This decadent chocolate pudding cake has a fluffy layer of cake which sits atop a rich chocolate sauce created while baking. It’s free of eggs and dairy, with gluten and refined sugar free options also included.
Kicking off the weekend with some chocolate cake! And not just any chocolate cake, but chocolate cake with a fudgy chocolate sauce that’s magically made while baking in the oven, no additional cooking required!
While there are tons of recipes out there for this chocolate pudding cake, or hot fudge cake as it’s alternatively called, this recipe is vegan friendly, uses olive oil or coconut oil, and has gluten free/refined sugar free options. It also calls for less sugar than most of the recipes out there.
I made this cake with King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour
and golden coconut sugar
. I like golden coconut sugar as it’s a little more mild tasting than regular coconut sugar, but either can be used, as can brown sugar or cane sugar.
This cake can’t be more simple to make. Just place the batter in the pan, top with the sugar/cocoa mixture, then pour the hot coffee/water over top, no stirring needed. The cake bakes up to the top while the chocolate sauce cooks underneath.
It makes the most luscious chocolate cake that pairs perfectly with a scoop of ice cream! Give it a try and leave a comment to let me know what you think! Enjoy!
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Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
This decadent chocolate pudding cake has a fluffy layer of cake which sits atop a rich chocolate sauce created while baking. It’s free of eggs and dairy, with gluten and refined sugar free options also included.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, cane sugar, or coconut sugar* (I used golden coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar* (I used golden coconut sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups hot water, brewed coffee, or combo of both
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease an 8 or 9-inch pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Pour batter in prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients, sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over the batter, then top with hot water/coffee. Do not stir.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until cake has puffed and looks evenly cooked over the top. It will be jiggly under the cake due to the chocolate sauce, which will get thicker as it cools.
- Let cake cool 10-15 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8.
Notes
*Coconut sugar is not as sweet as brown/cane sugar, so you may want to use a few more tablespoons if you want to keep the same level of sweetness.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Dessert, Vegan, Gluten Free
Hey!
I know that this is an old (ish) recipe, but I bookmark pretty much everything vegan that you post! This is one of my most treasured websites, for sure.
Just wondering— how long does/would this keep? I’m the only one who eats vegan at home (family refuses to even try!), and it takes a while to finish a cake all by myself.
If it doesn’t keep too well, do you think I could half this recipe ? I might even have to divide it further (if possible).
Thanks a lot!
Hi Nick! Thanks for the kind words! This recipe keeps for 2-3 days at a cool room temp or in the fridge for a few days longer. The recipe can easily be divided to make smaller portions too…I do it all the time! 🙂 And if you didn’t mention this cake was vegan, I doubt your family would even notice! It’s just fudgy chocolate bliss! I truly hope you enjoy it! Oh and if you can, try it with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream or coco whip! It’s SO good!
Oh, I’ve used that trick one too many times , I’m not sure anyone will fall for it anymore!
Hopefully chocolate will make them rethink their choices…
Thanks a lot! I’ll definitely be making this and enjoying it with loads of ice cream!
Have a great one.
Would love to make this as dessert for Christmas! Do yo think I could prepare the batter in advance and pop it in the oven at night?
Hi Bo, I wouldn’t recommend making the batter way ahead of time because as soon as the dry and liquid ingredients mix together the baking powder gets activated and wouldn’t last until the end of the day. If you want to make things ahead of time, the best way would be to mix the dry ingredients together, then the wet ingredients together in a separate container. You can also prepare the sugar mixture & coffee (unless you’re using water). When it’s time to bake, reheat the coffee or heat water, mix the wet/dry ingredients together, pour it in a pan, sprinkle with sugar mixture, then pour the water over top right before baking.
This recipe is more finicky than most due to the soft center, so if you need a less fussy dessert, I’d recommend a cake or something similar that you can make ahead of time. Let me know if I can help you in any other way!
Thanks so much for taking the time for such a quick and helpful answer! I might as you suggested opt for an easier make ahead dessert for Christmas. But I’ll definitely keep these tips in mind 🙂
You’re so welcome! I hope you find something else delicious to make! Let me know if I can help you with anything else. Have a great week! 🙂