Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

 Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

When I was a girl, I used to make this recipe for our big family - it was delicious.  It came from my mother's Betty Crocker Cookbook, circa 1950's.  As you can see, it has no egg in it and also, very little butter or milk.  I remember being told this was a recipe that was created during WWII when the above items were rationed.

Double the recipe for a large family -  The recipe below is for a 9" square pan and should serve 8-9 people.  I normally double the recipe and bake in a 13 x 9 x 2 pan.  Enjoy!

Cake:

    1 cup all-purpose flour

    ¾ cup granulated sugar

    2 tablespoons Dutch processed cocoa

    2 teaspoons baking powder

    ¼ teaspoon salt

    ½ cup non-dairy milk substitute - soy, almond, light coconut milk, etc.  (or dairy milk)

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    2 tablespoons margarine (or butter), melted

 Topping:

    1 cup light brown sugar

    ¼ cup Dutch processed cocoa

    ¼ teaspoon salt

This water mixture will make the topping turn into the hot fudge pudding:

    1¾ cup nearly boiling water

    2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Measure flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in non-dairy milk substitute (or dairy milk), 1 teaspoon vanilla and melted margarine (or butter). Spread batter in an un-greased 9-inch square pan.

Stir together brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ cup cocoa; sprinkle over batter. (some like to sprinkle chopped walnuts on top, at this stage.  I have never used them)

Stir 2 teaspoons vanilla into hot water and pour gently over all. DO NOT STIR!

During baking, the 'cake' portion will rise to the top and the hot fudge pudding will settle to the bottom.

Bake 45 minutes. Serve warm.  Top with non-dairy whipped topping, non-dairy ice-cream or if you are having a dairy meal, - go for it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Note:  If preparing for Shabbat, bake before candle lighting and simply cool on a rack on your blech.

Can be made (K) parve or (dairy)