Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Cake, in a Crock Pot?! Ummm, yes! A resounding yes, actually. Crock Pot cake recipes are big right now, and I guess I can see why. Nobody wants to turn on their oven in the height of summer; slow cookers are the perfect keep-the-kitchen-cool appliance for the season.

Plus, the prep-now-enjoy-later quality that comes along with Crock Pot cooking can’t be denied. Especially for dessert. What could be better than to slap some batter into a slow cooker (and that’s practically what you do with this ridiculously easy recipe), step away, and come back a few hours later to a moist, fudgy, piping-hot cake, just waiting to get all melty with a plop of icy-cold vanilla ice cream by its side?

Bliss, man. Easy bliss.

If summertime brings out your inner lazy cook, this cake is definitely for you. And if it doesn’t, this cake is still definitely for you.

This Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is a spin on this version, a rich and decadent comfort food classic. It’s so interesting – and a little magic – how this saucy cake comes together. First, you spread a layer of batter. Then, you sprinkle a dry mix of sugar and cocoa powder over the top. Then, you pour hot water over the top and you think to yourself, seriously? This is going to become cake?! And then it bakes and comes out all glorious with a cake layer on top and an incredibly hot fudge sauce layer underneath.

To adapt the recipe for the Crock Pot, I simplified the ingredients list a bit, and then – because Crock Pot recipes take about half the liquid of their traditionally cooked counterparts because steam doesn’t escape as easily – I reduced the amount of hot water in the recipe. The cake is assembled right in the crock, and then it cooks on high for 3-4 hours. And then, voila! Cake on the top, fudge sauce on the bottom.

I think this cake tastes even better adapted for the Crock Pot, because the cake is much more moist than its oven-baked cousin. Slow cooking for the win, yet again!

P.S. The blueberries aren’t a part of the recipe, I just put them on there so the cake would look prettier in pictures. I fear photographing brown blobs. The berries actually tasted pretty good with the chocolate and ice cream, so feel free to do the same if you’re inclined!

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 3 hrs 30 mins

Total: 3 hrs 40 mins

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

5 from 1 vote

Rich, decadent, and fudgy chocolate cake, right in your Crock Pot! It's totally doable (downright easy, actually) - and totally irresistible.

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Batter layer:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry layer:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Plus:

• 3/4 cup hot water (it doesn't need to be boiling; I just use the hottest water from the tap)
• Vanilla ice cream for serving

Equipment:

• 2.5 - 3.5 quart slow cooker

Instructions

• To a medium bowl, add all of the batter ingredients (flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, milk, butter, and vanilla extract). Whisk together until blended and smooth. Using a spatula, spread batter in the bottom of a Crock Pot.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry layer (granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder). Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
• Slowly pour the hot water over the top.
• Cook on high until cake has puffed up and it springs back when you poke it with your finger, 3 to 4 hours.
• Use a spoon to scoop cake and sauce onto dessert plates along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve.