Fudge Pudding Cake

This was one of my favourite desserts growing up - my Mum baked it in a round casserole dish and the cake puffs up right to the top with the pudding on the bottom.  Needless to say, with three kids in our house plus one father with a serious sweet tooth (thanks Dad!) there were never any leftovers....so now I get to make this just for my husband and I...wait, there are still barely any leftovers!

The original recipe calls for cocoa to be added to the cake batter - I love chocolate just as much as the next girl, but to be honest, I find it tastes sooo much better with a vanilla cake.  Plus, it looks awesome with the chocolate-y smidgens on top. 

Fudge Pudding Cake

Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa**
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp melted butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla

Pudding
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups hot water

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cocoa (if making chocolate cake, otherwise omit) and salt.
2. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla.  Mix well.  It will be a sticky, thick batter. 
3. Pour into a square or round 8x8 pan, or a large round casserole dish.
4. Boil water, and pour into a medium sized heat-safe bowl.  Slowly stir in the cocoa, brown and white sugar. Mix well.  Pour the pudding mixture over top of the cake batter.  The liquid will sit on top of the batter - don't worry, it will magically end up on the bottom as pudding. It is okay if there are lumps in the pudding mixture - these will end up as little chocolate smidgens on top of the cake.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Best served warm. Keeps well for 2-3 days covered in the fridge.