With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I couldn’t help but make something chocolately. I’ve been toying with this dish for the last few weeks. I found the original recipe in Better Homes and Gardens. It was first published in the 1940′s, during The Great Depression. When the cake bakes, it separates into two layers, a cake layer which rests on a pudding layer. No wonder this dish was such a hit. They’ve been sharing ever since.
I’ve got an interesting collection of vintage cookbooks, from names you wouldn’t recognize today to Bon Appetit special publications. Whenever I see a copy of Better Homes and Gardens, I snag it. There’s something so American about their recipes. I marvel at how cooking has changed so much, and still not at all.
Needless to say, I had to transform this recipe into a gluten-free, refined sugar-free delight.
Since it was originally a Depression Era recipe, it didn’t call for any eggs. It was light on sugar and milk. I further reduced the sugar, added some stevia, and swapped out the dairy for So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk.
Joe and I both thought that the cake needed more pudding, so I played around with the water ratio until it made just the right amount. The cake is tender. The pudding layer is scrumptious and eliminates any need for icing.
Instead of topping this cake with ice cream, which would be divine, I opted for fresh raspberries and a few carob chips. The tangy berries were a satisfying compliment to the sweet chocolate cake.
What do you collect in your kitchen? How does it influence your cooking?
A moist chocolate cake that separates into two layers when it bakes - the cake layer and a pudding layer. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan. Adapted from The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.
Ingredients
- 1 cup King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 cup dairy-free milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk)
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used my Homemade Sugar-Free, Alcohol-Free Vanilla Extract)
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1/8 teaspoon liquid vanilla stevia
- fresh berries
- carob chips
- vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.
- Mix the dairy-free milk, coconut oil, and vanilla together. Stir into the dry ingredients. Batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water into a heat-proof bowl or a 2-cup measure. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar, and the stevia. Gently pour the water mixture on top of the batter.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until you can insert a toothpick in the center of the cake layer and it comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Serve warm with berries, carob chips, and/or ice cream.
- Store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.
Janel
posted on February 7, 2013 at 8:14 am
Oh, I love pudding cake! If you wanted to make it mocha flavored, you could use coffee in place of the water. The recipe I usually use does that and it is soooo good!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:14 am
@Janel, Yes, that would be divine!
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The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning
posted on February 7, 2013 at 11:25 am
I remember pudding cake! This would be utterly delicious with a little whipped cream, for those who needn’t be vegan. (I’ve never tried sweetening cream with a little powdered stevia…wonder how that would work?) Thanks for this amazing, decadent recipe!
Christina
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:13 am
@The Happy Slob’s Guide to Housecleaning, Sweetening whipped cream with stevia works great. I have a recipe for it in my cookbook.
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Beth
posted on February 7, 2013 at 11:37 am
This looks absolutely amazing. Thanks for making it vegan!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:13 am
@Beth, Yes, of course!
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Rochelle @ WheatlessRochelle.com
posted on February 7, 2013 at 11:44 am
That looks so decadent. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:13 am
@Rochelle @ WheatlessRochelle.com, Let me know how it turns out, Rochelle.
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Barb
posted on February 7, 2013 at 11:45 am
Could I use your flour mixture? I have it in the fridge. I really don’t want to buy an all ready mixed flour and then have it left over.
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:12 am
@Barb, You can try it. If you do, let me know how it works out. My MIL bought me a bunch of King Arthur products for Christmas and I love them.
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Maggie
posted on February 7, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Yum Amy! This sounds delish. I’ve never had a pudding cake. I think Callum and Liv would LOVE it. Pinned onto my must-make recipes board
xo
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:11 am
@Maggie, It would be really fun to make with kids. They could stir the batter and then you could tell them that the hot water part makes the pudding. It’s so neat. xo
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Ricki
posted on February 7, 2013 at 1:23 pm
I used to LOVE this cake when I was in my 20s!! Of course, that one had some very unhealthy ingredients. . . can’t wait to try this. Looks so good, Amy!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:11 am
@Ricki, This is one of those throwback desserts, huh? Love that kind of food.
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Alyssa | Queen of Quinoa
posted on February 7, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Oh Amy, this looks absolutely amazing!! I’ve never had pudding cake, but it reminds my of chocolate molten cake. One of my favorites! I love the combo of gooey chocolate with a moist cake. So delicious. And perfect for Valentine’s Day too
xo!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:10 am
@Alyssa | Queen of Quinoa, I have chocolate molten cake on my list of things to make…but gosh that list is so long that I never make everything on it. I’ll have to check out your recipe.
xo
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Alisa
posted on February 7, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Mmm, I’ve always wanted to make a pudding cake!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:09 am
@Alisa, It’s a tasty one.
