Cold Winter Nights and Hot Pudding Cake

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Cold Winter Nights and Hot Pudding Cake

The day began with a gray coating of thin clouds and barely a slice of sunshine. Children donned their winter jackets and heavy boots. The temperature outside froze at 11 degrees. The streets were barren because no one wanted to leave the warmth of their homes for a silly trip to the grocery store. It was a day like no other.

In the depth of each kitchen, hot steamy bowls of soup were shared by the family. The aroma of freshly baked bread enticed even the pickiest of eaters to come to the table for dinner. Little hands reached out for the golden goodness of a toasted cheese sandwich, melted to just the right amount of gooiness. Bellies were filled, and hearts were warmed as the meal ended and dessert was served.

As the crock pot was brought to the table, the children murmured in disbelief. What was this? No one wanted more soup or vegetables. They were ready for something sweet, something to make their tummies happy, and their mouths shout hooray. Each of them stood up to rebel against this travesty.

They sat back down when the lid came off the slow cooker. A hot beacon of steam escaped from the round container. The deep, rich smell of chocolate enveloped the room. As mom reached her giant spoon into the dark cake, she brought forth a wondrous surprise. Ladled into the first dish came a moist cocoa brownie swimming in a puddle of warm chocolate pudding. Over and over, she served her dessert until the bottom of the pan was empty except for a few crumbs sprinkled in the dark liquid. Mom didn’t stop there. For each guilty pleasure, she delicately sprayed a mountain of whipped cream and topped the dollop off with a maraschino cherry. Her masterpiece was completed and the family was overwhelmed. The only sounds left for the evening were the humming noises of content children as they devoured their treats at the end of a winter’s day.

Everyone loves dessert. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a cold winter’s night, or a hot summer evening, the thought of something sweet after a good meal completes the picture. (It can also be the redeeming factor if the food wasn’t that delicious.) One of the best desserts that I have found is this Chocolate Pudding Cake which bakes inside my slow cooker. I like it because it’s easy, the ingredients are simple, and it cooks without my constant attention. I can prepare this cake and then leave it alone while I do something else. It’s also nice because I don’t have to turn on the oven, which is helpful when the weather outside is broiling my tootsies off.

This gooey treat bakes a firm brownie like cake that rises to the top, while a molten load of chocolate pudding lava bubbles underneath. For anyone who enjoys warm chocolate oozing over a delicious brownie, this is perfect for you. I especially love it with whipped cream and cherries, but my son enjoyed it with a scoop of black cherry ice cream on top. Both were fantastic. Its your choice. Try it this evening and be prepared to forget about the weather. It won’t matter anymore.

Crock Pot Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 ¼ TBL unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• 2 TBL oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 ½ cups very hot water

Directions:

Spray inside of a 2-3 ½ quart crock pot/slow cooker with cooking spray. (If your crock pot/ slow cooker is larger, double all ingredients.)

In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 2 ¼ TBL cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, oil and vanilla and stir until smooth.** Batter will be very thick. Spread in crock pot evenly.

In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar and ¼ cup cocoa. Add hot water and stir until smooth. Pour evenly over batter in crock pot. Let sit – do not stir!

Cover crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours or until center comes out clean.

Turn pot off. Let stand for 30 minutes so sauce underneath is a nice consistency.

Spoon into dishes, and serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream on top. I like to add a cherry too!

** If desired, add ¾ cup of chopped nuts or cherries here. **