Chocolate pudding cake
PLEASE NOTE THAT SUSAN TOOK THESE PHOTOS, NOT TED; HE’S BEEN TOO BUSY PHOTOGRAPHING LIDIA BASTIANICH …
From Susan: My brother came over for dinner last night, and because we were feeding him leftover Chinese food (very good leftover Chinese food, but still …) I thought I’d whip up a quick homemade dessert. In addition, it was a cold, blustery night, so I wanted something warm and comforting to enjoy by the fire after dinner. Chocolate pudding cake (or cake pudding, I can never remember which way it goes) is a dessert I remember from our childhood. What’s weird is that my brother, who remembers random stuff in an almost Rain Man way – like what day of the week something happened back in 1981 and what the weather was – doesn’t remember this dessert. What I like about it is that it can be thrown together from ingredients you usually have in the cupboard, doesn’t require a mixer, and it satisfies my cravings for cake and something gooey/creamy. Kids love the “magic” element – it goes into the oven looking like a mistake and comes out a perfect example of chocolate-y comfort.
Chocolate pudding cake, or cake pudding!
Serves 4-6
Preheat the oven to 350
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Combine dry ingredients with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, oil and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
Once mixture is well-combined, spread in a greased, 8 x 8 baking pan – preferably glass or ceramic. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.
Pour 1 3/4 cup boiling water over the whole thing – this is where it starts to look like a mistake, but don’t worry – and bake for 30 mins. or until top is firm (it may crack slightly).
Cool for a few minutes before serving with whipped cream or ice cream.
The batter with the cocoa and brown sugar sprinkled on top
IT IS GREAT FUN TO READ THIS SITE. SUSAN, YOU HAVE A WONDERFULLY LIGHT-HEARTED SPIRIT TO YOUR WRITING; IT MAKES ME WANT TO RUN INTO THE KITCHEN AND TRY OUT ALL THE RECIPES. THEY ARE UNCOMPLICATED, SOUND DELICIOUS, AND THE DESCRIPTIONS OF HOW THEY ENTERED INTO YOUR LIFE ADD TO THE “I CAN DO THIS, TOO” QUALITY OF THE MOOD. TED, YOU ARTFULLY DRAW ON YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY WORK, PAST AND PRESENT, WITH WIT AND CLASS. THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE COMPLETE YOUR COMMENTS WITH THE HUMANITY YOU OBVIOUSLY BRING TO YOUR WORK. YOU BOTH GET THE JOB DONE WITH PANACHE; YOU DESERVE A HUGE FOLLOWING!!! I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE.
omg susan sounds delic and those are all ingredients i always have around. think i am going to run and whip up a batch. perfect idea for a snow day with all my babies home with me. so glad u and ted are doing this awesome awesome blog/mag thank you
Thanks Smidie