THE BEST VEGAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
There are few things in life better than this easy vegan chocolate pudding cake. Wait. Maybe nothing is, lol. It’s also known as self-saucing cake or self-saucing pudding.
If you’ve never had this chocolate cake dessert recipe before, it’s just as the name suggests… It’s a chocolate cake with a pudding texture, brownie-like but even better somehow. It is epic and divine in every chocolatey dreamy bite.
Most recipes call for oil and white sugar. Mine uses neither! But I swear you’d never know!
What makes this the best vegan chocolate pudding cake? Well, for starters, it is the most decadent and rich chocolatey cake ever. Also, unlike other pudding cakes (even vegan versions), it does not have any oil, butter or white sugar.
But I promise you that this cake being oil-free does not take away from the incredible flavor and texture at all. In face, it is even low-fat but tastes like crazy, fattening cake, lol.
This cake is best made and served right away because it is meant to be served hot and a chocolate pudding texture. That is the point of the cake.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
First, combine the topping ingredients (except the water). You’ll need 3 separate bowls for this recipe so that it is made properly. These are my absolute favorite cake/mixing bowls.
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients listed under cake. Add the mixed liquids to the dry and gently stir until combined.
Add the batter to a greased dish and smooth out the top.
Sprinkle the topping ingredients all over the cake batter.
Pour the hot water all over the top. It will seem like too much water, but trust me, this is the process to the right texture!
Bake for about 35 minutes until the top is looking cooked and dry, a few wet spots are ok.
Cool just 10 minutes and serve immediately, as is, or with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
CAN I MAKE THIS GLUTEN-FREE?
I have not tested this as gluten-free, but since it is a pudding cake, the texture requirements won’t be as strict. I would suggest trying this King Arthur gluten-free blend, as it is my favorite gluten-free blend and found it to be a great sub. While I have not tested this personally with this cake recipe, that is my best suggestion.
MORE VEGAN CHOCOLATE DESSERTS
- Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
- Low-fat Fudgy Brownies
- 5 Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Cake
- 4 Ingredient Chocolate Ice Cream
The Best Vegan Chocolate Pudding Cake
Ingredients
TOPPING
- 6 tablespoons (54g) coconut sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 cups very hot or boiling water
CAKE
- 1 cup (112g) white whole wheat flour (see NOTES below for subs)
- 6 tablespoons (36g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (36g) coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (150g) unsweetened plant-based milk (I used almond) slightly warmed
- 6 tablespoons (90g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (32g) runny roasted almond butter or sunbutter or runny cashew butter
NOTE
- I always recommend to use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed, This is exactly how this recipe was tested, so follow my grams. Since we all measure differently, weighing ingredients is so important. This greatly improves your chance for success and lessons room for error. You never need cups or to compare them to the weights, just use the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- This cake is best made and served right away because it is meant to be served hot and a chocolate pudding texture. That is the point of the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly grease a 2 quart oval dish or a 7 x 7 square or an 8 inch round dish. All will work.
- To a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients (not the water!) and stir until well mixed. Set aside.
- To a large separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt, and whisk well.
- To a medium separate bowl, combine the milk, syrup, and nut butter. If your nut butter is very stiff, I would suggest slightly warming it so it is soft and ready when measuring. Whisk the liquids very well until completely smooth and thoroughly mixed. You don’t want chunks of nut butter in the liquid.
- Pour the liquids over the flour mixture and gently stir until combined and moistened, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be rather thick, yet pourable.
- Transfer the batter to the greased dish and smooth out the top.
- Now take the reserved sugar and cocoa mixture topping and sprinkle all over the top evenly.
- Make sure your water is extremely hot or just boiled. Pour all over the topping of the cake batter. It’s going to seem like too much water, but it’s not, trust the process. This is what will make the cake be pudding-like in the end.
- Carefully put the dish on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until the top looks mostly dry. A couple wet spots are OK. I tested this recipe twice and 35 minutes was perfect each time, but ovens vary, so just test by how the top looks.
- Let the cake cool for just 10 minutes only and then serve. It should be hot with a nice chocolate pudding mixture. Serve as is or top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This cake will get more firm the longer it sits and less pudding-like. This is why it is best served hot and freshly made.
- It will still be delicious after it’s completely cooled or the next day, it will just be a lot less saucy. You can scoop out a slice and reheat for 20 seconds in the microwave if desired.
Notes
- FLOUR: I use white whole wheat because it yields a tender texture and a neutral taste. DO NOT use regular full whole wheat as it is much higher protein and will yield a more dense/chewy texture and a stronger grain taste. You can sub with regular all-purpose flour if you like.
- GLUTEN-FREE: I have not tested this as gluten-free, but since it is a pudding cake, the texture requirements won't be as strict. I would suggest trying this King Arthur gluten-free blend, as it is my favorite gluten-free blend and found it to be a great sub. While I have not tested this personally with this cake recipe, that is my best suggestion.
- SUGAR: I use both coconut sugar and maple syrup in this chocolate pudding cake for both refined sugar-free reasons and flavor and texture. Coconut sugar has a caramel flavor and works excellent here. Pudding cakes traditionally use regular brown sugar which is less of a healthy option and I try to use refined sugar-free options in my baking with coconut sugar and maple syrup. Maple syrup also lends excellent flavor. Using both sugar and maple syrup here gives the best texture and flavor.
This vegan chocolate pudding cake looks incredibly rich and indulgent, Brandi! I love how your recipes always focus on simple, wholesome ingredients while still creating such a decadent dessert. The texture looks perfectly fudgy and chocolatey, making it a dream for chocolate lovers. It’s amazing how vegan baking can deliver such creamy and satisfying results. Thanks for sharing another delicious plant-based treat!
The Vegan 8 recipes by Brandi Doming are known for using simple ingredients to create rich vegan desserts.
Thank you for the kind words!
Another killer dessert from Brandi! I used all purpose flour and peanut butter. I used a zero calorie sweetener (zylitol/monk fruit) to lower the calories. It still tasted amazing! I did not have any of the pan sizes mentioned, so I used a square 8×8. It was perfectly cooked in 21 minutes. I will definitely be making this again!
You are so kind Nina! I am so excited you loved it so much and that it worked out with the xylitol! Good to know about how much faster it cooked in the square pan because it would be much shorter cake!
I loved this recipe, it turned out so great. It was good hot or cold, I definitely recommend you try this recipe. The recipe was easy and I appreciate the clear instructions. As always Brandi’s dessert recipes are amazing! 😍
So thrilled to hear this Tawny!! Thanks for the sweet comment!
This is a delicious dessert! I would highly recommend it!!
This is an absolutely yummy recipe! I would highly recommend!!
Thank you so much Maya for making it so quickly and I’m thrilled you loved it!
I made this and it was so so so so so good.
It reminded in the best way of these freezer section chocolate, pre frosted cakes in a foil pan from Sonets when I was a kid (pre-Vegan days)
Anyways I let mine sit longer than 10 minutes, not out of patience but because I was making tea and spinning purple vanilla sweet potato Ñice cream in my creami. By the time I dished up it was the MOST MOIST AWESOME chocolate cake that was magically pre frosted.
It was a two slice in one sitting sort of dessert 🤤
I confess I used dates and date powder as my sweeteners but otherwise pretty much followed the recipe.
Will make again!
Thank-you
Yayyyy Tracey! I’m so ecstatic you already made this and loved it so much!! Yes, 10 minutes minimum, but up to 20 or 30 minutes it should still be plenty of pudding texture! I’m so happy you loved it and yes, date sugar should be a great sub for coconut sugar. Thank you for the wonderful review!