the microwave for 30 second to a minute. If you have a large amount that is leftover and is still in the pot you can cover it and reheat it in the oven at 350 until the desired temperature is achieved. This of course runs the risk of it drying out a little around the edges. Then top with ice cream and enjoy.
Top Tip
Ensure that you use butter to grease the casserole dish or pot rather than using a cooking spray. The butter combines with the brown sugar, cocoa powder and hot water to create the fudge sauce and a cooking spray simply won't combine properly or give the right flavor for your hot fudge pudding.
FAQ
No. You need to use a glass or cast iron pan or the edges of the cake will cook too fast. You also need to use a dish that is deep enough to handle the water on top of the batter mixture with some room to spare as it tends to boil up around the edges while it bakes.
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Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Fudge Pudding Cake is a warm chocolatey romance of decedent cake drizzled in silky smooth fudge sauce and when married with vanilla ice cream becomes a match made in heaven. This is the dessert that everyone raves about as they remember the crispy crust protecting that soft chocolate cake, soaked in warm fudge sauce.
Ingredients
1 cup (150g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoon (7g) baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup (130g) granulated sugar
1 ½ tablespoon (10g) cocoa
½ cup (120ml) milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons (1oz) butter plus more for greasing pan
For topping:
3 tablespoons (20g) cocoa
1 cup (160g) brown sugar
1 ¾ cup (400ml) boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, first portion of cocoa powder and pecans if adding. Gently stir to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the milk, vanilla and melted butter. Add these wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and mix to combine well.
- Grease a 6 cup casserole dish or cast iron pot using soft butter (do not use cooking spray) and then spread the mixed batter evenly in the dish.
- In a small bowl combine the second portion of cocoa powder and brown sugar. Sprinkle this evenly over the batter. Pour the boiling hot water over the entire cake.*
- Bake for 50 minutes uncovered.
- To serve, cut and plate the cake first. Then spoon the fudge sauce on top of each piece. Top with ice cream (and more fudge sauce) if desired. Serve while still hot.
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
1. The boiling water will combine with the cocoa powder and brown sugar to create the fudge sauce and will end up at the bottom of the dish under the cake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Jenice Wallace says
This is a family favorite! I always have people asking me for this recipe and wondering what is in it. It's crisp on top, delicate on the bottom and lathered in silky chocolate sauce. Truly a chocolate lover's paradise!