My self saucing chocolate pudding (chocolate pudding cake) recipe makes for an extra fudgy chocolate cake with its own supply of fudgy chocolate sauce at the bottom! A ridiculously simple chocolate dessert, made with basic pantry-staple ingredients and only 15 minutes of prep time.
A versatile recipe, perfect for dinner parties and entertaining on short notice.
- What is self saucing pudding?
- Recipe highlights
- Ingredient you’ll need
- How to make chocolate self saucing pudding
- My best recipe tips!
- Substitutions and variations
- How to serve chocolate pudding cake
- Storage tips
- Frequently asked questions
- Recipe video
This is one of my go-to easy chocolate dessert recipes that I’ve been making since I was in grade school, and it never fails to deliver! A fudgy chocolate cake + chocolate sauce, all in one dessert? What’s not to love! Great as an easy, chocolatey Valentine’s day recipe too.
What is self saucing pudding?
A super simple, crowd-favorite chocolate dessert that’s very popular in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. I grew up eating this dessert a lot, because it’s so easy and quick to whip up and absolutely tailor-made for entertaining guests on short notice!
The name is self explanatory. It’s a soft cake-like pudding, BUT it’s essentially floating on top of its own fudgy chocolate sauce! How delicious does that sound?
The cake is baked in the oven with hot water on top , and when it comes out of the oven, the baked chocolate cake rises to the top, leaving a layer of fudgy sauce underneath! So, the pudding sauces itself with every bite you scoop up. Seems pretty magical, especially for such a simple dessert.
Plus, it’s served hot, straight out of the oven, so that the sauce is still fudgy! It’s one of our favorite cozy winter recipes , but with a scoop of ice cream, it’s perfect for the summer months too. The more the chocolate pudding cake cools down, the more it will absorb the sauce at the bottom.
Look at that fudgy, saucy chocolate goodness!
How is it different from chocolate cake and chocolate pudding?
While it’s a cake, it’s not a classic chocolate cake , because this comes with a layer of its own delicious sauce . So, you end up with a cake layer, a soft pudding-like layer where the cake absorbs the sauce, and then the soft, thick fudgy sauce at the bottom.
While I grew up calling this self saucing pudding, this dessert is popular as “chocolate pudding cake” or “hot fudge pudding cake” or “chocolate fudge pudding” in North America. But of course, it’s nothing like a classic chocolate pudding , which is a custard.
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s EXTRA fudgy than other recipes (even more than my super fudgy one bowl chocolate cake ). And because I’ve been making this recipe all my life, I’ve developed ways to make this simple dessert even better! And I’m sharing all my tips with you! 🙂
Recipe highlights
- Very simple to make! Basic ingredients, found in most pantries – so it’s an easy dessert to whip up.
- Foolproof recipe! I’ve been making this chocolate pudding cake for DECADES! It’s never once failed me. 🙂
- The active prep time for this recipe is only 15 minutes . So it’s a quick dessert to prep.
- I share all the extra tips you can follow to make this dessert extra special , for special occasions.
- This recipe for my self saucing chocolate pudding is EXTRA fudgy ! It really is a chocolate fudge pudding.
- You don’t need a mixer to make this either. Just a regular whisk.
- I’ve actually made this recipe several times with the help of kids, so it’s a great recipe to make with your kids too. Plus, I made this as a kid myself, and it’s super fun.
- It’s a crowd favorite! I’ve often made this for parties and entertaining, and it’s just an all-round winner!
Ingredient you’ll need
There are two components to the recipe, but both go into the same dish. The pudding cake, and the sauce layer.
The cake
- Butter (or oil)
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Milk (you can also substitute some of the milk with coffee or bourbon)
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened, natural OR dutch processed will work here
- AP flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Chocolate chips – the secret for extra fudgy chocolate fudge pudding cake!
- Vanilla or coffee extract (optional)
The sauce
- Brown sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Boiling water
How to make chocolate self saucing pudding
Step 1 – Get the ingredients ready
Have the ingredients ready, and preheat the oven. Also set up the kettle or some water in a pot to come to a boil as you get the cake ready. Lightly butter your baking pan. I use an 8 inch dish, but you can also use an 8 inch cake pan or a 9 inch deep pie dish pan.
Step 2 – Get the dry and wet ingredients ready, separately
Sift or whisk the dry ingredients for the cake together (image 1) . Sifting is better, so you can make sure there are no lumps.
Place all the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk until everything is well-mixed (image 2) .
Step 3 – Mix to form the batter
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (image 3) and gently mix in with a whisk to form a smooth batter. You can also add the dry ingredients into the wet as well, but this can form more lumps, so be mindful. Do not overmix, as this will make the cake rubbery.
Step 4 – Add the secret ingredient
Add the chocolate chips to the batter and fold them in (image 4) .
Step 5 – Prepare the cake layer
Scrape the batter into the buttered dish and evenly spread it on the bottom of the pan (image 5) . Set aside.
