Self-Saucing Chocolate Cake
This fun and easy recipe takes inspiration from the self-saucing chocolate puddings that are popular in Britain and Australia. The basic composition is a simple chocolate cake batter topped with a sauce made from sugar, cocoa powder and hot water. While the cake bakes, the sauce magically works its way down to the bottom of the pan, so you have moist chocolate cake on top and gooey sauce on the bottom. Some recipes make a dense and fudgy cake, but this one is a bit lighter, resulting in a fluffy cake with lots of chocolate sauce to spoon over the top. Serve the cake warm, scooped from the pan, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. This is best served the day that it is made. The cake will absorb the sauce as it sets.Ingredients;
For the cake batter: 1 cup plain (all-purp) flour (130g / 4.6oz)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g / 0.9oz)
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
½ cup brown sugar, packed (100g / 3.5oz)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (+ extra for greasing) (57g or ½ stick)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk (notes)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g / 0.9oz)
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
½ cup brown sugar, packed (100g / 3.5oz)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (+ extra for greasing) (57g or ½ stick)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk (notes)
For the chocolate sauce:
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or dutch processed) (25g / 0.9oz)
½ cup brown sugar, packed (100g / 3.5oz)
1 cup boiling water
Vanilla Ice cream or custard (crème anglaise), to serve
In a separate mixing bowl with an electric beater, beat together the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined and smooth before moving on.
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stir through gently until just combined. Now add half of the milk, Mix gently again. Continue like this until all the flour and milk is combined… just. It is important not to overmix or be too heavy handed otherwise the cake may turn out dense and tough.
Pour the pudding batter into your prepared dish.
I use an 8 inch round pie dish. A larger dish will mean the pudding batter spreads out thinner. You can make it in an 8 inch cake tin too.
For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
All ovens vary – always test for doneness 3-5 minutes before the recipe suggests.
This is lovely served with classic creme anglaise.
Whole milk will give the best flavor but you can use light if it's all you have on hand. You could also use dairy alternatives, like oat milk or soy milk.
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (or dutch processed) (25g / 0.9oz)
½ cup brown sugar, packed (100g / 3.5oz)
1 cup boiling water
Vanilla Ice cream or custard (crème anglaise), to serve
Directions For the batter: Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan. Grease an (approximately) 8 inch pie dish or baking dish with butter.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Whisk together to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl with an electric beater, beat together the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined and smooth before moving on.
Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Stir through gently until just combined. Now add half of the milk, Mix gently again. Continue like this until all the flour and milk is combined… just. It is important not to overmix or be too heavy handed otherwise the cake may turn out dense and tough.
Pour the pudding batter into your prepared dish.
For the sauce:
Mix together the cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake batter
With an upturned spoon in one hand, slowly dribble the boiling water over it, moving it around so the water is dribbled evenly over the whole cake (see notes)
Bake the pudding for 25-30 minutes. The top should look dry and be a little springy.
With an upturned spoon in one hand, slowly dribble the boiling water over it, moving it around so the water is dribbled evenly over the whole cake (see notes)
Bake the pudding for 25-30 minutes. The top should look dry and be a little springy.
Notes
Pouring the boiling water over the back of a spoon very slowly will allow it to sit on top of the cake batter and not create holes in your cake batter.
Pouring the boiling water over the back of a spoon very slowly will allow it to sit on top of the cake batter and not create holes in your cake batter.
I use an 8 inch round pie dish. A larger dish will mean the pudding batter spreads out thinner. You can make it in an 8 inch cake tin too.
For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
All ovens vary – always test for doneness 3-5 minutes before the recipe suggests.
This is lovely served with classic creme anglaise.
Whole milk will give the best flavor but you can use light if it's all you have on hand. You could also use dairy alternatives, like oat milk or soy milk.
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