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Home > Desserts > Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake
35 minutes minutes

Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake

Modified: May 25, 2025 · Published: Jan 6, 2021

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hot fudge pudding cake with vanilla ice cream and text overlay
hot fudge pudding cake with vanilla ice cream and text overlay
fudgy hot chocolate pudding cake with two scoops vanilla ice cream on top in white ceramic bowl with text
fudgy hot chocolate pudding cake with two scoops vanilla ice cream on top in white ceramic bowl with text
hot fudge chocolate pudding cake served with ice cream with text
hot fudge pudding cake with vanilla ice cream and text overlay

Hot fudge chocolate pudding cake is gooey, fudgy, messy, chocolatey, and super yummy! This super easy and fast-to-make pudding cake bakes into magical two layers, warm moist chocolate cake on top and rich chocolate fudge sauce at the bottom!

fudgy rich chocolate pudding cake in white ceramic bowl with vanilla ice cream
Jump to:
  • Why does this recipe work
  • Ingredients
  • How To Make Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake?
  • Tips To Make Best Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake
  • Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake

Why does this recipe work

  1. It’s so easy and quick to make dessert.
  2. You’ll only need basic pantry staples for the recipe.
  3. Anybody can make a chocolate pudding cake! If you can whisk, you can make this dessert.
  4. A sweet treat that is hard to resist! It’s addictive.
  5. This cake is messy, fudgy, gooey, and extremely delicious! If you love fudgy desserts, you must try zucchini brownies and 3 ingredient brownies.
  6. No need for frosting, it has its own rich chocolate hot sauce at the bottom that covers the cake when you scoop it out with a spoon.

Ingredients

all ingredients for hot fudge chocolate pudding cake named and measured
  1. Flour – use plain flour and for gluten-free variation use gluten free flour.
  2. Cocoa Powder – best use unsweetened cocoa powder. If you use dark cocoa powder, your pudding cake will transform into rich, slightly bitter and sweet tasting treat.  The cake will turn slightly dark (more towards black, BUT NOT BURNT). I love that.
  3. If you use light cocoa powder you’ll still get rich chocolate pudding cake, it won’t have any bitterness in it. The chocolate flavor will be mild.
  4. Use cocoa powder according to your taste preference.
  5. Choco Chips – optional but highly recommended. Using miniature choco chips works best in the recipe. I added 3 tablespoon mini chocolate to the cake mix plus ¼ cup in the fudge sauce. It resulted in rich, chocolatey delicious pudding cake. Feel free to skip adding choco chips to cake mix. And in case you are using light cocoa powder if you want to enhance the chocolate flavor of the cake adding choco chips will help.
  6. Sugar(Fudge Sauce) – usually light brown sugar is what is used for making the fudge sauce. I prefer using a mix of white granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Choice is yours!

Ingredients Additions & Substitutions

  • Pudding cake is best enjoyed when it’s warm. It’s sinfully delicious with vanilla ice cream! Don’t forget the ice cream!
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder can be added to cake mix. Cinnamon powder will enhance chocolate flavor.
  • Butter – instead of vegetable oil, use melted butter for rich-tasting cake.

Toppings Ideas:

You can add any topping of your choice. Here are few suggestions

  • Whipped Cream
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Crushed Nuts – pecans, walnuts, almonds
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Cherry Pie Filling
  • Fresh Berries
  • Sprinkles

How To Make Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake?

Pre heat oven at 350° F.

Use a 9 inch square baking tray or use 2 quart casserole/baking dish. Your baking dish should be atleast 2 inches high. I used a 2 quart oval casserole dish that was 2 inches high on the sides. Grease baking dish with cooking oil. Keep aside.

Sieve plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  

Time to add granulated white sugar and mix well.

step by step pictorial instructions for making chocolate pudding cake
Add


Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and granulated white sugar
step by step pictorial instructions for making chocolate pudding cake
Mix together

Pour in whole milk, vanilla, vegetable oil (or canola oil). Using whisk mix batter until wet and dry ingredients comes together.

step by step pictorial instructions for making chocolate pudding cake
Pour whole milk, vanilla, vegetable oil
step by step pictorial instructions for making chocolate pudding cake
Mix together
step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
Until all ingredients are combined together

Optional step (highly recommend you don’t skip) – add mini chocolate chips to the cake mix, stir it together.

step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
add mini chocolate chips to cake batter for richer chocolatey taste (optional step)

Transfer cake batter to prepared dish and keep aside.

step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
transfer cake batter into prepared 2 quart baking dish (or 9 inch square baking dish) that is at least 2 inches high on sides

For fudge sauce topping – in a small bowl combine cocoa powder, white sugar + light brown sugar (note here you can use just light brown sugar instead of mix), chocolate chips.

step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
cocoa powder, white sugar + light brown sugar, chocolate chips.
step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
combine it all

Sprinkle the topping (it will be powder like) evenly on top of cake batter mix.

DO NOT STIR!

step by step picture instructions for pudding cake
sprinkle fudge sauce topping over cake batter. DO NOT stir or mix.

Do not stir the dry topping into the batter.

Ensure water is boiling hot. Carefully and slowly pour water on top of the fudge sauce topping.

Jo’s Tip: pour (boiling)hot water on the back of the large spoon so it spreads evenly without disturbing the topping and cake batter mix.

step by step picture for chocolate pudding cake in the making
pour boiling hot water on the back of large spoon over the topping. DO NOT STIR

DO NOT STIR!

Let the water sit on top of the sprinkled topping.

step by step picture for chocolate pudding cake in the making
allow hot water to sit on the topping. Do not stir.

Carefully transfer baking dish into pre heated oven and bake at 350° F for 30 -35 minutes or until the center is almost set.

