Dump Day, Part II (Chocolate Pudding Cake (aka Mississippi Mud Cake) - Easy

Ignore what this looks like.  Chocolate Pudding Cake, aka Mississippi Mud Cake tastes so much more better than it looks.

I thank Baking Bites for providing the internet with her version of Chocolate Pudding Cake, aka Mississippi Mud Cake.  The only thing I changed is the serving size.  BB says that the cake serves 8-9.  Maybe polite non-family-type guests who insist they only want just a sliver because the dinner you served was so delicious they had seconds and can't eat another bite but will make an exception this one time.  But for a real  "Mom, he's hitting me," "No I'm not he's hitting ME," "Mom, the dog's throwing up under the table again"-type family, it's more like 6 servings.  

I made the recipe with milk since it was served after yesterday's pasta, but if you substitute soy, almond or another non-dairy liquid (and use parve chocolate chips) you have vegan Chocolate Pudding Cake, aka Mississippi Mud Cake.

Chocolate Pudding Cake
(aka Mississippi Mud Cake)

from Baking Bites
serves 6
 

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup milk

3 Tbl. vegetable oil

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup chocolate chips (miniature, if you have them)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350F.  Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of the cocoa, baking powder and salt in an ungreased 8 inch square baking pan (or casserole dish).  Be sure not to forget to add the granulated sugar.

Add in milk and oil.  Whisk it all together.  The cocoa will resist mixing a little, but will eventually come together.

The mixture will be thick like frosting, even if you forget to add the granulated sugar.

Measure out the brown sugar.  Resign yourself to the fact that your previously opened and unsuccessfully hermetically sealed brown sugar has hardened into concrete-like lumps.

Sprinkle as best you can the brown sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and chocolate chips evenly over batter.  

When no one is looking, add the granulated sugar you forgot to add earlier, despite all my warnings.  Then add vanilla into the hot water and pour the mixture over everything (in the baking pan). Do not mix, but now that the hot water is softening the brown sugar a little, you can try to poke apart the larger lumps.

Place pan in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until surface of the cake looks dry and the pudding is bubbling around the edges.  Looks a bit ugly, but it'll taste great.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving, at least until the lava-hot bubbling subsides.

Not the most gorgeous thing you ever made, but it really does taste better than it looks.

Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge.  Warm at 60% power in the microwave before serving.