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This Chocolate Pudding Cake is probably the easiest chocolate cake recipe out there. There are only 4 ingredients! One of the best tasting chocolate cakes I have ever had.
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I got this recipe at a women’s retreat many years ago and it has been a favorite ever since. It was a suggested dessert for holiday entertaining because it is so easy to make, yet it tastes so good. You can put it in the oven right before dinner and it is ready right when you are ready to serve it for dessert. In this recipe, I usually use a Devil’s Food Cake mix, but a German Chocolate mix or regular chocolate cake mix work just as well. If you like nuts on your cake, you can also sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top with the chocolate chips.
Ingredients in Chocolate Pudding Cake
This decadent chocolate cake comes together with just four ingredients! Every bite is rich with chocolate flavor. Your chocolate cravings are sure to be satisfied with this easy dessert. Here’s all you need:
- A box of Devil’s Food cake mix – you’re just going to use the dry mix. Don’t make the cake according to the box. Don’t have a cake mix handy? You can use 3 ⅓ cups of our homemade cake mix for this recipe with 9 tablespoons of cocoa powder.
- Chocolate pudding – you’ll need the good old fashioned pudding mix, the cook and serve, NOT instant
- Milk – you can make this recipe with boiling water or hot water but the cake batter is just more creamy and rich with milk. Use any kind of milk you have on hand.
- Chocolate chips – we like semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can add any kind you like.
That’s it! You’ll whisk the milk and chocolate pudding on the stovetop until it boils, then pour the pudding sauce over the dry cake mix in a large mixing bowl. Fold it all together, or use an electric mixer to blend, then spread in a prepared pan (for this size you’ll need a 9×13 inch baking dish and bake.
No Frosting Necessary
The amount of pudding used in the recipe makes the cake so moist and delicious. What I love most about this cake is that you don’t need to frost it. The hot fudge pudding cake itself is so rich that you can eat it as is. You can also simply add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. One of my favorite treats during the holidays is to serve it with a scoop of peppermint ice cream or with a big mug of hot cocoa.
How to Serve Chocolate Pudding Cake
I think this cake is best served warm right out of the oven. It makes the house smell wonderful. However, if you need to make it ahead to serve later, it is every bit as moist and delicious served cold. To reheat leftovers, simply pop a slice or two in the microwave for about thirty seconds and it’ll be nice and gooey again. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.
Additions and Substitutions for this Recipe
This chocolate pudding cake recipe is perfect just as it is, but you can also dress it up depending on when you’re planning to serve it.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Drizzle hot fudge sauce over the top.
- Dust lightly with some unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the batter for an extra rich flavor.
- For a thicker cake, bake in a square baking pan instead of a rectangle.
Questions
Yes, this pudding cake can easily be made as a lemon pudding cake, a banana pudding cake, or a vanilla pudding cake. Simply swap out the chocolate cake mix and chocolate pudding mix for the flavors you want to make.
For the topping use vanilla or white chocolate chips instead of chocolate chips. Another option is to bake the cake without melting flavored chips on top, and instead add fresh berries.
Yes, store leftover pieces of cake in an airtight container in the fridge. It also keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge for a day before serving.
Yes! All you need to do is use a gluten free cake mix instead of a regular cake mix.
When you add a pudding mix to a cake, it makes the cake more moist and more dense. In this recipe, it is even more so because we don’t just add the mix, we cook the pudding and then add the cake mix. You will love the rich texture and taste of this cake!
Easy Desserts That Start With a Cake Mix
Using a cake mix for a dessert makes preparation quick and easy, but you don’t have to settle for a basic cake. There are so many fun and fancy desserts that start with a cake mix. These are some of our favorites.
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Nothing Bundt Cake – A rich, moist, and delicious chocolate cake that tastes just like the cake you can buy from the Nothing Bundt Cake store.
- Raspberry Lemon Cake – This cake is so cold and refreshing. The Jell-O gelatin in the cake makes it so moist and flavorful.
- Better Than You Know What Cake – Turn a basic chocolate cake mix into a decadent dessert. A chocolate cake filled with sweet, caramel filling and topped with toffee bars.
- Cake Mix Coffee Cake – If you like coffee cake, you are going to LOVE this Cake Mix Coffee Cake! I am a big fan of coffee cake and I am even a bigger fan of it when I can skip a couple steps to get it done quicker!
- Coca-Cola Cake – This Coca-Cola Cake is a moist, chocolatey dessert flavored with the popular, fizzy, soft drink. Topped with frosting and maraschino cherries.
