It looks alarming when you make it — it’s hard to believe that sprinkling sugar and cocoa on top of a cake batter and then pouring hot water over it will end up edible, but it does, it truly does. This is a luscious, homey dessert, one of those self-saucing puddings that turn themselves as they bake into a layer of gooey sauce topped with tender cake.

Ingredients

  • Butter for greasing pudding dish
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup superfine sugar
  • ½ cup best-quality cocoa powder
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup corn oil
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup dark rum
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

      608 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 107 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 76 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 3 milligrams cholesterol; 440 milligrams sodium

    • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

4 servings

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 8-cup pudding or soufflé dish. Set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, chili, superfine sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In small bowl, mix milk, vanilla and oil. Pour into flour mixture. Mix by hand for thick smooth batter.
  2. Spoon batter into pudding dish, and smooth the top. Pour 3/4 cup water into a small pan. Set over high heat, and bring to boil. In small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup cocoa with brown sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Spread evenly across the batter. Pour boiling water over it, and top with rum.
  3. Bake pudding until top is a bubbling sponge and center is wobbly and liquid, about 30 minutes. To serve, spoon out portions that include some of the top and chocolate sauce beneath. If desired, accompany with vanilla ice cream.

45 minutes

Dining and Cooking