This Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is outrageously good – and it couldn’t be any easier to make! A simple batter (made from Hershey’s cocoa of course) is first spooned into the bottom of a lightly greased pan or baking dish. Then a dry cocoa mixture is sprinkled on top of the batter. Finally – right 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, almost-crunchy topping on this Hot Fudge Pudding Cake as it bakes!
Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Recipe credits: A family feast
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Hershey’s Cocoa, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1¼ cups hot water
- Vanilla ice cream, if desired for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pot of water on the stove to very hot (just under a simmer).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine ¾ cup of the granulated sugar, flour, ¼ cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, melted butter and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into an lightly greased 2-quart ceramic dish (as shown in our photos) or a 9-inch square baking pan (if it’s a non-stick pan, you don’t have to grease it) and spread evenly.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, remaining ¼ cup cocoa and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in your dish or pan. Pour the hot water over the top – but do not stir!
- Bake 35-40 minutes if using a dish (or 30-35 minutes if using the 9×9 pan) – or until the center is almost set. Remove your dish from the oven and allow it to stand for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, spoon the cake into individual serving bowls – making sure to spoon the fudgy sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top of the cake.
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired and serve immediately.
