Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is a classic dessert that everyone should know! One batter magically transforms into a moist chocolate cake with a beautiful chocolate sauce. Quick enough for a midweek treat, and a crowd pleaser for dinner parties.
I started the week off with Cottage Pie, wedged in a Stovetop Mac and Cheese on Wednesday and am finishing off the week with this Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding.
It seems that this week was Comfort Food Week here on RecipeTin Eats and I missed the memo. My own memo.😂
When I was younger, I was so fascinated with self saucing puddings. I always thought they were magical. One batter transforming into a cake that looks so innocent when it comes out of the oven, then when you break into it – boom! Eyes light up at the sight of all that chocolate sauce!!!
I should qualify that statement actually, it’s a little more than one batter. But not much more! All it takes is sprinkling sugar + cocoa on top of the batter and pouring over hot water. This mixture then sinks to the base of the dish as it bakes, passing through the cake making it sooooo moist (I love this thought!), and it reduces down to become a sauce.
You see in the photo above how I am pouring the hot water over the back of a spoon? The purpose of this is to soften the fall of water onto the sugar topping, to try to keep the surface as even as possible so the surface of the pudding is as even as possible when it comes out of the oven.
I’m not an expert at this part. Also, my recipe uses a slightly higher water to sugar ratio than most classic recipes because I like to have a sauce that is actually a bit like sauce, rather than a thick sludge. Mind you, sludge still tastes fabulous! It’s just a matter of preference.
So because I use slightly more water, the top of my pudding is not as perfectly smooth. Less water = smoother surface = less sauce. 🙂
See? Here’s my sauce. It’s pourable. But thick, not watery. You can actually scrape some off the bottom of the baking dish and pour it over.
I’ve never been embarrassed by the nubbly top of my puddings but if I was, I’d just dust it with icing sugar.
The pudding really is cake-like so you could in fact slice it and serve it like cake, then use a spoon to drizzle each slice with the chocolate sauce.
But tradition is to use a spoon to serve Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding. Scoop out big dollops of it so you get cake and sauce in each spoonful. It doesn’t look as neat as slicing, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is just made with cocoa powder, no chocolate. I’m sure there are richer versions around with the addition of chocolate chips. But the traditional way is so darn good, I have no urge to stray!
I like to serve pudding with ice cream or cream, and usually some fresh strawberries or other fruit, just to break it up and add a pop of colour.
Easy enough for midweek. And a crowd pleaser for company. I am totally and utterly in love with Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding! – Nagi x
More cosy warm desserts for cold winter nights!
Apple Crumble – personal favourite!
Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Recipe video! And don’t worry, though you’ll see Dozer plodding over for a taste test, he didn’t get any. No chocolate for dogs!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 cup (175g) brown sugar , loosely packed (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- 1 1/4 cups (315ml) boiling water
Batter
- 1 cup (150g) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup (70g) white sugar , preferably caster/super fine but ordinary ok
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- 50 g / 4 1/2 tbsp butter , melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170C/335F (standard) / 150C/305F (fan forced / convection).
- Grease a 5 - 6 cup baking dish with butter. (Note 3)
- Topping: Whisk brown sugar and cocoa in a bowl, set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, caster sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the butter and milk, then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until combined - it will be a thick batter.
- Spread into baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar / cocoa mixture. Shake gently to spread out thinly.
- Carefully pour the hot water over the back of a dessert spoon all over the top of the pudding - see photo in post or video below recipe. (Note 4)
- Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when poked lightly. The top will be a bit crusty, like the top of brownies.
- Remove from oven, stand for just a few minutes (no more!), then serve immediately. (Note 5)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He hates floor-mopping day even more than I do because I make him wear socks while I enjoy the feeling of clean floors for a few hours….
Hey Nagi, I’m a true believer in ALL your recipes. This looks amazing i want to try for the weekend – I want to make these into individual puddings in ramekins… any tips – would the cooking time be less? Any more/less water? Thanks!
I make this chocolate self saucing pudding for the soup kitchen I volunteer in – in large batches, of course! The recipe multiplies easily, works every time, and is downright delicious! Everyone asks for it again and again.
I did the same thing and my family said that this recipe was a keeper
I love this so so much
Delicious and so easy. I made the batter earlier in the day and put the dry topping on, because I knew I’d be super busy. I made a triple batch, using gluten free flour and served with diced strawberries (trust me…DO THIS) and pouring cream. Holy YUM! A great recipe. Thank you.
Needed a pudding for after our dinner, and was delighted by this one. I put it together in a few spare minutes as dinner was nearly ready, then popped it in the oven before we sat down to the table. Ready in good time, and enjoyed by all.
Would this work with ordinary white sugar for the sauce?
Made this last week, it was so divine!! If I was to make 1 serving and cook it in a mug in the microwave… Would it work??
I did the same thing and my family loved it
This was the finale to another superb Nagi dinner. We had slow cooked beef ribs, Nagi’s No Mayo Coleslaw and Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes, all yummy. To be repeated. Loved the self-saucing pudd; I had some ganache leftover from her Fudgy Choc Cake and used that to drizzle over the pudding. Chocoholics dream.
Easy and quick to make and tastes delicious
This is a brilliant recipe, so simple to make yet the result is utterly delicious. Great as a dessert for when you’re having company – can premix the wet, dry and topping ingredients and then throw them together in a matter of minutes. This has become one of my go to puds. Thanks Nagi.
I’ve made this 3 times now… once i did it 2 weeks in a row. My kids asked for seconds. Its perfect. I added a little more boiling water to it for extra sauce.
Deceptively simple, quick and affordable to make, generous portions and ohhhhhh, did I mention, COMPLETELY &%#@!%* DELICIOUS!!!!
We’ve made a old Family Circle recipe for years, it requires melted chocolate, loads of milk and twice the amount of butter and this absolutely knocks it out of the park with fewer ingredients and a lot less fuss.
If you are ever considering making this recipe, all I can say I’d DO IT, DO IT, DOOOOOOO IIIIIITTTTTTT 😄
Genius! Worked first time, light and delicious cake with a thick chocolatey sauce. I actually made it in advance of a dinner party and it worked a treat. Thanks again Nagi for another fantastic recipe
So easy and so delicious! The perfect winter dessert. The family wants this weekly now
I,ve made your choccy self saucing pud lots oftimes now & it never fails to delight! We l.ove it! Thankyou so much for sharing this x
YUMMM! This recipe is as fun to make as it is to eat!
This is my favourite self saucing chocolate pud; love how it isn’t ‘too sweet’ as said by a previous poster, the chocolate comes through nicely. I added a few tablespoons of biscoff spread in dollops on top of the cake batter, before the topping stage. Chocolate and biscoff pudding, amazing!
Step 6 I accidentally poured the liquid into my TOPPING bowl instead of flour. Well. Then I just mixed everything together added the water and baked it anyway. Obviously not what it was supposed to be, but you know what it still tasted good. Will try again and pay attention next time!
It was absolutely amazing 😉