Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

Name: Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 60 g butter; 125 g (1/2 cup) milk; 2 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla essence); 1 egg (lightly beaten, room temperature); 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour; 25 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder; 110 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar; 25 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder (extra); 110 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar (extra); 450 ml water (boiling)

Jump to Recipe

A simple and classic old fashioned chocolate self-saucing pudding recipe made from just 7 basic ingredients and ready to eat in 40 minutes.

Rich chocolate cake smothered with a smooth chocolate sauce... the perfect winter comfort food!

Chocolate self saucing pudding served with ice cream on a plate.

Everyone knows that the best thing about winter is all of the delicious comfort food desserts!

When it's windy, cold and rainy outside... it's all about hot puddings, crumbles and pies inside!

So have this hot chocolate pudding on the table in just 40 minutes, add a big scoop of ice-cream, a dollop of custard or a drizzle of cream and enjoy the pure yumminess.

Icing sugar sprinkled over a chocolate dessert.

What Is A Self-Saucing Pudding?

Self saucing puddings get their name from the way in which the dessert creates it's own sauce under the cake-like batter when baking.

A self-saucing pudding has two layers:

a cake-like baked pudding on top
a rich, sweet sauce on the bottom

Once baked, the cake rises to the top while the sauce forms at the bottom.

TIP: It's important NOT to overcook the chocolate self-saucing pudding or the amount of sauce will reduce (and we want LOTS of chocolate sauce!)....

A spoon in a baking dish filled with chocolate pudding.

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

Everyone's favourite winter dessert is simply delicious...

Budget-friendly - made from just a handful of basic ingredients, this entire dessert costs just $1-2 to make.
Quick & easy - just 10 minutes prep time and 30 minutes cooking time means that dessert will be ready in no time at all.
Make ahead of time - the pudding batter can be prepared ahead of time. Simply wait until just before baking to add the cocoa powder and caster sugar for the sauce, and to pour over the boiling water.
Thermomix or Conventional Methods - my chocolate self saucing pudding recipe can be prepared in a Thermomix or the good old fashioned way in a mixing bowl. Both methods are included in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Equipment Required

There's no fancy equipment required to make this easy chocolate pudding!

You'll need a microwave, stove-top or Thermomix to melt the butter.
Plus a sieve, whisk and mixing bowl for mixing the ingredients.
A kettle/jug is needed to boil the water.
And of course.. an oven and baking dish for cooking the pudding.

What You Need

This budget-friendly chocolate self-saucing pudding recipe is made from pantry and fridge staples, so it's perfect for whipping up at the last minute!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

The ingredients for a chocolate self-saucing pudding.

For The Chocolate Cake

Butter - salted or unsalted butter is fine to use in this pudding.
Milk - I recommend using full fat milk rather than skim or light milk.
Vanilla extract - or vanilla essence.
Egg - have your egg at room temperature
Self-raising flour - use store-bought self-raising flour or make your own by sifting 2 teaspoons baking powder through every 1 cup of plain flour
Cocoa powder - I recommend you use a good quality cocoa powder such as Cadbury or Nestle.
Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar.

For The Chocolate Sauce

Cocoa powder - choose a good quality regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
Caster sugar - to mix with the cocoa powder.
Boiling water - for pouring over the top of the pudding mix, and forms the sauce in the base of the pudding.

Step By Step Instructions

It couldn't be quicker or easier to make this delicious chocolate self-saucing pudding.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.

Step 1 - Melt The Butter

Place the butter into a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 2 minutes, 50% power, in so second bursts, or until melted.

TIP: Alternatively you can melt the butter on the stove-top or in a Thermomix.

Step 2 - Whisk

Add the milk, vanilla extract and egg to the melted butter.

Melted butter in a bowl with egg, milk and vanilla extract.

Whisk together until well combined.

Whisked butter, milk, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl.

Step 3 - Add The Dry Ingredients

Add the self-raising flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar to the wet ingredients.

Self-raising flour, caster sugar and cocoa powder added to a melted butter mixture.

Whisk until smooth and combined.

Chocolate mixture with a whisk in a bowl.

Step 4 - Pour Into Prepared Dish

Pour the batter into a greased 6 cup capacity baking dish. Set aside.

Chocolate pudding mixture in a greased round baking dish.

Step 5 - Make The Sauce

Mix together cocoa powder and caster sugar.

Caster sugar and cocoa powder mixed together in a bowl.

Sprinkle the cocoa and sugar mix over the chocolate pudding mixture in the baking dish.

Cocoa powder and sugar sprinkled over the top of a chocolate dessert.

Gently pour over the boiling water.

TIP: Use a small jug and pour the boiling water very slowly over the back of a large spoon, allowing the boiling water to slowly and gently drip down onto the pudding.

Boiling water on top of a chocolate dessert mixture.

Step 6 - Bake

Bake the pudding for 30 minutes or until the cake-like top has cooked through but the pudding is still very wobbly (because of the sauce underneath).

TIP: Do NOT overcook the pudding otherwise you won't have as much sauce remaining.

A baked chocolate pudding in a round white baking dish.

FAQ's

All your self-saucing pudding questions answered...

Can you make this chocolate pudding ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the batter ahead of time, however, it's important to wait until just before baking to sprinkle over the cocoa/sugar and add the boiling water.

How can I make sure my pudding has lots of sauce?

For a pudding with LOTS of sauce, ensure that you don't overcook the dessert. Only cook the pudding until the cake-like top is just cooked through and the dessert is VERY wobbly (thanks to the sauce underneath).

Can you freeze chocolate self saucing pudding?

Yes! However, you will have less sauce once the pudding has been reheated as it will soak into the pudding layer.

Ice cream on top of chocolate pudding with sauce.

Expert Tips

Baking dish - use a 6 cup capacity baking dish that has been well greased with butter.
Making the sauce - to ensure even distribution of the cocoa and caster sugar, mix them together in a bowl until combined before sprinkling over the top of the cake batter.
Place the baking dish onto a baking tray - place the baking dish onto a large flat baking tray (this makes it easier to move the pudding in and out of the oven and also catches any spills or overflows of the sauce!)
Pouring over the boiling water - it's important to very gently pour the boiling water over the top of the pudding without creating any 'dent's in the pudding. I like to use a small jug and pour the boiling water very slowly over the back of a large spoon, allowing the boiling water to slowly and gently drip down.
Don't over-bake - it's important not to over-bake the pudding as you want the sauce to remain liquidy! Once the top of the chocolate cake is cooked to the touch, it's ready. Note: the pudding will feel very wobbly (as the sauce is underneath).
Serving - chocolate self-saucing pudding is best when baked and served immediately. I like to serve my pudding with either ice-cream, cream or custard.
Storing - you can store self-saucing pudding in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat. Once reheated, you will have less sauce remaining than when the pudding is straight out of the oven. You can freeze as well, but again, the sauce is absorbed into the top pudding layer when reheated.