Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

This Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers! It has a rich, gooey fudge center, with a cake-like top that forms while baking. When you dig in, you get the best of both worlds: a warm, chocolatey cake and a luscious fudge sauce all in one. This easy recipe is perfect for satisfying any sweet tooth!

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional, for extra gooey fudge)

Instructions:

Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or butter a 9-inch round or square baking dish.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Add wet ingredients: Stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
Prepare the pudding layer: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish. Don’t worry about it looking smooth, as the magic happens during baking!
Add the brown sugar topping: Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the batter. Then, pour the hot water over the top of the batter and brown sugar (do not stir). This will create the gooey fudge sauce as the cake bakes.
Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. The fudge layer will form underneath the cake, and it will be bubbling around the edges.
Optional – Add chocolate chips: If you want an extra gooey, chocolatey fudge layer, sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the batter before adding the hot water.
Serve: Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Spoon into bowls, and make sure to scoop up some of the warm fudge sauce with each serving. It’s delicious on its own, or you can serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

Tips:

Make it more decadent: Top the cake with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or drizzle with caramel sauce for added richness.
For extra flavor: You can mix in a little bit of espresso powder to the dry ingredients to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Serve it warm: This cake is best served warm, as the fudge sauce will be gooey and irresistible.