Saucy Chocolate Pudding Cake

Tish Boyle; half pudding/half cake.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  cup cake flour
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus
• 2  tablespoons  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup  whole milk
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Position the oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 350°; butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine the milk, butter, vanilla, and espresso mixture; add, along with the pecans, to the dry ingredients and stir until blended.
4. Scrape the batter (it will be fairly thick) into the prepared pan; smooth the top.
5. Add brown sugar to a small bowl; using your fingers, break up any large clumps.
6. Add in the remaining ¼ cup cocoa powder and stir to blend.
7. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on top of the batter.
8. Slowly pour the boiling water over the top (don’t stir, just let it stand as is).
9. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is set.
10. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
11. Serve the cake warm, spooning it into bowls and drizzling a generous amount of the sauce over the cake (the water sinks to the bottom and mingles with the cocoa powder and brown sugar, forming a chocolate sauce).