Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake is a super easy cake that makes its own hot fudge sauce as it bakes! Perfect with ice cream.
I feel like we know each other well enough now that I can share with you a few family secrets. Like my Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake.
It’s a really big deal.
My grandma has made all of her granddaughters and granddaughters-in-law a cookbook, with recipes written out by hand and pictures from cooking magazines. She collects recipes from family members to contribute, so it is an amazing compilation of well-loved recipes.
This cake has been my favourite dessert for many, many, many years. Certainly all throughout my childhood. And as I’ve grown up and started experimenting more in the kitchen, I tend not to make the same recipe repeatedly because there are just so many that I want to try.
But I made some pork chops in the slow cooker, and they tasted great, they just didn’t look great. And I have a hard time wanting to share things with you guys that don’t photograph well. Because we eat with our eyes first, they say.
So after supper I was feeling like I should make something blogworthy, but I just didn’t have a lot of energy. I wanted something outstanding without putting in a ridiculous amount of time. And I didn’t want to mess around a lot with recipes I don’t know.
So it just made sense that I would share this with you today.
I made this entire cake, minus the baking, in the time it took my husband to unload and reload the dishwasher.
Not that it was a race.
(It was a race.)
And it’s not like it took him a really long time. I’m telling you, 10 minutes max and you can have this baby in the oven. The ingredients are all simple: there’s nothing to be chopped, melted, sifted, whatever it is that takes extra time. It’s all about minimal effort and maximum wow factor.
This recipe is awesome for entertaining, too. You could make the batter, spread it in the pan, top with the brown sugar mixture and then cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Then just pour the hot water on top and bake.
This cake has a chewy, almost brownie-like layer on the top and a thick, hot, rich chocolate sauce on the bottom. And it’s divine. Grab a tub of your favourite ice cream and go to town.
*NOTE: Some people have mentioned the sauce was very runny. This is the recipe we have used over and over again, and yes, this is the recipe used to make the cake in the pictures! There is a lot of fudge sauce when all is said and done — as it cools it will continue to set up. If you want more of a gooey chocolate cake and less a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge sauce, reduce the boiling water to 1 ½ cups. I have done this before, but I find that as it sits it doesn’t leave much sauce, so we like to stick to the full 1 ¾ cups.
Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or sub all-purpose
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp + ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder divided
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cup hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa, baking powder, salt, milk, oil and vanilla. Batter will be very thick — don’t fear. You might need to stir with a metal spoon.
- Spread batter into a greased 9″ pie plate or square pan (*Note: make sure your pan has tall sides, otherwise your cake might run over a bit.)
- Combine brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa. Spread over batter.
- Top with hot water (I use freshly boiled). Bake for about 30-35 minutes until top is dry and puffed. (*Note: put a cookie sheet underneath your pan in the oven, just in case a little spills over).
- Serve warm with ice cream.
Nutrition Information
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Cathy H says
Easy and delicious. It is very rich and chocolaty. The sauce thickens as it cools. Like the recipe just as it is written. Many chocolate cobblers use a lot of butter and sugar. This recipe uses lots of sugar but only 2 T of oil.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cathy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Natalie H. says
Can this be made with dutch process cocoa? Since the recipe uses baking powder, I would think this could be subbed instead of natural cocoa powder. It would definitely make a VERY rich chocolatey flavor.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Natalie! I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t be sure. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Minerva says
I’ve made this cake several times using a variety of plant-based milks and different oils. It’s never been a miss. This is my go-to for a chocolate fix!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad it’s turned out well!
Miss Diane says
My mother used to make that chocolate fudge pudding and I posted it on my blog in 2007. I make a gluten and lactose free version and it is very good.
P.S. I am 73 yrs old so that recipe is very old…
Ashley Fehr says
It’s definitely a classic! 🙂
Traci Jarrett says
Such ooey, gooey chocolatey yummines!! I can’t eat chocolate and it’s so difficult to find a recipe that doesn’t have peanut butter or bananas in it. Sometimes you just want a chocolate dessert!
My next mission is mint chocolate, I may try and sub the vanilla for mint extract, we shall see ?
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Traci! So happy you liked it! I LOVE the mint idea 🙂
Charlene says
Thank you for including the nutrition facts. This looks delicious and is low in sodium.
Ashley Fehr says
You’re welcome!
fab says
hi, may I bake in Microwave? do you know how much time, aproximately?
thanks.
Ashley Fehr says
I have never tried it in the microwave. If you do I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Betty says
I noticed on your grandma’s recipe, the word “walnuts”, but no mention in your recipe..do you omit those???? I’m always “leery” of online recipes, because I’ve had them fail due to incomplete recipes…Please advise!!! Thanks!
Ashley Fehr says
Well, obviously this recipe is not going to fail because of a lack of walnuts. You can add some in, or not — I choose not to.
Kaelyn says
How do you store leftovers? Fridge? Counter? Will the sauce still stay runney and delicious?
Ashley Fehr says
I usually store in the fridge and reheat — it gets gooey again once it’s reheated!
Sumi says
Can i use a bottom removable cake pan for this recipe?
Ashley Fehr says
No I definitely would not. It’s very gooey!
Abby says
While this recipe did in fact work for me (which shocked me, really), it wasn’t very “chocolatey.” Next time I’ll sprinkle some chocolate chips on top of the batter before I sprinkle the brown sugar mixture on.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Abby! That’s interesting — I’ve never gotten that feedback from anyone when I’ve made it! You can definitely add more though.
Hamna Attique says
Hello. I am baking it and it’s in the over for like 30 minutes but the top isn’t puffed up as you said in the recipe. What should I do?
Ashley Fehr says
I would give it maybe 10 more minutes but at that point you should definitely be able to see the top has baked. Did you stir after adding the hot water?
Pam Jones says
I didn’t, it said nothing about stirring & mine was pure chocolate water on the bottom.
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry Pam, I’ve never had that happen before and I’ve made the recipe (and my mom has made the recipe and my Grandma has made the recipe) probably literally hundreds of times. It’s a favorite!
Anum says
Do we have to stir it after we add the hot water?
Ashley Fehr says
No, definitely don’t! That is what makes the sauce 🙂
Lindsay says
I made this and we all thought it was great! I love how when you scoop it out the chocolate sauce comes pouring. Yummmm!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, it is quite saucy! I’m glad you liked it!
Aless says
This was the first thing my now 30something kids taught themselves to bake!!! If I hadn’t made a dessert, they were eager to offer!! LOL!!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! I can imagine they would be! Me too 🙂
Jamir says
In the oven now!
Ashley Fehr says
Let me know how it was!
Ashli says
I think I goofed! Mine didn’t turn out at all—but two things against me…I live in the mountains over 7500 feet—the altitude often wreaks havoc on baking! The other is I decided to make it in a 8 x 8 glass pyrex dish. LOL help!