Old-Fashioned Brownie Pudding Cake

This recipe is a delightful mix of a super fudgy brownie with a rich pudding layer at the bottom. It’s an old-fashioned favorite that has never let me down and works perfectly every time. If you enjoy a deeply fudgy brownie, you’ll adore this one. I’ve been making it for years, having learned the method from my grandmother, and I have many similar recipes. It’s simply that good—and so easy to make.

I remember always being amazed that the layers became layers at the end. It is truly a magical recipe. I hope you enjoy my family’s recipe just as much as we do.

Let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS: BROWNIE BATTER

1/2 C. Butter (1 stick – room temp)
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs – room temp
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 C. Flour
1/3 C. Unsweetened Cocoa powder – Sifted
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet, but any will do.

PUDDING LAYER:

1/2 C. Brown sugar
1/4 C. Unsweetened Cocoa powder – Sifted
1 1/4 C. Hot water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*. Butter an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking together well before adding the next egg. Add the vanilla and mix well.
3. Whisk in the flour, sifted cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
4. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate chips until well combined.
5. Add the batter to the prepared pan. Spread out evenly.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 c. brown sugar and the 1/4 c. cocoa powder until well mixed. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter. DO NOT MIX.
7. Slowly pour the HOT water evenly over the batter. DO NOT MIX TOGETHER.
8. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is set and crackly. The center should have a slight jiggle to it.
9. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. The bottom will have the gooey sauce, while the top will be the fudgy brownie.

NOTES:

• Spoon into small serving bowls and top with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• This is very rich, so this will typically have 8 to 10 servings.
• This is best warm right out of the oven so the bottom is nice and gooey.
• Cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep covered in the fridge. Once cold, the fudgy bottom gets a bit firmer, but it is still quite delicious.
• The key to this dessert is not mixing the sugar sprinkle and the hot water. If you do, then it will not turn out right. So please read the directions beforehand and follow them as is. It will turn out every single time if you do so.
• I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I have used dark chocolate, white chocolate, caramel chips, and peanut butter chips. They all work well.
• I have also sprinkled the top with a bit of flaky salt immediately after removing it from the oven so that the salt adheres to the top. It is so good with the pop of salty flavor against the sweetness of the brownie.