I know, I know. Chocolate again. I just can’t help it. There have been birthdays and stuff that have just required chocolate. (Not that I really need a reason, but it helps ease the guilt.) Week before last, I volunteered (yes, volunteered. I should know better.) to make dessert for a church fundraiser/dinner. I had all kinds of fabulous ideas floating around on Pinterest in my head that I wanted to try out. Last week rolls around, and it’s time to make the dessert. And guess what….sick kid. Like 104 fever, coughing his guts out sick. So, I stay home doctoring him for a couple of days and realize it’s getting worse instead of better, so we make a trip to the doctor. Of course this happens to be the day I’m supposed to make the dessert. We go to the doctor, Mr. Three has an ear infection, we go to the pharmacy….yada, yada. So, by the time I get home to make said dessert, I don’t have a lot of time. Nothin’ fancy is going to be happenin’ in my kitchen.
Thank goodness I had some quick and easy recipes pinned! Like this ‘‘ by Eat, Live, Run. It looked super delicious, but only required 4 ingredients. Holla! I was all over it.
This is all you need, plus milk.
And you end up with this….
Total crowd pleaser!
I SO wanted to try it before I sent it to church, but (one) that would be tacky, and (two)….well, I don’t have a second thing. It would just be downright tacky, and my mama taught me better than that 😉
However, I was nervous about sending something out the door without having been ‘taste tested’. The batter was delicious, but that is all I could vouch for. Anyways…sick kid, no time, no choice!
Chocolate Pudding Dump Cake
(‘dump’ cake is such a Southern thing I think. Who wants to eat something chocolate with ‘dump’ in the title?!) Well, me, apparently.
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 small box of chocolate instant pudding (I used the sugar free/fat free)
1 3/4 cups skim milk*
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi sweet)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix your pudding with the milk. *The original recipe said to prepare the pudding with the milk according to package directions. My package said 1 3/4 cup milk for pie, and 2 cups for pudding. Her directions called for 1 1/2 cups. So…I just went with the 1 3/4 cup amount. She used regular instant pudding, not sf/ff, so her box might have called for a different amount. After mixing your pudding and milk, stir in your chocolate cake mix. Just the dry mix, do not add anything to it. The batter will be very thick. (Like very thick frosting!). It’s okay, just go with it. Spread it into a greased 9×13 baking pan and scatter the chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges start pulling away from the pan. My oven cooks hot, so I only cooked mine for about 25 minutes.
Looks good right? I told my children they must taste it and let me know how it was!
Verdict? The kids said it was fantastic. I was told it was the 1st dessert to run out. Others were talking about it afterwards….sooo, I’m calling this one a keeper, even though I haven’t actually tasted it! But with all that chocolate, how can you go wrong?! You could also change this up and use different flavors of cake mix and pudding, and different chips. Lots of possibilities, and it’s easy! What would your favorite combination be? I’d love more ideas!
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Pinterest is dangerous! I've been enjoying chocolate lately a lot, too…ooops 🙂 This looks simple and delicious!
cake looks awesome
Aarthi
Um, I definitely need to try this!
Stopping by from Tuesday at the Table!
Sold. This looks delicious!
Such a versatile recipe! It looks delicious! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Oh my gosh, this looks crazy rich–I am so hungry just looking at it. I've seen dump cake recipes before & yeah, that name isn't terribly appetizing! 🙂
My 15 year old daughter made this last night (her first dessert ever)and it was successful! All of my girls liked it.
I love dump cakes! Terrible name, delicious dessert.
Soooo…I'm making this for Easter in a bundt cake pan. Looking forward to the un-adulterated chocolately goodness. And yes, I deleted my blog. I am in the process of starting another blog. When I do, I'll find you and let you know it's me. It will be an anonymous blog. 🙂
We've been making this recipe since I was little.
We make it in a bundt pan. When cool, sprinkle w/
Powdered sugar.
We've made this for years! Most requested dessert in my huge family. We have always added chopped pecans to the top before baking also. Gives it another texture and sooooo delicious!!!
looks great, but i hope you labelled or let people know you used a product with artificial sweetener. as one who has food allergies/sensitivities, i try to make informed decisions about what i eat, but who would expect artificial sweetener in that? i would be violently ill with a migraine within 30 minutes of eating it.
