Warm and Gooey Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe

This Chocolate Pudding Cake recipe combines a soft, brownie-like cake with its own rich chocolate pudding sauce underneath. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients, comes together in one pan, and bakes into one of the most comforting hot fudge pudding cakes you’ll ever spoon into.

This pudding cake recipe uses an old-fashioned method where the cake and sauce bake together in one dish. The top sets like a soft cake while a thick chocolate pudding forms beneath. It feels like magic, but it’s all about ratio. The dry pudding mix goes over the batter, and then the boiling water poured on top helps create a rich sauce under the surface. No stirring needed once it’s assembled.

I always stick with a simple 1:1.25 ratio for the boiling water to dry pudding mix. That amount gives enough liquid to turn into sauce without thinning the batter too much. And I bake it in a ceramic dish, which holds heat better and gives the sauce time to settle while the cake sets on top. Glass also works, but avoid metal pans. They heat too quickly and can dry out the bottom.

A Closer Look at the Pudding Layer

This cake wouldn’t be a pudding cake without that warm chocolate pudding hiding underneath. The pudding layer forms from brown sugar, cocoa, and boiling water that slowly seeps through the batter as it bakes.

Brown sugar helps the base stay thick, not watery. I use light brown sugar when I want a milder taste and dark brown sugar when I want deeper molasses notes. The cocoa matters, too. Dutch-processed cocoa creates a darker, smoother chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa will still work, but you’ll get a lighter color and slightly sharper taste.

After pouring the water over the cocoa-sugar mix, the key is to leave it completely undisturbed. That strange floating layer you see before baking? It turns into the most luscious part of the dessert.

Ingredient Notes: What to Use and Why

Flour gives the cake structure, but not too much. I keep it to one cup so the texture stays soft and doesn’t compete with the pudding. Granulated sugar sweetens the cake without overpowering it.

The cocoa powder is what defines the chocolate pudding flavor. I use Dutch-processed to match the richness in this Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. It’s smoother and less acidic. Butter adds depth and moisture, while milk keeps the crumb tender. A splash of vanilla brings warmth.

Brown sugar and cocoa make up the base of the pudding layer. They dissolve under boiling water to create that thick hot fudge texture. It reminds me of the rich finish in this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, but done the easy way.

Step-by-Step Texture Cues

As you stir the cake batter, stop when it looks smooth and glossy. Overmixing will make the cake too dense. The top should look like brownie batter when you spread it into the dish.

Once you sprinkle the dry pudding layer on top, it may feel strange not to stir. But trust the process. When you pour the boiling water over that dry layer, do it slowly and evenly. You’ll see it float, and that’s exactly what you want.

Bake until the top looks cracked and matte. It shouldn’t jiggle, but you can still expect sauce underneath. I test mine by gently dipping a spoon in the center if it pulls up with a soft cake layer and a glossy pudding underneath, it’s ready.

How to Know It’s Done

This cake is finished when the top springs back lightly, but the center underneath stays saucy. You’ll see a cracked surface and smell rich chocolate. If it looks dry on top but feels heavy and soft underneath, pull it out.

Overbaked pudding cake dries the sauce and creates a crumbly texture. Underdone cake stays gooey on top and lacks contrast. The sweet spot is right around 32 minutes in my oven.

Love this rich chocolate texture? You’ll also enjoy the Chocolate Espresso Cake. It has a firmer crumb but leans into deep cocoa flavor in a similar way.

Save This Hot Fudge Pudding Cake Recipe

Pin this pudding cake recipe to your Chocolate Desserts or Cozy Baking board so it’s ready when you need it. If you try a variation or run into a tricky step, share in the comments. I read every note and always answer baking questions.