How To Make Chocolate Pudding Cake
Chocolate Pudding Cake
Video
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix dry
- 5 ounces chocolate pudding mix cook and serve, not instant
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your ingredients.
- Pour contents of cake mix box into a large bowl.
- Stir dry pudding mix and milk together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Fold cooked pudding into the dry cake mix.
- Pour mixture into a 9×13 pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.
- This cake is delicious served warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Nutrition Information
Why does the equipment list require a “Hand Mixer”?
A hand mixer is convenient for mixing the ingredients, but you can make it without it!
Can we mix the ingredients and pour in the pan but bake it later that day?
I think that would be fine!
4 ingredients, a measuring cup, a baking pan, 20 min prep, 25 min writing up a glowing review while it bakes in the convection oven. My second time so I can honestly rate this as an “Oh my god, amazing”, while this one is still baking.👌😘❤🤗😋
I haven’t made it yet, so can’t rate it. I do have a question, can I make this ahead of time and put it in the fridge until my guests arrive so that I can serve it warm?
That should be fine!
Any high altitude (9500 ft) adjustments need to be made?
Great question! This recipe is usually the same in all altitude locations. Enjoy your cake!
I’ve been making a version of this cake since the early 70s and it was old when it was passed down to me. Instead of chocolate cake mix, I use yellow cake mix with pudding in it. Then stir in cooked chocolate pudding and add chocolate chips and chopped pecans on the top. It’s gooey when done. Toothpick test to test doneness does NOT work. If it passes the toothpick test, it’s over baked. Can be served with vanilla ice cream or a cold glass of milk.
This cake recipe was one I grew up on. My mom used to call it Chocolate Lunchbox Cake, because she would take each slice and slice it horizontally, then put the bottom on the top and wrap in plastic wrap to put in our lunchboxes . This was so the chocolate chips would not stick to the plastic. It was the best cake. I am in my 60’s now and I can still remember the taste. Thanks for the memories!
This is by far the best cake I have ever eaten. I might try it with vanilla pudding and a lemon or orange cake mix with white chocolate chips and see how that turns out
Do u still add the cake mix ingredients, like eggs and oil before you add the cooked pudding?
No, you don’t add the ingredients on the cake box, just the ingredients in the recipe!
Hi my mom has made this for as long as I can remember she got it out of the old Betty crocker Cookbook we add walnuts with the chocolate chips I don’t have cook and serve pudding so going to try instant hopefully it still turns out. I have never thought to do other cakes with other chips that’s an awesome idea thanks. If it turns out I will post update
This cake is delicious! I love the simple ingredients. Instead of chocolate chips I used reeces pieces in miniature Reeces cups. Since there’s no egg in it I actually under baked it just a little bit to to make it extra gooey
Can this recipe be baked in a bundt pan and for how long? Thank YOU.
We haven’t tried it that way, but let us know how it turns out if you try it!
Made it for the first time yesterday ! So easy and very delicious! Should this stored in the refrigerator?
You can store it in the fridge, or just in an airtight container on the counter!
Holy cow, this cake is to die for! Love all the chocolate chips on top!
This cake couldn’t be any easier to make! I love chocolate cake & this is so moist & gooey!
This cake is dangerously good! So rich and chocolatey, totally fabulous!
This was a favorite recipe growing up- my parents got it in the late 70s from a co-worker of my mother’s, she called it Rickie Dickie cake. Only difference is we’d top with half butterscotch and half chocolate chips and always serve with a scope of vanilla ice cream. Just brought me back to my childhood!
We also have made this cake from the beginning of time. I am SO mixing up the chips next time. Sounds great. We also do a butterscotch version with butterscotch chips, butterscotch pudding and white or yellow cake. Amazing!
Came across your recipe looking for a chocolate birthday dessert for my wife that she would really enjoy. She is a chocolate lover and this was fantastic. Delicious cake that the whole family loved with or without ice cream. We especially enjoyed no frosting because we both enjoy the cake more anyway. Thank you!
Save a bowl, dump the dry cake mix straight into the pan of cooked pudding!
Best chocolate cake ever; so easy, so chocolatey, so moist!
Super easy to make, DEEEE-licious to eat. A winner all around!
Oh my goodness that is wonderful I learned how to make this 25 years 30 years ago and never forgot the recipe and I just started making it again for the grandkids and they just go crazy over it so thank you for helping me to remember my favorite recipe thank you Mary Smith
I’ve baked this cake multiple times. My family prefers it with peanut butter chips
That sounds delicious! Can’t go wrong with peanut butter chips. YUM!
I didn’t even know there was such a thing! That sounds fantastic!!