Step 6 – Prepare the sauce layer
In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and cocoa powder together until there are no big sugar lumps and they are mixed well and uniformly (image 6) . Sprinkle this cocoa-sugar mixture as evenly as possible over the surface of the cake batter (image 7) . Yes, it will be a fairly thick layer, but make sure to add it all.
Finally, carefully pour the correct amount of boiling water over the surface of the cake (image 8) . I like to use the back of a spoon to break the flow of water, so that there is no water splashing on the dry cocoa layer.
Step 7 – Bake
Immediately transfer the baking pan to the center of the oven. Bake for about 25 – 30 minutes, or until the sponge cake on top has JUST set and is springy to the touch (image 9) . Be careful not to overbake the cake. The cake layer will be floating on liquid, so it’ll jiggle around a bit when you move the pan.
The bake time will be faster if you use a metal pan instead of a ceramic pan like I do here. If the cake layer sets and dries up too much, the sauce layer will get absorbed, leaving very little to no liquid sauce. So timing is crucial!
Step 8 – Serve
As soon as the self saucing chocolate pudding is done, remove from the oven and serve. Let it cool down for just 2- 5 minutes, but try to serve the pudding while it’s still fairy hot.
The sauce will get absorbed into the cake as the cake cools down.
Scoop large spoonfuls into bowls, and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (my favorite option). The ice cream will melt in the warmth of the cake and sauce. That contrasting warm and cold sensation is DE-LICIOUS!
My best recipe tips!
- Timing is everything with this recipe. If you overbake it, the sauce will get absorbed by the cake. If the cake cool downs before you serve it, the cake will absorb the sauce. So, make sure to get the timing right.
- The good thing about this recipe is that even IF you get the timing wrong, the dessert is still delicious! The bottom of the cake will be super fudgy because of all the sauce, and will be very moist and chocolatey. So even if you mess up the timing a little, it’s still a fantastic chocolate dessert.
- Yes, this recipe does contain a good amount of sugar. Unfortunately, you cannot cut out the sugar without affecting the final result . The sugar that’s sprinkled on top is necessary to make a thick sauce. The sugar and cocoa powder act as a thickener, and mix with the water to make the fudgy sauce. So if you attempt to reduce the sugar and the recipe comes out dry – you’ll know why!
- You can ABSOLUTELY make this dessert more adult-friendly by substituting some of the milk with alcohol or coffee ! My favorite version is with bourbon, but coffee is a close second.
- You can ALSO add more flavor that’s kid friendly too ! This recipe originally contained dollops of strawberry jam in the cake as well as the chocolate chips (before I updated it). So you get fruity strawberry flavor along with the chocolate. I still include this option in the recipe notes.
- You can leave out the chocolate chips if you like, but I LOVE the additional fudgy chocolate flavor they add! This was a simple addition that I came up with when I used to whip this up as a college student and just wanted some EXTRA chocolatey goodness after a particularly grueling weekend of studying. It was a guaranteed mood and spirit lifter!
Make ahead tips
Since this dessert changes in texture when stored, unfortunately it can’t be made in advance and reheated. And because of the baking powder, you cannot make the batter ahead of time either. The baking powder will lose its potency and the cake won’t rise much the longer that the batter sits on the counter.
But I have baked this for dinner parties without an issue.
The trick is to have ALL the ingredients measured out and ready to go .
- Dry ingredients mixed together in one bowl.
- Wet ingredients mixed in a separate bowl.
- And the sauce (dry ingredients) in another.
- Just mix the wet and dry together, spread it in the baking dish, and sprinkle the sauce on top, followed by the boiling water. The chocolate pudding cake will be ready to bake in 10 minutes!
Substitutions and variations
- Vegan chocolate self saucing pudding – Substitute the eggs with mashed banana or apple sauce. For each egg, use 1/4 cup of banana or apple sauce. The butter can be substituted with melted vegan butter or oil. The milk can be substituted with any plant-based milk.
- Gluten free – I haven’t tried using gluten free flour in this recipe, but a 1:1 GF substitute should work. The texture will be different though.
- Make sure to use a good quality cocoa powder . I use dutch cocoa powder here, but natural cocoa powder works as well! Make sure you’re not using sweetened cocoa powder or hot chocolate mix.
- Extra boozy, adult-friendly self saucing chocolate pudding – You can substitute half the milk with bourbon, rum, or whiskey. You can also add bourbon or rum with the boiling water, so that the sauce also has a strong boozy flavor. This would be perfect for an adults-only dinner party.
- Mocha self saucing fudge pudding – Add instant coffee or instant espresso powder (not ground coffee), to the milk to make a coffee and chocolate flavored version of this dessert.
- Mint chocolate self saucing pudding – Add mint extract to the cake batter as well as the boiling water to make a mint chocolate fudge pudding cake.
- Pumpkin and chocolate self saucing pudding – Adding pumpkin puree and spices to the batter transforms this dessert into a Fall-worthy pumpkin and chocolate self saucing pudding cake ! Like pumpkin pudding cake with chocolate sauce…Yum!
