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January 8, 2023 By Julia Pinney 5 Comments

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

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Decadent but easy Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is a must make winter dessert. A smooth and velvety layer of chocolate sauce topped with a rich chocolate sponge cake layer. Great served with vanilla ice cream.

Close up of chocolate self saucing pudding cake.
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake

Originally posted September 19th, 2015. Updated to current date to include new photos, step-by-step photos, a video and more relevant information.

What better dessert to dive into this winter than this Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake! I’ve been making it for years and enjoying the box kind from the supermarket since childhood…AKA a long time ago! I STRONGLY recommend this dessert for all chocolate lovers and anyone who loves making easy desserts.

Chocolate pudding with whipping cream on the side.
Chocolate Pudding Cake

What’s this Dessert Like

  • Difficulty level – This dessert is super easy to make. It doesn’t require any mixing equipment and no special baking techniques.
  • Taste – This is an ultra chocolaty and decadent dessert. The bottom layer is a chocolate sauce and it’s topped off with a chocolate sponge cake.
  • Serving – You have to serve this hot from the oven! It will serve about six people and it great with cold vanilla ice cream and even berries on the side.
Chocolate pudding in a bowl.
Self Saucing Pudding

Ingredients

  • Flour – I used regular all purpose flour for this dessert.
  • Sugar – This recipe uses a mix of packed brown sugar and granulated white sugar.
  • Cocoa powder – I used natural cocoa powder.
  • Baking powder – A basic rising agent used in most baked goods.
  • Salt – Regular table salt enhances flavour.
  • Vanilla extract – I used vanilla extract.
  • Milk – I used whole milk.
  • Butter – Unsalted melted butter.
  • Boiling water – This is used to make the top layer of the pudding.

    REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is found at the end of the post in the recipe card.

    Ingredients to make chocolate self saucing pudding cake.
    Ingredients to make self saucing pudding cake

    instructions

    1. Preheat oven – Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c and grease a 4 cup/1 liter deep sided baking dish. Set aside.
    2. Combine dry ingredients – Combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
    3. Add wet ingredients – Add the milk, vanilla extract and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir well to combine so there are not lumps.
    4. Pour into prepared dish – Pour the chocolate batter into your greased baking dish.
    5. Make the top layer – In a glass measuring jug, combine the boiling water, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar and cocoa powder dissolve.
    6. Pour over topping – Evenly pour the liquid over the batter in the baking dish.
    7. Bake – Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
    8. Serve immediately – Serve this dessert hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
    Dry ingredients in a bowl to make a saucing pudding.
    Combine dry ingredients
    Dry ingredients in a bowl.
    Whisk to combine the dry ingredients
    Ingredients in a bowl to make a chocolate pudding.
    Add milk, melted butter and vanilla extract
    Making chocolate pudding in a glass bowl.
    Stir to combine
    Making a chocolate pudding cake.
    Pour into a prepared baking dish
    Making a topping for chocolate pudding.
    Combine boiling water, cocoa powder and brown sugar
    Making a chocolate pudding in a baking dish.
    Evenly pour over the batter
    Baked chocolate pudding cake.
    Bake between 30 – 40 minutes
    Chocolate pudding cake in a white dish.
    Serve hot from the oven

    Recipe Tips

    • Prep ahead – Although you cannot make this dessert in advance, you can prep the ingredients. I have made this for guests before and had everything prepared and ready to put together. Once everything is prepared, it only takes about 5 minutes to assemble and then put it in the oven.
    • Don’t over bake – This dessert relies heavily on the bottom layer being a thick sauce. Much like a Molten Lava Cake. To test for doneness, instert a toothpick into the top layer and it should have a few moist crumbs.
    • Serve immediately – This dessert as to be served. As the chocolate pudding cools, the sauce hardens. I don’t recommend baking this until you are ready to serve it.
    Baked chocolate pudding in a dish.
    Chocolate Pudding

    Substitutions

    I don’t recommend making any substitutions to this dessert. I’ve been making this for the best part of a decade and it’s perfect just as it’s written. Any changes will lead to a different end result.

