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    Home » Cakes » Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

    Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

    Published: Oct 11, 2018 · Modified: Mar 1, 2022 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Best pudding cake! This easy hot fudge pudding cake recipe makes a delicious chocolate cake and hot fudge chocolate sauce all in one pan. Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes to make!

    A wooden spoon in a hot fudge chocolate pudding cake.

    Chocolate pudding cake was one of the first cakes that I learned to bake. The recipe was in my junior cookbook, and I thought it was magical the way that the cake came out with a warm chocolate layer covering the moist chocolate cake.

    This is an updated recipe with more more chocolate flavor, but it's still just as quick and easy as the original. Since it only takes about 30 minutes to make, it's perfect for weeknights and special occasions alike.

    Ingredient notes

    • Cocoa powder - I use unsweetened cocoa powder.
    • Salt - If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to ½ teaspoon.
    • Milk - Any milk, from skim milk to whole milk, will work. Nondairy milk like almond milk will also work.
    • Butter - I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the total salt to ½ teaspoon.
    • Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar will work.
    • Hot water - Hot tap water is fine. There's no need to use boiling water.

    How to make hot fudge chocolate pudding cake

    Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. Set aside.

    Top tip >> A 2.5 quart baking dish is a 9x9-inch square baking pan or an 8x11-inch rectangular baking dish.

    Hot fudge pudding cake batter being made in a mixing bowl.

    Step 2: For the cake, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.

    Step 3: Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir together until smooth.

    Hot fudge pudding cake batter in a square baking pan.

    Step 4: Pour the batter into prepared baking pan.

    Step 5: For the topping, whisk together the sugars and cocoa; sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cake batter.

    Baked and unbaked hot fudge pudding cake pictures side by side.

    Step 6: Pour the hot water over the top of the cake batter. Do not stir the water in.

    Step 7: Bake 25-30 minutes. It should look like a thin layer of baked brownie with hot fudge bubbling up in spots.

    Step 8: Take out of the oven, and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

    A wooden spoon with a scoop of hot fudge cake on it.

    Tips

    There are only a couple places where you can go wrong.

    First: Don't stir the water in! The water combines with the topping to form the hot fudge sauce, and there's no need to stir it in.

    Second: You won't want to overbake or underbake the cake. It should look like a layer of thick hot fudge is bubbling underneath the cooked cake layer.

    If you underbake the cake, you'll have watery sauce. If you overbake it, you'll lose some of the fudgy sauce.

    A bowl of hot fudge cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    What to serve with this cake

    The cake and hot fudge sauce are delicious on their own. However, it's also great served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

    A bowl of hot fudge pudding cake next to the baking pan.

    Storage

    Cover and store any leftovers at room temperature for 2-3 days.

    More pudding cake recipes!

    • Lemon Pudding Cake
    • Pecan Pie Pudding Cake
    • Gingerbread Pudding Cake
    • Caramel Apple Cobbler Cake

    If you’ve tried this hot fudge pudding cake recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.

    A bowl of hot fudge cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

    Chocolate pudding cake recipe
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 9 servings
    Calories: 283kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Ingredients

    Chocolate Cake

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup cocoa powder
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup milk
    • ¼ cup butter melted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Topping

    • â…” cup brown sugar packed
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • â…“ cup cocoa powder
    • 1 ¾ cups hot water
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish. Set aside. 
    • For the cake, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
    • Whisk in the milk, butter, and vanilla.
    • Stir together until smooth.
    • Pour the batter into prepared baking pan.
    • For the topping, whisk together the sugars and cocoa; sprinkle it evenly over the batter.
    • Pour the hot water over the top. Do not stir the water in.
    • Bake 25-30 minutes. It should look like a thin layer of baked brownie with fudge bubbling up in spots. 
    • Take out of the oven, and let stand 15 minutes.

    Notes

    • Baking dish: a 9x9-inch baking dish or an 8x11-inch baking dish will work well. 
    • It's important not to overcook the cake. If you do, you won't get as much of the hot fudge sauce.
    • Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Published 10/3/12. Updated with new photos and tips 10/10/18. Updated again on 3/1/22 with new photos and information.

    « Apple Brown Betty
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    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathy

      March 26, 2022 at 7:12 am

      5 stars
      So chocolatey and delicious! I followed the directions but it was very full of liquid. What do you think happened? Thank you

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 28, 2022 at 9:56 am

        It sounds like it just needed to bake for a few minutes longer. The cake goes from a thin liquid to a thicker chocolate sauce in the last few minutes of baking. It should look like there's a thicker fudge sauce bubbling around the edges when the cake is done. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Anne

      March 02, 2022 at 8:00 pm

      5 stars
      I was having a hankering for something chocolatey and this little beauty showed up in my inbox! How lucky that it did! This was easy to make. I didn’t tweak a thing and I love how it turned out! So yummy and smooth and chocolatey! Just what I was wanting! Great recipe thank you for sharing this little gem! I am looking forward to trying the other pudding cake recipes. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kate

        March 02, 2022 at 9:21 pm

        Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you liked it! And I hope that you enjoy the other pudding cakes if you give them a try!

        Reply
    3. Victoria

      August 16, 2020 at 8:16 am

      Hi Kate,

      If I substitute the 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 cup nut or soy milk should I make any other ingredient adjustments to ensure the recipe turns out with the same consistency?

      Reply
      • Kate

        August 17, 2020 at 10:08 am

        Hi! I haven't tested it with this recipe, but when I've used nut milk in place of dairy milk, I haven't had to make any other adjustments to the recipe.

        Reply
    4. Elizabeth

      November 02, 2018 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      Made this and ate a fourth of it when it came out of the oven. So good! Brings back memories of having this type a cake when I was a kid.

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 02, 2018 at 2:12 pm

        I'm so glad! I love how food can bring back memories. =) Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
      • Jan

        March 03, 2022 at 10:34 pm

        5 stars
        This cake was the best! I served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and had rave reviews. Might have to make two next time.

        Reply
    5. Sheila

      October 16, 2018 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      Great cake! The cake was easy and we loved the chocolate sauce. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kate

        October 17, 2018 at 11:32 am

        Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to comment! =)

        Reply
    6. Roslina Eas

      February 03, 2014 at 8:01 am

      Hi Kate just wandering if C is for Cup then T is it for Table Spoon?

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 03, 2014 at 1:30 pm

        Yes, I use c for cup, T for tablespoon, and tsp for teaspoon in my recipes. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask! =)

        Reply

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    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

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