A cake with chocolate sauce and whipped cream on top.

Quick and Easy Fudgy Chocolate Pudding Cake

By Rebecca St.Clair

This warm and gooey retro chocolate pudding cake is packed full of nostalgic charm. This decadent dessert features a soft, spongy rich chocolate cake that’s baked to perfection, creating a delightful contrast with a fudgy chocolate pudding centre.

This cake is tender and moist absorbing the luscious, molten chocolate beneath. Perfect for cozy nights and fond memories. I would compare it to a chocolate lava cake, except the lava is on the bottom. It is a must retro cake recipe.

A woman is holding a forkful of chocolate cake. There is more of the cake in the background.

This chocolate pudding cake is so simple, you can whip it up for dessert any day of the week. Top with berries and whipped cream for the perfect comforting dessert.

A chocolate cake with a fudge sauce in the bottom is in a glass casserole dish.

How to serve Fudgy Chocolate Pudding Cake

While this cake is absolutely perfect served just as it is, since it does make it’s own icing. My favourite ways to serve this cake is warm with ice cream to melt on top.

A thick whipped cream on top of this cake adds an extra layer of decadence, especially when paired with fresh berries for the perfect balance of flavours.

Why You’ll Love this recipe

Richness – The Dutch process cocoa gives this cake a deep fudgy taste that no one can resist!
Customization – Adding mixins to baked goods can really make your dessert over the top delicious! Add a variety of chocolate chip flavours, caramel bits, dried fruit, nuts, or mint!
Simplicity – Make this cake with no special equipment! All you need to do is stir.
Magic – This cake makes it’s own icing that magically appears right underneath the cake layer. This is especially fun if you have any kids helping to make the recipe!


A chocolate cake with fudge sauce. There are raspberries on top.

How to store Fudgy Chocolate Pudding Cake

This chocolate dessert is best served fresh when the cake is warm and gooey. However, to store leftovers for optimum freshness,

Fridge

To store your chocolate pudding cake in the fridge.

  • Allow the cake to cool to room temperature
  • Cover completely in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container
  • Store in the fridge for up to 5 days

Freezer

To store chocolate pudding cake in the freezer.

  • Allow the cake to cool to room temperature
  • Cover completely in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container
  • Store in the freezer for up to 3 months

To reheat allow the cake to defrost the day before. Place a serving size in the microwave and heat at 30 seconds intervals until heated through.

Alternatively, you can place the cake in an over proof dish. Cover partially with foil and allow to reheat in a preheated 350 °F (180 °C) until heated through.

Two servings of chocolate pudding cake surrounded by raspberries and mint leaves.

Ingredients

All-purpose flour Perfect for an easy cake recipe. Swapping in bread flour or cake and pastry flour will give you an even softer cake! Swap this out for a gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free cake.
Sugar – I use a combination of white and brown sugar in this recipe. However, you can substitute all white sugar or all brown sugar for a rich caramel flavour.
Cocoa powder – Use Dutch process cocoa if possible for a richer fudgy cake.
Baking powder – This is a leavener that gives the cake lift and rise.
Salt – Balances out the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavour.
Egg – Helps bind the ingredients together and adds moisture to the cake.
Milk – Swap out full fat milk, for a richer chocolate cake.
Butter – Adds richness.
Vanilla – Adds flavour and can be swapped out for other extracts like mint.


How to make Fudgy Chocolate Pudding Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Grease a 9 x 9 in. square ovenproof dish.
  3. In a large bowl mix together the flour, ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Just enough to incorporate the ingredients.
  4. Mix in the egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and any add-ins (optional), until you have a smooth thick batter.

5. Pour the batter into the greased dish and set aside.

6. In a medium bowl add the ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder.

7. Pour over the boiling water and stir until everything is dissolved.

8. Pour gently overtop of the cake batter.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is set on top. It will have a slight jiggle to it from the sauce underneath.

10. Let it cool 10 minutes, for the sauce to cool and set slightly.

11. Serve warm. Spoon the syrup, from the bottom, on top of each serving.

A cake with chocolate sauce and whipped cream on top.
Yield: 1 cake

Fudgy Chocolate Pudding Cake

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This rich, chocolate cake hides a gooey molten chocolate layer beneath its surface. As you dig in, the warm pudding oozes out, creating a chocolate lover's dream.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 150 g
  • ½ cup white sugar 100 g
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder 30 g
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder 15 g
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 2 g
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk 125 ml
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter 30 ml
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
  • ½ cup Add-ins: examples chocolate or mint chips, nuts, chopped candy bars. (optional)

Pudding

  • ½ cup white sugar 100 g
  • ¼ cup brown sugar 50 g
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder 40 g
  • 1 ¼ cup boiling water 310 ml

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Grease a 9 x 9 in. square ovenproof dish.
  3. In a large bowl mix together the flour, ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Mix in the egg, milk, melted butter, vanilla, and any add-ins (optional), until you have a smooth thick batter.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased dish and set aside.
  6. In a medium bowl add the ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder.
  7. Pour over the boiling water and stir until everything is dissolved.
  8. Pour gently overtop of the cake batter.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is set on top. It will have a slight jiggle to it from the sauce underneath.
  10. Let it cool 10 minutes for the sauce to cool and set slightly.
  11. Serve warm. Spoon the syrup, from the bottom, on top of each serving.

Notes

This cake is at it's best when served warm and fresh.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 307Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 25mgSodium 219mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 2gSugar 31gProtein 5g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

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