How to serve chocolate pudding cake
This dessert is served hot. So it’s recommended to serve it with something cool on the side. The hot and cold contrast is really delicious!
My favorite way to serve chocolate pudding cake is with a scoop of delicious French vanilla ice cream . But you can also serve it with other flavors of ice cream. Like chocolate ice cream , cereal milk ice cream , mint chocolate chip ice cream (especially with a mint and chocolate self saucing pudding), butterscotch ice cream etc.
If you prefer the pudding cake to be hot, then you can skip the ice cream and just add a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche instead.
For an extra decadent version, you can also drizzle salted caramel sauce on top. But personally, I think this would be too sweet.
Storage tips
This is a dessert that must be enjoyed right away. But if you do end up with leftovers, you can store them in the fridge.
However, leftovers must be warmed in the microwave for a few seconds before eating. This dessert tastes best if there is a mixture of cake AND sauce together. Make sure the leftover cake will absorb enough of the leftover sauce, so that it will still taste good the next day.
Alternatively, you can also make a batch of chocolate fudge sauce and serve the leftover pudding cake with extra fudge sauce.
More of my favorite chocolate desserts
- Chocolate molten lava cake
- Flourless chocolate torte
- One bowl chocolate sheet cake
- Chocolate ganache tart
- Fudgy chocolate brownies
- Chocolate cupcakes recipe
- Chocolate mousse
- Chocolate cremeux
Can I use chocolate cake mix instead?
I’ve never tried this before, so I can’t be sure if it will work. But it’s important to note that the cake layer isn’t very sweet. It’s the combination of the cake AND the sauce that makes this dessert delicious! Changing the cake layer recipe can also change the final result.
Why isn’t my self saucing pudding saucy?
There can be several reasons; If the dessert was over-baked. If the pudding cooled down too much before serving. Not adding enough water. The cake layer was too dry (too much flour) and absorbed the sauce.
Can I make this in advance?
No, unfortunately you cannot. BUT, you can prep parts of the dessert ahead of time, so that it’s easy to mix and bake it before serving. I’ve included how I make self saucing pudding for dinner parties in my make ahead tip section above.
Can you reheat self saucing pudding?
Yes, leftovers can be reheated in the microwave. But the “sauce” part of the dessert will already be absorbed by the cake layer. So it’ll just be a very moist, pudding-like cake.
Recipe video
Recipe
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate cake (pudding cake)
- 85 g unsalted butter 3 oz / 6 tbsp (melted)
- 2 eggs
- 120 mL milk ½ cup ( OPTIONAL - substitute ¼ cup / 60 mL with bourbon)
- 100 g white sugar ½ cup
- 150 g AP flour 1 ¼ cup (spooned and leveled)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 30 g cocoa powder approximately ¼ cup (spooned and leveled), or 3 tbsp packed
- 120 g semisweet chocolate chips ⅔ cup
- 2 tsp vanilla OR 1 tsp instant coffee (both are optional)
Chocolate fudge sauce
- 150 g brown sugar ¾ cup
- 30 g cocoa powder approximately ¼ cup (spooned and leveled), or 3 tbsp packed
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 400 mL boiling water 1 ⅔ cups
- 4 tbsp bourbon optional (OR add same amount of water)
Instructions
Cake (pudding base)
- Butter an 8-9 inch square oven-safe deep dish, or a 9 inch deep pie dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt to mix. Sift these dry ingredients if there are lumps. 150 g AP flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 30 g cocoa powder
- In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk (and bourbon if using). You can also add vanilla or instant coffee for extra flavor here, if you like. 85 g unsalted butter, 2 eggs, 120 mL milk, 100 g white sugar, 2 tsp vanilla
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and use a whisk to gently mix together. (You can also add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients too - it doesn’t make a difference, but the batter is more likely to form lumps this way.) Mix until you have a smooth batter, but make sure you do not overmix.
- During the last few folds, add the chocolate chips and fold them in. 120 g semisweet chocolate chips
- Scrape the batter into the prepared oven-safe dish and evenly spread it. Set aside.
Sauce
- Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together. Whisk together really well and make sure there are no sugar lumps. Use your hands to break up the lumps if necessary. 150 g brown sugar, 30 g cocoa powder, 1 pinch sea salt
- Sprinkle the sugar-cocoa mixture evenly on the surface of the cake layer. This will be a fairly thick layer and make sure to use ALL of the sugar-cocoa mixture.
- Measure out the boiling water and stir in the bourbon (if using). 400 mL boiling water, 4 tbsp bourbon
- Pour the boiling water on top of the batter. (To pour it evenly, you can use a large spoon and pour it along the back of the spoon, while moving the spoon over the surface of the batter).
- Immediately place in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the middle of the cake / pudding has just started to set and is springy to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for just 1 - 2 minutes. Serve while still hot, with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
A note about ingredient amounts
A note about cocoa powder
Optional add-ins
Nutrition
Recipe from The Flavor Bender by Dini Kodippili
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake https://www.theflavorbender.com/self-saucing-chocolate-pudding-strawberry-bourbon/