Most food items labeled “sugar free” mean artificial sweetener.
@bamakitty You bring up a very valid point. As a parent of a child with food allergies (eggs & nuts), I make it a point to find out the ingredients of things before he is allowed to eat it…even if I think I know what is in it, especially in a situation such as a church pot luck, where nothing is labeled. People with allergies definitely have to be careful!
Could I use this recipe for cupcakes? I wasn't sure if it rises as a normal cake mix would.
@Jules922 You do not have an email linked to your profile, so I couldn't email you directly, so I hope you see this – but no, this does not rise like a normal cake does. It is a little dense and moist, more like a cake-like brownie maybe? If you are looking for a super quick and easy cupcake recipe, you could try the cake mix plus can of diet (or regular) soda! 2 ingredients and works well!
This looks really really good! And yes, I do believe dump cakes are a southern thing! I found your blog via Pinterest. 🙂
Helen
Blue Eyed Beauty Blog
Exercise Encouragement Group blog
Pinterest is the best 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
No eggs in it??
No eggs! That is what got my attention since my son is allergic. Actually getting ready to make this again this week!
I think you could turn this into a coffee cake real easily – just make the normal topping. I would even swirl a little extra topping into the cake mix before baking. Yummm…going to make it for my daughter's 43rd birthday this month. She always asks for chocolate cake (seriously ~ is there anything else?) and this would be a great twist on it! One question: About how long do you bake it as a bunt cake?
Coffee cake is one of my favorite cakes next to chocolate! I'm not sure how long it would take in a bundt pan, b/c I've only used a 9×13…however, I've posted the question on Facebook…will let you know if I get a response! I have had people say they have cooked it in a bundt, then sprinkled with powdered sugar!
Love this T%oday I am trying it a little different I am going to pour sweetened condensed milk in after it bakes and top with whipped creamed and chocolate sauce!! I will let you know how it turns out!
ohhhh, definitely let me know b/c it sounds amazing!! I don't think you can go wrong with sweetened condensed milk on anything!
Thank you so much for posting this. My mother used to make this and I was never able to find the recipe after I grew up. Yippee!
yay! I hope it is as good as you remember!
I definitely need to try this. Looks and sounds YUMMY Chocolate is my biggest downfall.
Trying this for the first time today (saw on Pinterest), and I am drizzling melted peanut butter on top (my husband is obsessed with the stuff!) Hope it is good.
I hope you both enjoyed it! I think the peanut butter drizzle sounds like an awesome addition. You can't beat peanut butter and chocolate! (I just wrote that same thing in a post earlier today, but it's true!)
I've had this on my mind since your comment, so I made it tonight and put mini Reese cups on top!
Not fond of chocolate chips …will try miniature marshmallows instead…sounds good to me..:)
Regular (cooked) pudding or instant?
Hi Pam! I used instant, but you can also use cooked…just heat 2 cups of milk on the stove with your pudding until it starts to thicken, then add to the cake mix as above. The cooked pudding has a little different texture…yields a lighter cake, whereas the instant made more of a dense, brownie like consistency. Both ways were tasty!
I have this recipe, but it is called triple fudge cake. It is delicious. Anyway, I wonder how it would be with peanut butter chips or mint chips..
I've made it with mini Reese Cups, white chocolate chips, and toffee chips – they were all good!
I think instead of chocolate chips, I'll try those Andes Candies chips. You know, the mint flavored ones? I have 3 or 4 bags I got on clearance after Christmas, in the freezer. Chocolate & Mint cake, yum!
I stock up on baking supplies/candy when I find it on clearance too! I think the mint would be awesome.
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Could you make this recipe with brownie mix instead of cake mix?
Could you make this recipe with brownie mix instead of cake mix?
That's a very good question…I've never tried it so I'm not sure, but it sounds like a good idea. If you try it, let me know and I will do the same!
WOW – you fed your family (and others) methanol and formaldehyde???? Are you not aware that heating aspartame (nutrasweet – in the "sugar-free" pudding) produces first methanol and then formaldehyde??? MANY people are horribly allergic to aspartame (causing hives, 3 day migraine intensity headaches that nothing will abate, just to name a few). It's bad enough you fed it to your kids, but you gave it to an unsuspecting public and probably didn't bother to put a little sign on it that it contained aspartame??? And NOW you put it in a blog and don't warn people of the dangers of heating aspartame!!!!
