Hot Fudge Brownie Pudding Cake (Easy & Gooey!)
This hot fudge brownie pudding cake is part fudgy brownie, part molten chocolate cake and part kitchen science fabulousness minus the icky formulas..;) One easy 8×8-inch pan serves 6–8 people and creates its own hot fudge sauce while it bakes. You pour hot water over the whole thing before baking, which sounds deeply incorrect, but the cake rises to the top while a rich hot fudge sauce forms underneath. Add vanilla bean ice cream and call it a very good day…;)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups very hot water
- Vanilla bean ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- Add the milk, melted butter and vanilla. Stir just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
- Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter. Do not stir it in.
- Slowly pour the hot water evenly over the entire dish. Do not stir. Yes, it looks wrong… Trust the process.;)
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top looks baked and brownie-like but the bottom is still gloriously saucy.
- Let the cake rest for 10–15 minutes. This gives the hot fudge sauce underneath a chance to thicken slightly.
- Spoon the warm cake into bowls, making sure to scoop plenty of hot fudge sauce from the bottom over each serving.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. This is not technically mandatory, but we’re also not interested in making poor decisions.
Tips & Variations
- Do not stir after adding the water: Seriously… The strange layering is what creates the delightful and EPIC pudding sauce underneath while the chocolate cake rises to the top!
- Use VERY hot water: Hot water helps dissolve the cocoa and brown sugar topping so it can transform into that glossy fudge sauce while the cake bakes.
- Don’t overbake it: You’re supposed to have chocolate sauce hiding underneath. If you keep baking until the entire dish looks firm, you’ve evicted the best part..
- Give it a tiny kick: Add 1/8–1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients. You won’t taste “hot pepper.” It just leaves a sneaky little warmth behind the chocolate. Start with 1/8 tsp if you’re cayenne-shy.;)
- Make it boozy: Replace 2 tbsp of the hot water with dark rum, bourbon or KahlĂşa. Rum gives it a warm, slightly caramelized edge; bourbon plays beautifully with the brown sugar; KahlĂşa doubles down on the dark chocolate situation. Or you can use Everclear Vodka if it’s a rough night. (VERY MUCH kidding!!!;)
- Make it Mexican hot chocolate-ish: Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp cayenne to the dry ingredients. Cinnamon + chocolate + that tiny flicker of heat is fantastic.
- Make it mocha: Dissolve 1 tsp instant espresso powder in the hot water before pouring it over the cake. It won’t make the cake taste like coffee; it just makes the chocolate taste suspiciously more chocolatey. (Here is why coffee works magic with chocolate cake!)
- Add some crunch: Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts over the batter before adding the brown sugar mixture.
- Add flaky sea salt: Sprinkle a tiny pinch over each warm serving right before the ice cream goes on. Sweet, salty, molten chocolate nonsense. Highly recommended.
- Go completely rogue: Do the bourbon variation AND add 1/8 tsp cayenne AND finish with flaky sea salt. You’ve now taken an extremely easy pudding cake and given it superhero powers!!
- DEFINITELY Serve it warm: This is when the contrast between the brownie-like cake and molten fudge sauce is at its absolute best.
If you’re craving easy make-ahead pudding desserts, check out this fast and easy Banana Cream Poke Cake, this shockingly decadent Gooey Quadruple Chocolate Oreo Cake, these Chocolate Strawberry Trifle Cups and of course…the famous Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding Recipe layers of vanilla wafers, barely ripe bananas, and cloud-like whipped pudding that chills into something creamy, nostalgic, and totally addictive!
If you’re in the mood for something rich and creamy (but still ridiculously easy), this Easy Chocolate Mousse is always an excellent idea!
If you love easy desserts, don’t miss this collection of epic cake mix desserts: Cake Mix Desserts (Easy Recipes That Taste Homemade).
