Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake is an easy chocolate pudding cake that makes its own hot fudge sauce as it bakes! Perfect with a generous scoop of ice cream on top.
Need more chocolate in your life? Curb those chocolate cravings with a Mocha Chocolate Mug Cake, Flourless Chocolate Lava Cakes, and The Best Homemade Brownies Ever!
Table of Contents
- Why we love this Hot Fudge Sundae Cake recipe:
- See what people are saying
- Ingredients for this easy chocolate dessert:
- How to make old-fashioned Chocolate Pudding Cake:
- Variations and Substitutions:
- Tips and Notes:
- How to store:
- Can I freeze:
- Make-ahead option:
- Can I make this recipe in the crockpot?
- Serving suggestions:
- More brownie recipes you’ll love:
- Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake Recipe
Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake is a rich chocolate cake overflowing with a gooey hot fudge sauce that develops as the cake bakes. It’s like a hot fudge sundae in cake form!
This recipe is super easy to throw together. Once you mix the ingredients together and make the cocoa and brown sugar layer, you’ll pour hot water over it before the cake bakes. This helps create that super gooey fudge sauce!
This cake has a chewy, almost brownie-like layer on the top and a thick, hot, rich chocolate sauce on the bottom. It’s divine. Grab a tub of your favorite ice cream and dig in!
Why we love this Hot Fudge Sundae Cake recipe:
- Make-ahead friendly: If you’ve got company coming over, you can prep this cake ahead of time, bake, and serve!
- Chocolate lover’s delight: The warm brownie and gooey rich fudge sauce will curb those chocolate cravings in a snap!
- Easy: Grandma liked to keep things easy, and so do I. This recipe is super easy to make with simple ingredients and a tried-and-true result.
See what people are saying
“I made this and we all thought it was great! I love how when you scoop it out the chocolate sauce comes pouring. Yummmm!” Lindsay
Ingredients for this easy chocolate dessert:
- All-purpose flour: This provides structure and helps thicken the fudge sauce as the cake bakes. You can substitute for 100% whole wheat flour and no one will know the difference.
- Sugar: because it’s cake!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder, but you could use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a richer flavor.
- Baking powder: This acts as a leavening agent to help the cake rise while baking.
- Milk: Gives the cake a fluffy crumb. Any kind works great!
- Oil: Adds moisture and creates a tender crumb. Use a neutral cooking oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a depth of flavor. You could also use vanilla bean paste if you prefer a more intense vanilla flavor!
- Brown sugar: This is combined with some of the cocoa powder to make the hot fudge sauce.
- Hot water: This is poured over top of the cake and is a key component in our hot fudge sauce.
How to make old-fashioned Chocolate Pudding Cake:
Grandma liked to keep things simple, so this recipe is a breeze! For the full list of recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, milk, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl until a thick batter forms.
- Spread batter into a greased pie plate or a square pan with tall sides.
- Mix brown sugar and cocoa powder, then sprinkle over the batter.
- Pour water over the top (don’t stir).
- Bake until the top is dry and puffed.
- Serve the warm cake with a scoop of ice cream and maraschino cherries for a classic sundae feel!
Variations and Substitutions:
- Spices: Add s pinch of cinnamon or a dash of espresso powder to the batter or cocoa mixture to enhance the chocolate flavor!
- Toppings: Try adding crushed nuts (like walnuts or pecans), chocolate chips, or a drizzle of caramel or peanut butter sauce for an extra layer of indulgence.
- Extract: Replace the vanilla with mint extract for mint chocolatey goodness!
Tips and Notes:
- The fudge sauce will set as the cake cools. If you want more of a gooey chocolate cake and less of a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge sauce, reduce the boiling water to 1 and ¼ cups.
- Want to make a double batch? Double the ingredients and pour everything into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake as directed!
How to store:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to warm it up!
Can I freeze:
Yes! This cake freezes very well. Scoop out individual servings and pop them into airtight containers. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months! Make sure to let the cake thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the microwave.
Make-ahead option:
You could make the batter, spread it in the pan, top it with the brown sugar mixture, and then cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Then just pour the hot water on top and bake as directed!
Can I make this recipe in the crockpot?
Absolutely! To make a crock pot Hot Fudge Sundae Cake, you’ll need to use the following instructions:
- Make the recipe as directed and set your slow cooker to high for 2-4 hours. Note: All slow cookers are different, so I suggest checking the cake at 2 hours with a toothpick and adding more time as needed.
- Let the cake cool slightly to allow the fudge sauce to set. Serve warm!
Serving suggestions:
It wouldn’t be a Hot Fudge Sundae Cake without a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! Add some whipped cream and cherries on top for a decadent dessert.
More brownie recipes you’ll love:
Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Hot Fudge Sauce
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cup hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, milk, cocoa, oil, baking powder, vanilla and salt. 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.)
Hot Fudge Sauce
- Combine brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa. Spread over batter.
- Top with hot water. 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Carla says
This worked exactly as written, thanks! It was just perfect!! I have been looking for this for so long!!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m glad you liked it!
Lillian says
Mine is in the oven right now. Back when I was a kid, a very long time ago….you could get a packaged mix that made a cake that was self saucing. I remember there being chocolate or lemon. I always liked the lemon, so I’d love to find a from scratch recipe for a saucy lemon cake. I seldom use mixes. I don’t think they sell them any more. They were a lot cheaper than a standard cake mix.
Just wondering, has anyone tried substituting hot coffee for some of the hot water? I think it would be good. I will probably try that next time.
Ashley Fehr says
I think that’s a great idea!
Tonya says
Just made this for my family and it was a hit! Served it with mint chip ice cream and whipped cream. I think a sliced banana would be a great addition too. I remember my grandma making this when I was growing up. Thanks for the great recipe and the fond memories!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Tonya!
meryl abel says
Can I make it using gf , either 1 to 1 gf flour or almond flour
Ashley Fehr says
I would think that gluten free 1:1 flour would work just fine, but I haven’t tried it
Aj says
It was very rich. Verrrry chocolatey. I really did like ot & so did my family
But after following it to the tee..it seemed to be more sauce than cake. Do you think if I added a bit less water it won’t seem to over power the cake?
I’ve made a similar one years ago but don’t remember it being overpowered with sauce.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Aj! Yes you can definitely reduce the water by 1/2 cup to have less chocolate sauce. It does thicken quickly as it sits.
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!
Linda says
Made as directed. It is delioucious. It is like a fudge brownie with fudge on top. I had to use my Splenda brown sugar blend for the top as I had run out of brown sugar. It cooked beautifully and tastes amazing. I think next time I will cut the sugar a bit because it is so very sweet. This is a summer company bbq desert but on a cold bluster winter day it is wonderful also. Thank you for sharing
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Linda!
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!