Name: Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup all purpose flour; ½ cup sugar; 3 TBLS cocoa; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp cinnamon; ½ tsp salt; ¾ cup milk; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 TBLS oil; 1 cup brown sugar, packed; ¼ cup cocoa; 1 ¾ cup very hot water

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is a classic American dessert and for good reason: there’s something magical about this warm, gooey chocolate dessert that is both decadent and so comfortingly simple at the same time.

I grew up eating, and eventually making myself, this Hot Fudge Pudding Cake dessert. The recipe that my family used and loved for years came from a 1970’s edition of the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook (My mom got one of these timeless cookbooks for a wedding gift and I now have my own treasured copy that I found on eBay). I’ve taken the vintage recipe and added a bit of flair to it: more cocoa, less sugar (don’t worry – it’s still got plenty!), and a touch of cinnamon. It’s easy enough to whip up for a quick weeknight dessert, and fancy enough to serve to company.

My well-worn Betty Crocker cookbook has a place of honor in my kitchen!

Even with less sugar than the original recipe, this Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is still quite rich. It is delicious all on its own, but it’s even better with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream served alongside. If you do happen to have any leftovers, it’s fine served cold straight from the fridge the next day, but I like to give it a quick warm-up in the microwave. And a fresh dollop of whipped cream before devouring, of course.

Speaking of vintage recipes, isn’t there something so nostalgic about creating something in our kitchens that our mothers and grandmothers and their mothers before them have been stirring up with love for their families for generations past? If you have copies of old family recipes that have been passed down to you, you have a treasure indeed! I wish I had realized that more as a young person when my grandmothers were both still living. I am happy that I do have a small collection of recipes from one of my grandmothers (I think my mom has some handwritten ones from her mom that I need to get copies of), as well as some that have been passed down from my husband’s grandmothers. On my bucket list is the plan to someday cook through as many of these recipes as I can. Also on my bucket list is to watch through and recreate the recipes on this super fun YouTube channel, Grandma’s Depression Cooking.

—–>You may also love this recipe from my husband’s Grandma for Grandma’s Fruit Cake

This post may contain affiliate links for products that you may find helpful. You can read our disclosure here.

Ingredients that you’ll need for making Hot Fudge Pudding Cake:

For the batter:

1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
3 TBLS cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¾ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBLS oil

For the topping:

1 cup brown sugar, packed
¼ cup cocoa
1 ¾ cup very hot water

Directions for making Hot Fudge Pudding Cake:

Heat oven to 375°. Grease a square 9×9 pan. In a kettle or pot, start 1 ¾ cups water heating.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, 2 TBLS cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the milk, vanilla, and oil until well blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
In a separate bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cocoa. Sprinkle evenly over the batter. Carefully pour the very hot (near boiling) water over top.
Carefully place the pan in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until the sauce part is bubbly and the cake part is set (the two will magically separate as you bake this scrumptious dessert!).
Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Note: I find that using powdered or icing sugar when I whip cream helps it to hold up better. I like to do use 2 cups of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, and 2 teaspoons of Mexican vanilla. Using handheld beaters, or a stand mixer, whip together just until soft peaks begin to form. Be careful, or you’ll make butter instead! Refrigerate any leftovers in a bowl with a tightly fitting lid for up to three days.

Now, without further ado, let’s get baking!