    Self saucing pudding in a small white bowl.
    Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

    Serving

    • Serve hot – For best results, make sure to serve this hot from the oven! Yes, it can be reheated but it’s not a great as when it’s freshly baked.
    • Serving suggestions – We think this is great served with vanilla ice cream, fresh whipped cream, berries or even chopped nuts.
    Chocolate pudding cake in a white bowl.
    Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you reheat self saucing pudding?

    Although this dessert is best freshly baked, you can reheat it. It can be stored in the fridge up to two days. For best results in reheating, place leftover dessert in a double boiler and allow the steam to reheat the pudding.

    What is the best type of milk to use for pudding?

    Whole dairy milk is best for making pudding. It has a higher fat content than semi skimmed, skimmed or other varieties of milk. Therefore you get a richer pudding.


    Chocolate pudding in a bowl.
    Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake

    Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

    Impress yourself and make this dessert! Using so few ingredients and put together quite quickly, you will see how easy these decadent and impressive Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes come together.
    Check out this recipe

    Chocolate Truffle Torte

    This no bake Chocolate Truffle Torte is your perfect summer dessert. A crisp cinnamon layer topped with a ultra creamy and chocolate truffle layer and finished off with a ganache. Chocolate perfection!
    Check out this recipe

    Dulce de Leche Brownie Torte

    If you love chocolate, brownies, dulce de leche….well, you will love this dessert. Utterly melt in your mouth brownie torte and it topped off with chocolate sauce because there is no such thing as too much chocolate.
    Check out this recipe

    Chocolate pudding cake in a white dish.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

    Decadent but easy Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is a must make winter dessert. A smooth and velvety layer of chocolate sauce topped with a rich chocolate sponge cake layer. Great served with vanilla ice cream.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    Total Time45 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: North American
    Keyword: chocolate, pudding
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 400kcal
    Author: Julia Pinney

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cup flour
    • 1/3 Cup white granulated sugar
    • ¾ Cup brown sugar
    • 1/3 Cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Teaspoon vanilla
    • ¾ Cup milk
    • 1/3 Cup butter melted

    Top Layer

    • 1 1/3 Cups boiling water
    • 1/3 Cup brown sugar
    • ¼ Cup cocoa powder
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees f/180 degrees c and grease a 4 cup/1 liter deep sided baking dish. Set aside.
    • For the bottom layer, combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
    • Add the milk, vanilla extract and melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir well to combine so there are not lumps.
    • Pour the chocolate batter into your greased baking dish.
    • For the top layer, combine the boiling water, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar and cocoa powder dissolve.
    • Evenly pour the liquid over the batter in the baking dish.
    • Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
    • Serve this dessert hot from the oven with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
    Nutrition Facts
    Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
    Calories 400 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Cholesterol 30mg10%
    Sodium 284mg12%
    Potassium 243mg7%
    Carbohydrates 73g24%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 51g57%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin A 365IU7%
    Calcium 123mg12%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets Tagged With: chocolate dessert, Dessert, easy dessert, winter dessert

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    Comments

    1. Cathryn Matson says

      January 13, 2023 at 7:50 pm

      This chocolate pudding cake is a keeper. I first made it when I was 6, it was a favorite from a Betty Crocker cookbook for boys and girls. I have been making it fir more than 60 years. My girls loved it and so do my grandsons. Serve it warm with ice cream!

      Reply
      • Julia Pinney says

        January 18, 2023 at 1:46 pm

        Wow Cathryn, that’s a nice story. Growing up, I remember we used to get the box kits in the grocery store and I think they might have even been Betty Crocker, but I can’t remember. My grown kids still love this dessert too.

        Reply
    2. Donna Robey says

      January 17, 2023 at 4:48 am

      5 stars
      What size is a 4 cup baking dish 9 x 13?

      Reply
      • Julia Pinney says

        January 18, 2023 at 1:43 pm

        Hi Donna, a 4 cup baking dish would be about 1 liter or a 8 inch round or square baking dish. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    3. Donna says

      January 18, 2023 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you

      Reply

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