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!
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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….
delicious. we were not ready to eat it straight away. so once it finished cooking, i turned the oven off, left it in the oven with the door open half way to keep it warm, until we were ready to eat.
This was so delicious and easy to make, thanks!
This was delicious thanks
Very good! Is it best to store leftovers on counter or in fridge?
Delicious, but was pretty much able to halve the sugar. I LOVE your website Nagi, and my only one suggestion of improvement would be to have options when it comes to sweetness. To encourage healthier eating. My kids still gave this 100/10 with half the sugar. It was plenty sweet enough. Thank you! Steph
Delish! I doubled the ingredients because we’re fatty’s lol – this will definitely be one of my go to’s! So easy and quick x
Made this last night as a quick treat. Soooo delicious! I actually bought dutch process cocoa a few weeks back & used that instead of my usual and I felt it dud add that touch of luxury😄. I have a very similar recipe using lemons & zest (very nice too) I did both in the same baking bowl, the lemon one gave less sauce(I presume I need to use a touch more juice/water or a smaller dish) and your recipe had the cake swimming in choc sauce ( nothing wrong with that in my book! But maybe larger dish? Or less water? ) I think I may just rethink my dish next time I have a slightly higher sided but possibly just slightly smaller dish I’ll use next time and see if it makes a difference, I’m not over bothered though results are delicious. Thankyou again for another wonderfully easy but stunning dish it keeps the husband believing I am a miracle worker in the kitchen and that’s always a good thing😄
This was an easy recipe to make but it’s too sweet for me (just my preference) and there’s more sauce than there is cake which was a bit disappointing. But a really great and full-proof recipe!
This was an easy recipe to make but it’s too sweet for me (just my preference) and there’s more sauce than there is cake which was a bit disappointing. But a really great and full-proof recipe!
My family and I love this recipe so much! I find that there can be quite a lot of liquid when it’s ready to come out of the oven but I quickly figured out that it’s just the sauce and it doesn’t matter because the ratio is perfect
bangin added choc chips tossed in flour, bit less water and cooked for 45 min tasted soooo fkn good w icecream and stewed strawbs
Hi Nagi,
I am not a dessert maker & opt for store bought desserts.
But OMG!
I made your choc self saucing pudding like a pro (THANKS TO YOU)
This pudding was simply amazing & fabulously delish!
Just had a left over piece 2 days after making & heated it up in the microwave.
Just as good!!!
NAGI
Your recipes are BRILLIANT!
MANY THANKS🤍
Absolutely delicious. Used Cadbury’s Coco Powder and it’s just perfect. Had this recipe years ago and lost it. So delighted to find this easy and delicious pudding. Thank you for posting. ..from Ireland 🇮🇪
Amazing great results from such a simple recipe. Thanks Nagi!
So good and super easy to make!! Instead of using boiling water to pour over the pudding i use boiling milk and it makes the sauce SOO much more rich and delicious <3
Aww look at Dozer in his sox he is so gorgeous. I studded this pudd with frozen raspberries Nagi and it was sooo good, mmm
I’ve made this recipe before and it was good but not great. But tonight I made sure to use Dutch cocoa powder as suggested, and I think that is probably what made the difference! Definitely worth spending a bit more to get the Dutch one! 🇳🇱💜
Love it! 🥰 omg the chocolate hit. Only had woollies cocoa powder but still tastes awesome. Super cool and delicious dessert
Hi Nagi,
My Mum wants to know if you make a sourdough crumpet
# you are da best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I added 1 extra egg yolk and 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to batter cause I like it extra moist and gooey. The best self sauce chocolate pudding I’ve ever eaten. Great recipe, Thank you.
I love this recipe it da best!!!!!
yyyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
#I’m sooooooo happy