Do not over bake chocolate pudding cake. You won’t get the two layered dessert – cake and hot fudge sauce.

step by step picture for chocolate pudding cake in the making
top should be cooked and the pudding sauce should be bubbling gently around the cake

The top should be cooked and the pudding sauce should be bubbling gently around the cake.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Allowing the cake to rest will help pudding layer a chance to set up a bit.

Serve hot fudge chocolate pudding cake warm with any toppings of your choice. Vanilla ice cream is our favorite topping.

chocolate pudding cake with hot fudge sauce at the bottom in casserole baking dish

Tips To Make Best Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake

1. DO NOT STIR once boiling hot water is poured over the topping. Allow hot water to sit on the topping. This will transform into two layers when it bakes through, fudgy cake on the top and rich chocolatey hot fudge sauce at the bottom.

2. Make sure water is boiling hot before pouring it on the top.

3. Use back of the spoon to pour hot water over the topping. This will help spread water evenly without disturbing the topping layer and cake batter layer at the bottom.

4. Use mini chocolate chips for richer chocolate flavors in the cake.

5. Allow chocolate pudding cake to rest at least for 10 -15 minutes once it’s baked to ensure the pudding layer has a chance to set a bit.

6. Dark cocoa powder will result in richer, darker, slightly bitter chocolate pudding cake (almost black, but not burnt). Using light cocoa powder will result in milder chocolate flavored cake.  Pick cocoa powder as per YOUR taste preference.

7. It’s best to serve the cake immediately after baking. Left over cake can be stored in refrigerator just for a day. I do not recommend storing this chocolate pudding cake longer. As the cake sits, it’ll absorb the pudding sauce.

8. Do not forget the topping. Vanilla ice cream  or whipped cream or other toppings of your choice.

LOVE CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE? TRY THESE OTHER DECADENT DESSERTS:

Chocolate Mug Cake

Cinnamon French Toast Sticks

No Bake Oreo Truffles

Nutella Milkshake

Decadent But Healthy Zucchini Brownies

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fudgy rich chocolate pudding cake in white ceramic bowl with vanilla ice cream
5 from 1 vote

Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake

Jyothi Rajesh
Hot fudge chocolate pudding cake is gooey, fudgy, messy, chocolatey and super yummy! This super easy and fast to make pudding cake bakes into magical two layers, warm moist chocolate cake on top and rich chocolate fudge sauce at the bottom!
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 324

Ingredients
  

Cake:

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • ½ cup granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup whole milk
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoon mini choco chips optional

Fudge Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 to 1 ¼ cup boiling hot water

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat oven at 350° F.
  • Use a 9 inch square baking tray or use 2 quart casserole/baking dish. Your baking dish should be atleast 2 inches high. I used a 2 quart oval casserole dish that was 2 inches high on the sides. Grease baking dish with cooking oil. Keep aside.
  • Sieve plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add granulated white sugar, mix well.
  • Pour in whole milk, vanilla, vegetable oil (or canola oil). Using whisk mix batter until wet and dry ingredients comes together.
  • Optional step (highly recommend you don’t skip) – add mini chocolate chips to the cake mix, stir it together.
  • Transfer cake batter to prepared dish and keep aside.
  • For fudge sauce topping – in a small bowl combine cocoa powder, white sugar + light brown sugar (note here you can use just light brown sugar instead of mix), chocolate chips.
  • Sprinkle the topping (it will be powder like) evenly on top of cake batter mix. DO NOT STIR!
  • Do not stir the dry topping into the batter.
  • Ensure water is boiling. Carefully and slowly pour water on top of the fudge sauce topping.
    Jo’s Tip: pour boiling water on the back of the large spoon so it spreads evenly without disturbing the topping and cake batter mix.
  • DO NOT STIR! Do not mix or stir the water into the batter. Let the water sit on top of the sprinkled topping.
  • Carefully transfer baking dish into pre heated oven and bake at 350° F for 30 -35 minutes or until the center is almost set.
  • Do not over bake. Else you won’t get the two layered dessert – cake and hot fudge sauce.
  • The top should be cooked and the pudding sauce should be bubbling gently around the cake.
  • Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Allowing the cake to rest will help pudding layer a chance to set up a bit.
  • Serve hot fudge chocolate pudding cake warm with any toppings of your choice. Vanilla ice cream is our favorite topping.

Notes

  1. DO NOT STIR after you pour boiling water. Allow hot water to sit on the topping.
  2. Make sure the water is boiling before pouring it on the top.
  3. Use back of the spoon to pour hot water over the topping. This will help spread water evenly without disturbing the topping layer and cake batter layer at the bottom.
  4. Use mini chocolate chips for richer chocolate flavors in the cake.
  5. Allow chocolate pudding cake to rest at least for 10 -15 minutes once it’s baked to ensure the pudding layer has a chance to set a bit.
  6. Dark cocoa powder will result in richer, darker, slightly bitter pudding cake (almost black, but not burnt). Using light cocoa powder will result in milder chocolate flavored cake. Pick cocoa powder as per YOUR taste preference.
  7. It’s best to serve the cake immediately after baking. Left over cake can be stored in refrigerator just for a day. But as the cake sits it’s absorb the fudge sauce.
 
Nutrition values shown are excluding vanilla ice cream or other toppings that you might add.
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 3gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 58IUCalcium: 92mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Follow @CurryTrail and tag #CurryTrail to share your creation!

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    5 from 1 vote

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Angela says

    August 27, 2024 at 5:30 am

    5 stars
    Delicious

    Reply
    • Jyothi Rajesh says

      August 30, 2024 at 2:32 pm

      SO glad to hear you loved the recipe, thank you for sharing your feedback Angela!

      Reply

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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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