Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is an easy, show stopping dessert that is made with simple ingredients! Decadent chocolate cake layered with the most delicious homemade fudgy chocolate sauce, all baked together in one pan! The rich chocolate fudge sauce forms underneath a layer of chocolate cake while baking, all by itself!
Easy Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake
Growing up, my mom would make this pudding cake for a dessert and I remember LOVING it! With a scoop of cold ice-cream on top, it was one of my most favorite desserts!
This Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is easy to make and requires little effort. In fact, the hot fudge sauce literally creates itself while baking in the oven! A simple batter (made from Hershey’s cocoa of course) is spooned onto the bottom of a greased baking dish. Then a dry cocoa powder mixture is sprinkled on top of the cake batter. Finally – just before baking, hot water gets poured over the top of the dry cocoa mixture. But don’t stir it in – that process creates this fantastic, slightly crisp topping on this Hot Fudge Pudding Cake as it bakes!
Why is this called a pudding cake?
On the surface, a pudding cake looks like a simple chocolate cake. But, as its spooned hot from the oven onto plates, the super-moist chocolate cake revealed its secret: a pudding-like sauce that formed on the bottom of the pan. Two desserts in one. How can you not love that, right?! Using only a few simple ingredients, this cake includes both an incredible cake and creamy, delicious hot fudge pudding!
Ingredients Needed for this Pudding Cake:
You’ll love the simple ingredient list and how it only takes minutes to make. In fact, you may already have all the ingredients needed on hand!
See printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient amounts and step by step directions!
- Sugar- added for the perfect touch of sweetness
- Flour- all purpose, gluten free also works
- Cocoa Powder- use a good quality cocoa powder, for a more intense chocolate flavor. If you enjoy dark and rich desserts, use dark cocoa powder
- Baking Powder- gives some rise to the pudding
- Salt- this brings out some of the sweetness in this cake
- Milk- any milk works, including unsweetened almond/soy
- Butter- melted, any type works, I use unsalted, but even margarine will work
- Vanilla Extract- try to use pure versus imitation
- Brown Sugar- adds just the right amount of sweetness to this sweet treat
- Hot Water- this gets poured all over the pudding cake, which once baked, will seep to the bottom. Once you break into the cooked pudding cake, it will rise and add a layer of warm, soft fudge sauce.
How to make Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Spread batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle dry mixture evenly over cake batter.
- Pour hot water evenly over dry mixture, do not stir.
- Bake in a preheated oven, 350 degrees, for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and scoop into bowls. Serve with ice-cream if desired.
How to make Hot Fudge Cake “healthier”
Unfortunately, this cake cannot be classified as healthy! It is chocolate filled, pudding filled, cake, hot fudge, ooey gooey, and more! However, there are a few tweaks you can make to this cake to cut down on the calorie count just a bit!
- Butter- you can use unsweetened applesauce in place of the butter in the cake. It WILL change the texture a bit, but still will taste good
- Sugar- monk fruit sweetener can be used in place of the white sugar
- Flour- use whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose
Tips for the BEST Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Feel free to double the recipe and make it in a 9×13 baking pan. That way, there is plenty for everyone and perhaps even leftovers!
- Serve with a scoop of ice-cream for the ultimate flavor combination.
- You can reduce sugar by up to 1/2 cup. Prepare the cake as written first and if too sweet, next time, you can adjust to fit your desired tastes.
- When measuring dry ingredients, like flour, spoon it into your measuring cup and then level it off.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave to warm the pudding back up and recreate the “fresh from oven” taste.
- Do not over-bake. The middle will look under-cooked when you pull it out of the oven, but this is OK. The underlying sauce will thicken as the cake cools.
- Wait at least 15 minutes from oven to serving. This allows the pudding to thicken a bit!
Storing and Freezing Hershey’s Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Storing Leftovers: Cooked pudding cake, once cooled down, can be stored in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks. This cake is best enjoyed warm, so you should reheat it (see how below).
- To freeze: Place cake in a freezer safe container, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat as directed below.
- To reheat: Either reheat the cake in the microwave (30 second spurts until warm) or in a preheated oven. The cake will be extra moist, as most of the fudge sauce has been soaked up already. Once warmed back up, it will seep some out again.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
These tools are great options when making this chocolate pudding cake! (affiliate)
More Chocolate Recipes to try
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites– take the peanut butter-chocolate combo to new heights with layers of lusciousness in moist, irresistible bites.
No Frost Chocolate Oatmeal Cake– perfectly moist, chocolate filled, and just what your sweet tooth craves!
Death by Chocolate Trifle– a dessert with layers of fudgy brownies, chocolate pudding, chocolates, and cool whip. A chocolate lovers dream.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dump Cake– ooey, gooey, chocolate peanut buttery goodness with Reese’s peanut cups baked right in and also sprinkled on top a pillow of creamy, dreamy Cool Whip.
Joanna Gaines Chocolate Chip Cookies– the ultimate chocolate chip cookie that is soft, chewy, and comes together with simple ingredients.
Hot Fudge Chocolate Pudding Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour *all purpose
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter *melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cup hot water
Instructions
- Combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Spread batter into a greased 8x8 square baking pan.
- In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
- Sprinkle dry mixture evenly over cake batter.
- Pour hot water evenly over dry mixture, do not stir.
- Bake in a preheated oven, 350, for about 35 minutes.
- Remove from oven and scoop into bowls. Serve with ice-cream if desired.
