WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll send the recipe to your inbox, so you can come back to it later!
I really love individual cakes, especially chocolate ones that are super easy like these gluten free self-saucing chocolate pudding cakes. They're not an American sort of thing, but they're something I've had my eye on forever.
I baked them in little Weck canning jars, but they would be beautiful in little white ramekins or ceramic mugs. The cake itself is rather light and fluffy, and the self-saucing bit means that at the top and the bottom, they, well, make their own chocolate sauce.
It's not the same as a chocolate lava cake, since those are almost fudge-like in the center. These are a bit lighter.
They come together super easy, since all you do is make a simple batter in a single bowl, and pour boiling water over the tops. The original recipe calls for sprinkling the tops of the individual cakes with cocoa powder and brown sugar, and then pouring the water on top.
I prefer to whisk the cocoa powder and brown sugar into the boiling water, and then pour the whole mixture on top of the cakes. It makes for a much smoother, richer sauce.
This is the mini gluten free chocolate cake you throw together with simple, everyday gluten free pantry ingredients (there's not even any solid chocolate to melt!) when you just want something simple and rich. Plus, this one's beautiful enough to serve to guests, even guests you want to impress.
Self-Saucing Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) gum-free gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons (25 g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder divided
- 11 tablespoons (150 g) packed light brown sugar divided
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (4 fluid ounces) milk or heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) boiling water
- Whipped cream and chocolate shavings for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease 4 small oven-safe ramekins, mugs or canning jars (I used 4.5 ounce Weck jars) with a capacity of at least 1 cup. Set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 3 tablespoons (15 g) of the cocoa powder, and whisk to combine well. Add 6 tablespoons (80 g) of the brown sugar, and whisk to combine well again, working out any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, egg, vanilla and milk or cream, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be light and fluffy, and scoopable (not pourable).
- Divide the batter evenly among the 4 prepared baking dishes.
- To the boiling water, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder and 5 tablespoons (70 g) brown sugar, and whisk to combine well. Pour the hot liquid evenly over the tops of the baking dishes, dividing it evenly among them.
- Place the baking dishes on a rimmed baking sheet, about 2 inches apart from one another, and place in the center of the preheated oven.
- Bake until just set on top (about 13 minutes).
- Serve warm, each with a dollop of whipped cream and a light sprinkling of chocolate shavings.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
We'll send the recipe to your inbox, so you can come back to it later!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Robyn says
I’ve seen gluten free plain & self raising flour in the supermarkets & health food stores, but NOT gum free gluten free flour. Is this flour plain flour as I noticed baking powder is also an ingredient? I live in Adelaide, South Australia where could I purchase the flour u have listed?? Thank you & cheers
K Swicz says
Wondered if by gum-free you mean no xylum gum? I have gluten free mama almond blend…I believe no gum.
Kirsten says
THANK-YOU!!!!!!! I spent my first three years of being gluten free desperately trying to recreate saucy chocolate pudding cake. I was never successful :( Now I can have it again (once I restock that pantry of mine, no flour, no cocoa and no baking powder!). I heart you :)
Nicole Hunn says
At the risk of sounding like a drama queen, Kirsten, that kinda breaks my heart. You should have told me! I would have done it sooner. :)
Bella says
The moment I saw this post today, I knew we would be trying it for dessert tonight…all we can say is THANK YOU! My Hubby actually says “helia efharisto!” to you, which in Greek means “a thousand thank you’s”! WE LOVED THESE! Thank you so much for all of your hard work…we appreciate it very much!
Nicole Hunn says
Bella, that’s so great! Thank you so much for letting me know. Sometimes, you just need a super simple, make-it-tonight recipe. I hope his “efharisto” was for you, though. You’re the one who made it for him! ;)
cookie says
Thanks Nicole. I always use Better Batter or Jules, but didn’t today because they contain gum. Somehow I must have overlooked your comment about bean flours like Bob’s, which I got special because it has no gum. Hmm. Now, what to do with 44 ounces of Bob’s? I appreciate you solving the issue of the disaster, though.
Nicole Hunn says
Oh no, cookie. Bob’s bean flour blend is like kryptonite. It ruins everything! Maybe make falafel? ;)
margeryk says
So if I wanted to keep it simple and bake it in one pan, what size would you recommend? And would you keep all the proportions the same? Thanks.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I really don’t know, margery! I haven’t baked it like that.
margeryk says
Ok. I’ll just experiment with it. My family has such varying appetites that one size serving does to fit all. Thanks for the recipe–it was one of my husbands former favourites, and I’ve been trying to convert it with middling success.
