Mocha Pudding Cake

Pudding cake is one of baking’s great tricks. You pour batter into a pan, cover it with a dry cocoa-sugar mix, then pour boiling coffee over the whole thing. Don’t stir. Into the oven it goes, and while it bakes, the dry mix and liquid swap places: the cake floats to the top, and a thick, glossy chocolate-coffee sauce settles underneath.

The addition of instant coffee in the pouring liquid turns plain chocolate pudding cake into mocha, deepening the chocolate flavor the way a pinch of espresso powder does in a brownie. A pinch of cinnamon in the batter adds warmth without being identifiable as ‘spiced.'

Serve warm, straight from the pan, with a spoon to dig down to the sauce underneath. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is mandatory. The melting ice cream and warm cake-and-sauce together are the whole reason to make this.

The cake rebakes well; refrigerate leftovers and reheat in the microwave to bring the sauce back.

Pro Tips

• Do not stir after pouring the boiling water. The layer separation is the entire trick.
• Use a deep pan (2–inch sides) so the sauce doesn’t spill over.
• Cake is done when the top looks dry and crackled; the sauce stays liquid underneath.
• Let rest 5 minutes before serving; cools just enough to handle without scalding.

Variations

• Skip the coffee for a classic chocolate pudding cake.
• Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for crunch.
• Replace cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon chili powder for a Mexican chocolate twist.