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This quick and easy Chocolate Pudding Cake is two desserts in one – a chocolate cake on top with a rich chocolate pudding underneath. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
For another deliciously decadent dessert, try my Chocolate Pie!
Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe
Who is ready for the easiest dessert ever? This warm Chocolate Pudding Cake takes a shortcut with a boxed cake mix. You can easily assemble it in under 10 minutes with only a handful of ingredients. It will come to the rescue anytime you need a quick and delicious dessert for a crowd.
It’s no secret that I love chocolate desserts. Whether it’s Brownies, Chocolate Cookies, or a single-serve Mug Brownie, I never turn down chocolate. This recipe produces a double dose of chocolate: a chocolate cake and a warm pudding-like chocolate sauce that bakes simultaneously in the oven.
Cake + Sauce = Winning
A pudding cake is a self-saucing chocolate cake. While the cake bakes, a fudgy pudding-like sauce forms underneath the cake layer. No frosting needed! You can simply serve this warm cake by scooping out portions into a bowl and spooning the chocolate sauce right over the top. If desired, you can also add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to each serving.
How To Make Pudding Cake
This recipe takes a shortcut with a chocolate cake mix. The cake mix is topped with sugar, cocoa powder, and boiling water, which will turn into the pudding sauce that forms under the cake. Here’s how to make it:
- Assemble the cake mix: Combine cake mix with milk, ONE egg, and oil as indicated on the box. Using milk in place of water creates a richer cake. Reducing the eggs down to one helps to keep this cake from being too moist and having any chance of an “eggy” flavor.
- Pour the cake batter into a 9×13 pan.
- Combine sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Sprinkle over the top of the cake batter and smooth into an even layer.
- Gently pour 2 cups of boiling water over the top of the cake, being careful not to disturb the cake batter underneath.
- Bake until the cake is baked through and a bubbly chocolate pudding mixture has formed underneath the cake.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Serve the cake on its own, spooning the sauce over the cake on each plate, or add a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Dress it up by adding a few berries or some sprinkles on top.
- Refrigerate leftover pudding cake in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- This cake can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
More Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake
- Funfetti Sheet Cake
- Apple Spice Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- Chocolate Cake Mix (15.25 oz) see note*
- heaping 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.
- Prepare the cake mix as instructed on the box, DECREASING the eggs to ONE and swapping the water for milk (for a richer flavor). You will likely be combining the mix with approximately 1 cup milk, 1 egg, and ½ cup vegetable oil. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter. If necessary, gently spread the sugar into a flat layer using the back of a spoon. Slowly and carefully pour the boiling water evenly over the top of the cake batter, do not stir.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is cooked through and lightly springs back when you press it. Note: There will be a fudge sauce that has formed and is bubbling up under the cake, so make sure you are checking the cake only for doneness. Place pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Enjoy warm, scooping the cake into a bowl and spooning sauce over the top.
Notes
- You will also need milk, ONE egg and vegetable oil for preparing the cake mix. Prepare the mix as instructed on the box, DECREASING the eggs to ONE and swapping the water for milk. Using milk in place of water creates a richer cake. Reducing the eggs helps to keep this cake from being too moist and having any chance of an “eggy” flavor (since we are pouring boiling water over the raw batter).
- I like to use a cake mix that has chocolate chips in it.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of "Yellow Bliss Road" is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
My go to for chocolate lovers. So moist, chocolaty, and especially pairs well with vanilla ice cream when just out of the oven.
Awesome feedback Cindy! Thanks for stopping by.