You don’t have to make this so let other people enjoy this good cake.!!!!!!
😊
Yes, yes I did. I also had some caramel color today in my diet soda, the kids had some red dye in their candy, we drank non-organic milk, we had fruits and veggies that were also not organic, we used some plastic containers that may or may not be BPA free, and I'm pretty sure my coffee cup was made in China. AND I posted a cookie recipe the other week that was full of butter and sugar and did NOT warn everyone of the dangers of heart disease and diabetes. Having said that, you do have a valid point in the dangers of artificial sweeteners, esp aspartame and sucralose. Stevia is my artificial sweetener of choice, and with a diabetic husband, artificial sweeteners are a part of our daily life. Obviously, people can make their own choice and use regular or sugar free products for this recipe.
thank you for such a great answer .. I love sweets but being a diabetic I have begun to limit which sugar free products I use .. but I figure this recipe will be cool because I wouldnt eat the whole cake also how about red velvet cake mix .. chocolate pudding and white chocolate chips or spice cake mix with butterscotch pudding and peanut butter chips
Both sound like good options! I’ve made this with spice cake & pumpkin spice pudding & it was yummy. I love the red velvet idea!
Genius! Love these ideas! And I am a fellow diabetic!!🍴
Thanks for stopping by!
I have been making this cake for years! I grew up with it! I also made it with lemon cake and lemon pudding with yogurt chips. After adding lemon oil for more flavor, I think it turned out well! I have always used the cooked pudding.
My daughter-in-law made up the cake mix and added the pudding to that! Oops, she didn't understand the directions, but that one turned out well too! It was quite gooey. Yum!
I just made a lemon version the other day! Lemon cake mix and instant vanilla pudding and added a lemon glaze…it was so good! Like a lemon brownie 🙂 Will be posting it soon! Thanks for stopping by!
I think a spice cake with vanilla pudding and cinnamon chips would be great too. Also a yellow cake, again vanilla pudding and Andes chips would be wonderful for Christmas. And your chocolate version but only use half df the chocolate chips and put Carmel chips for the other half.
Just found this recipe while looking at your Baked Spaghetti recipe. I'm making both tonight for my stepdaughter who is allergic to eggs. Thanks so much for posting them!
Yay! I hope you like them! Baking is challenging with an egg allergy, but I did it for several years (thankfully my son has out grown his egg allergy). I have several egg free recipes on the blog and an 'Allergy Friendly' Pinterest board if you are interested!
I think I am going to make this tonight with spice cake and pumpkin spice pudding 🙂
ooh adding the marshmallows sounds like it will turn it into a smores dump cake and sound so yummy
I just took mine out of the oven. If it tastes as good as it looks, I'm in big trouble! I used a triple fudge chocolate cake mix…might as well go all the way 🙂
LOL! Kim, Absolutely Love your reply to "nightphyre's" comment – most people would have fired back with something sarcastic, but you chose to enlighten her with Class!! Love it!! 🙂
😉 Thanks for stopping by!
Do you have to use skim milk or can you also use whole milk??
Whole milk should work just fine.
what is the calories
I’m not sure. I know there are recipe calculators available but I haven’t tried them.
I used a cherry pie filling on the bottom and “mounds” pudding…..Yummy… will make this again!
Sounds good!
I tried this recipe changing the milk to low fat chocolate milk! I use whatever I have on hand in my kitchen! I used instead chocolate pudding but not fat free! I used semisweet Mimi chocolate chips not measuring the amount! My teenage grandchildren and their friends ate it all up! Yummy!
I like to use things I already have on hand too! Sounds yummy. The more chocolate the better in my book 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
If you cook this in a bundt pan, would you stir the chocolate chips in (so they aren’t all on the bottom when you turn it out of the pan)?
Yes, I would stir them in. You could also toss the chips in a tablespoon of flour first to help keep them from sinking.
I have been thinking of trying this in a coconut pudding version. White/yellow cake mix, coconut pudding, coconut/pecans on top.
Sounds good to me!
If this is made ahead, how long will it keep? I’m to take a dessert to a family gathering but need to make it the day before as we will driving the next day.
I can’t say exactly how long this will keep, but should be fine made the day before.