Anita Ucke says
Just wondering if anyone has used Ultratex3 in the tortilla recipe in Bakes Bread Coookbook? I am about to make but have no idea how much to use. Unless I’m mistaken, the ratios in #6 of the Q&A apply to the Bread Flour recipe. The tortilla’s don’t call for Bread flour…
Nicole Hunn says
I have not, Anita. I recommend that you follow the suggestion in the recipe ingredients in this post for Gluten Free Wonton Wrappers. Ultratex 3 is approximately 3 times as strong as Expandex, so I recommend cutting the amount of Expandex down to 1/3, and making up the rest of the weight of Expandex with more all purpose gluten free flour.
cookie says
I followed the recipe exactly, using Bob’s all purpose gluten flour, half and half, Dutch processed cocoa. My batter was easily pourable. 3/4 of my finished cup was liquidy…not pudding consistency, and I personally thought the chocolate flavor was bitter. (My chocolate loving husband suggested we toss it…that never happens. Normally I love all the recipes of yours, so I assume I erred somewhere, but no idea where. Suggestions? (Maybe I just don’t like the flavor of Dutch chocolate? How is that different from the dark brown Hershey’s baking cocoa container?
Jess says
Mine turned out pourable as well, and I used the linked flour blend. I also bake by weights so I’m certain I followed the recipe exactly.
Nicole Hunn says
So sorry it turned out that way for you, Jess. That must have been frustrating.Typically if you include the right ingredients in the right amounts but you do not have a good experience with a baking recipe, the issue is that temperature of your ingredients is not as directed. I hope the next time you try the recipe it goes much better because it is a tested recipe and will work.
Nicole Hunn says
You cannot use Bob’s flour blend in my recipes successfully, cookie. It is not an all purpose gluten free flour, as I explain in my FAQs. It is a bean flour blend, and is not a true all purpose gluten free flour.
Karen says
can you use coconut milk?? for regular pudding ..it does not thicken :(
Nicole Hunn says
You’ll have to experiment, Karen!
K Swicz says
Try adding a bit of replacement egg substitute 2 Tbsp (or cornstarch) to thicken. make sure to use can coconut milk instead of cartons.
Ligea says
Hey Nicole, have you thought about doing this with sticky toffee pudding? I don’t like chocolate so much… How could I modify this for that??
Nicole Hunn says
Toffee pudding is similar in concept, Ligea, but it has different proportions. If you don’t like chocolate, I’d skip this recipe. sorry!
penflorida says
What do you think would be the effect if I used Better Batter (has gum)?
Darlynn Peters Everett says
I was wondering the same thing, since BB has gum in it. What say you, Nicole?
Nicole Hunn says
I tried it with Better Batter. It’s gummy and thick. I really don’t care for it at all. Sorry!
margeryk says
I tried to make my family version of this, simply substituting BB for the wheat flour, and found the same thing. It’s good to know that’s where I went wrong.
Robyn F says
Yay!!!!! I had mentioned this in a post ages ago, so glad you took it to heart! Or maybe you didn’t, but I’ll pretend you did :) Can’t wait to try it!
Nicole Hunn says
Yay, Robyn!
anna says
Would it be okay to use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch processed? I cant find Dutch processed at my local grocery stores and i have yet to order it…
Nicole Hunn says
I think it would be fine, Anna, but you’ll have to experiment!
Mel says
Seriously, your Pinterest board is brilliant and your readers are awfully lucky that you go that extra step to take a look at what THEY want you to post. These little cakes are killing me. I’m a sucker for the individual chocolate cakes with molten sauce.
Nicole Hunn says
Thanks, Mel! You’re a good pal. :)
Jean says
I have a recipe that has been in our family for over 100 years that is similar to this. “Aunt Martha’s Baked Chocolate Pudding” is everyone’s favorite dessert. I haven’t made it since becoming GF. I think it’s time to get out the recipe, compare it to this one and give it a try! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!
Nicole Hunn says
Wow, Jean. That’s a long history for a dessert! Hope this one stacks up. :)
Linda says
Making these tomorrow, thanks as always Nicole! We started the day with your Oatmeal Breakfast cookies which were a huge hit. I wasn’t having to bribe my almost-12-year-old to eat a few more bites of breakfast like I do most school days! Two questions – is doubling okay, and by cream do you mean half and half or whipping cream?
Nicole Hunn says
Doubling is encouraged, Linda! I mean heavy whipping cream. The real deal! But you could use half and half instead, since even milk will work. So glad you love the breakfast cookies and that they’re helping to make your school morning a bit easier. I know the value of that!
Linda says
Whipping cream it is! We always seem to have some in the house these days, ever since your no-bake cheesecake topped brownies have become our specialty. My daughter got $25 for a batch of them for a charity auction at church last week! :)