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Kammie @ Sensual Appeal
posted on February 7, 2013 at 8:47 pm
Wow this cake looks and sounds amazing. I love cake and I love pudding, I had no idea there was a thing that could make the two combined and made at the same time! Pinned and will be making in the near future.
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:09 am
@Kammie @ Sensual Appeal, Thanks for pinning, Kammie. It’s a fun cake – enjoy it!
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Donna Rochelle
posted on February 7, 2013 at 9:09 pm
What can I sub for palm sugar–any kind of substitute sweetner???
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:08 am
@Donna Rochelle, Try a granulated product. A liquid one will throw off the balance.
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MaryBeth
posted on February 7, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Thank you! I’m not sure I can wait until Valentine’s Day to make this. I have all the ingredients……..:>)
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:08 am
@MaryBeth, Isn’t it grand when everything we need is already in our pantry? I LOVE a well-stocked pantry.
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MaryBeth Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 10:12 pm
@Amy, Yes, it is! The cake, however, is history. It was so good. My husband couldn’t believe it. Thanks again, Amy, and Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Cassidy @ Cooking Gluten (& Dairy) Free
posted on February 8, 2013 at 8:36 am
I’ve never made pudding cake but it looks absolutely amazing!!!
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Amy Reply:
February 8th, 2013 at 10:06 am
@Cassidy @ Cooking Gluten (& Dairy) Free, I tried a lemon pudding cake last summer. Still tweaking that one. This one is so easy, though. And delish. I know you’ll enjoy.
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Ayreal
posted on February 8, 2013 at 2:43 pm
When do you add the gum?
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Isaac Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
@Ayreal, I would also like to know the answer to this question.
Based on the order of ingredients, I would guess in step 2.
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Amy Reply:
February 12th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
@Isaac, I updated the recipe. Glad this was pointed out. Thanks!!
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Amy Reply:
February 12th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
@Ayreal, I updated the recipe – thanks for letting me know.
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melissa
posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Oh I love pudding cake! We used to also enjoy a lemon version of this, so I’m excited that you’re working on that!
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Pat @ Elegantly, Gluten-Free
posted on February 9, 2013 at 6:49 pm
Hi Amy,
Just wanted to let you know that I linked to this tempting pudding cake from my menu plan for this week. It’s the desert for the St. Valentines Day dinner recipe.
Thanks for sharing!
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Lisa Olson
posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:17 am
Made this tonight and it was yummy! Thanks for a great recipe!
(p.s. Ayreal, I wondered that too because it doesn’t look like it’s written in the recipe. I just mixed it into the dry ingredients.)
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Amy Reply:
February 12th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
@Lisa Olson, Exactly what I would do – xanthan gum is generally mixed in with the dry ingredients. So glad you liked it!
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Vanessa Watts
posted on February 11, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Hi there,
I don’t see the xanthum gum in the recipe instructions…
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Amy Reply:
February 12th, 2013 at 12:46 pm
@Vanessa Watts, Thanks for pointing that out, Vanessa. I updated the recipe.
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Tracy
posted on February 11, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Hi Amy, just in time for Valentines Day! Yeah. I bought some all purpose flour from Trader Joes, I wonder if that will work? Thanks for the yummy recipe.
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Diana
posted on February 13, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Hello, I have all the ingrediants to make this cake, except the Xanthum Gum. I also do not have any cornstartch to substite, any other substitutions I could try. Can this be made without it ?
Thanks
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Amy Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
@Diana, The xanthan gum helps hold it together. Do you have guar gum? Or psyllium husks? Psyllium husks would require maybe 4 times more but I haven’t tested it yet so it’s hard to say.
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Crystal
posted on February 20, 2013 at 10:15 pm
Hi Amy, I made this for an early Valentine’s dinner and it turned out awesome! Due to my food allergies I have to bake gluten and vegan so I was excited to see a recipe that wasn’t complicated to make. The whole family loved it, especially my kids. It was delicious served with some no sugar added coconut ice cream. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Josh Sternin-Moser
posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:07 pm
What would your thoughts be on the ratio if I subbed a combination of almond and coconut flour?
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Tara
posted on April 1, 2013 at 4:54 pm
instead of using coconut palm sugar do you think I could substitute with xylitol? I’m just starting out baking and cooking gluten, sugar, dairy, peanut, corn, soy and sugar free, so this is all so new to me. We have birthdays coming up and it would be nice if we all can eat some cake that won’t make up sick.
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Amy Reply:
April 1st, 2013 at 8:12 pm
@Tara, You can definitely try it but I’d give it a test run before the big day. I’ve noticed in my experiments with erythritol that I need more product to get the same sweetness level. I’ve also noticed that it sucks a little more moisture from the baked good. Let me know how it turns out.
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