Hot Fudge Pudding Cake (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Cake

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 cup milk
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Hot Fudge Sauce

09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
11 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
12 - 1 1/4 cups boiling water

# Instructions:

01 - Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or cooking spray. This dessert creates its own sauce as it bakes, so a deeper baking dish works better than a shallow one to contain all that delicious fudgy goodness.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are well combined with no cocoa powder lumps. Add the milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to stir everything together until you have a smooth, thick batter. It will be much thicker than regular cake batter - this is exactly what you want!
03 - Transfer your chocolate cake batter to the prepared baking pan and use your spatula to spread it evenly into a flat layer. The batter is thick, so you'll need to spread it out to the edges and corners. This will form the cake portion that rises to the top during baking.
04 - In a separate bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and the remaining cocoa powder for the sauce component. Stir until well combined and no lumps remain. Evenly sprinkle this dry sugar mixture over the cake batter, covering the entire surface. This might seem strange, but trust the process - the next step is where the magic happens!
05 - Now for the crucial step that creates the self-saucing effect: heat water until it's at a rolling boil. Very carefully and slowly, pour the boiling water over the entire surface of the cake. Pour it over the back of a long metal spoon to disperse the water more gently and prevent it from disturbing the layers too much. This seems completely counterintuitive, but do not stir! The water will work its way down through the layers during baking.
06 - Carefully transfer your baking dish to the preheated oven (the water will make it sloshy). Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top looks like a set cake but still feels slightly soft when gently pressed. When done, the cake will have risen to the top while a rich, fudgy sauce will have formed underneath.
07 - Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. This resting time allows the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve while still warm, spooning some of the fudgy sauce from the bottom over each portion. For an extra special treat, top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which will slowly melt into the warm cake and sauce, creating the ultimate comfort dessert.

# Notes:

01 - This magic chocolate pudding cake creates its own hot fudge sauce while baking - the cake rises to the top while a rich, fudgy sauce forms underneath.
02 - For a larger crowd, you can double the recipe using a 9×13-inch baking pan. Just add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
03 - While vanilla ice cream is the classic pairing, this dessert is also delicious with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

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