Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake is delicious and so simple to mix together, making it an easy weeknight dessert. The flavour combination of orange and chocolate is a match made in heaven. My brother-in-law says it reminds him of Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. You can’t beat that!
I love the combination of textures with the spongy chocolate cake and creamy molten chocolate sauce. Fudgy Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake is the most foolproof way to make a dessert reminiscent of lava cake but that several people can enjoy together.
It is ideal for the holidays. The chocolate and orange flavour combination is so classically Christmas. I love serving it for dessert after a bowl of my cranberry wild rice soup. I recommend serving pudding cake warm with either a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I’m excited to share this recipe from my mother-in-law’s kitchen. I’d never had a dessert like this before having dinners with Geoff’s family. His mom, Rita, makes this pudding cake frequently in the colder months for a quick dessert after a weeknight dinner. Rita pops this dessert in the oven right as the family sits down to eat so it’s done at the perfect time to enjoy a warm chocolatey after-dinner treat.
Geoff’s family calls it “Mhairi’s Dessert”. Mhairi is the name of the acquaintance that first served it to them. I considered titling this blog post “Mhairi’s Dessert” but I realized no one would know what I'm talking about! I kept going back and forth between calling it a baked fudge dessert or a pudding cake. In the end, I decided to call this recipe a pudding cake and I do think that's the best description!
This dessert would also make a beautiful canvas for many different flavour combinations. Instead of orange zest, you could pair chocolate with a variety of different options. Here is a list to spark your creativity.
- Coffee/espresso
- Peppermint Extract
- Seedless raspberry or strawberry jam
- Peanut butter
- Add in some nuts such as hazelnuts or almonds
- Add in a splash of Rum or Grand Marnier or Amaretto
I'm looking forward to experimenting with various flavour combinations in the future!
How to Make Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fill the kettle with at least 2 cups of water and turn it on now so your water is boiled when you need it. Butter an 8 x 11 casserole-style, oven-safe dish. Directly in the casserole dish, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, salt and stir together thoroughly.
Pour 2 tablespoon of melted butter and milk over the dry ingredients and stir well. This will make a thick, paste-like dough.
In a separate small bowl or pyrex measuring cup, mix together the brown sugar, cocoa powder, orange zest, orange juice and boiling water. Stir until all the sugar dissolves. Pour this hot mixture over the dough in the casserole dish. Do not stir at all! Place the dish immediately in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle on some icing sugar for a pretty finish.
Serve immediately with a dollop of whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Tips for Making Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake
- For best results, serve this dessert immediately.
- When using the zest of an orange or lemon for a recipe, I recommend choosing organic produce.
- Butter the baking dish before stirring the dry ingredients in
- This is a great week night dessert option. You can put the pudding cake in the oven just as you sit down to eat dinner with your family and the dessert with be perfectly baked and ready to serve hot as soon as you're done your first course.
More Recipes to Enjoy Around the Table
White Chocolate Candy Cane Thumbprint Cookies
These White Chocolate Candy Cane Thumbprint Cookies are small bites of chocolatey goodness that are indented and filled with a white chocolate peppermint ganache. The combination of textures with the chewy cookie and the creamy ganache filling make these cookies special. White chocolate paired with peppermint extract and crushed candy cane creates a cookie that is wintery, Christmasy and fun.
I present to you: a banana bread recipe for the chocolate lover. Satisfy those chocolate cravings and enjoy all the comfort that banana bread is famous for with double chocolate banana bread.
Healthy Chocolate Haystack Cookies
These “no bake” cookies are satisfying, chocolatey and the perfect treat to make when you need a snack in a hurry. If you grew up in the 80s or the early 90s, I bet you remember eating these as a kid! Well, this is the new and improved healthy version.
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Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake Recipe
Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake
Ingredients
Cake Portion
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder optional
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fill the kettle with at least 2 cups of water and turn it on now so your water is boiled when you need it. Butter an 8 X 11 casserole style, oven safe dish.
- Directly in the casserole dish, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, salt and stir together thoroughly.
- Pour 2 tablespoon of melted butter and milk over the dry ingredients and stir well. This will make a thick, paste-like batter.
- In a separate small bowl or pyrex measuring cup, mix together the brown sugar, cocoa powder, orange zest, orange juice and boiling water. Stir until all the sugar dissolves. Pour this hot mixture over the dough in the casserole dish. Do not stir at all!
- Place the dish immediately in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle on some icing sugar for a pretty finish.
- Serve immediately with a dollop of whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
If you make this Chocolate Orange Pudding Cake please leave a comment and give this recipe a rating! I aim to respond to every single comment. I am so grateful when you trust me and try one of my recipe creations in your own kitchen. I love to hear how it went! Let’s connect on Instagram and tag me in your food pics!
‘Til next time,
Christy
Allison W says
This looks so yummy! I've never made anything like it, so I've very excited to try!
Christy Faber says
It's a very unique dessert! I hope you love it!
monika says
would a 9″ x 13″ pan work?
a 9″ x 9″?
Christy Faber says
A 9x13 pan would be too large for this recipe. You could use a 9x9 pan if it has really tall sides (because the cake will puff up as it bakes) and then just adjust the cooking time for maybe an extra 10 ish mins. This recipe is pretty forgiving! I just don't want you to have a mess at the bottom of your oven because of a smaller dish. Hope this is helpful! Thanks for the question.
Kat says
It sounds so delicious and I can't wait to try it. I was wondering however, can I substitute the sugar with some healthier option? Would love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you
Kat
Christy Faber says
Hi Kat! Thank you for your question! You could definitely swap the sugar in the cake portion for coconut sugar and I think it would work well to swap the brown sugar in the sauce portion for maple syrup but I haven't tested that myself. I do think it would work well! If you make it let me know 🙂
I have done coconut oil instead of butter and dairy free milk as well with success.
Meg says
I've made this twice now! Once I took it to a friends home unbaked as the dessert offering. It baked while we ate her meal and was hot and fudgy when we were ready for it! Loved that! And the second time I made it for when we had company over and double the recipe and served it with vanilla ice cream. Everyone enjoyed it so much!
Tianna says
Very delicous and easy to make! Had it with coconut whip cream Definitely a comforting dessert for the cold season!