Butterscotch Pudding Cake is a totally irresistible “magic” self saucing cake with incredibly rich butterscotch flavor that won’t disappoint even the biggest butterscotch fans.
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We tested several versions to get this butterscotch pudding cake just right, and our work paid off. The cake is soft, the sauce is deeply butterscotch-y ~ it’s a new family favorite.
âž¡ The layers magically appear
Pour warm sauce over the batter before baking, and the whole thing transforms in the oven into a tender cake with a glossy butterscotch pudding underneath.
âž¡ It has a classic butterscotch flavor
Brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and a little salt give this pudding cake that deep caramel-butterscotch flavor, not just generic sweetness.
âž¡ Scoop and serve it with a spoon
Serve it warm from the baking dish with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and let the sauce do its thing. Total comfort.
Pudding cakes, or self -saucing cakes, are a true vintage dessert, especially popular in mid-centry kitchens. Hot fudge versions were everywhere by the 1950s and 60s.
The details matter for butterscotch pudding cake
Here’s what you need to keep in mind for this one:
- Use dark brown sugar, good vanilla, and enough salt give the cake real butterscotch depth instead of plain brown-sugar sweetness.
- Cooking the butterscotch sauce first deepens the flavor and gives you that warm, buttery caramel note.
- The bake time matters. You want the cake set, but still soft, with the sauce settled underneath instead of absorbed into the crumb. Look for a slight jiggle in the center when you pull it from the oven.
- Serve it warm, while the cake is spoonable and the sauce is still glossy and gooey.
Making ahead for dessert
Butterscotch pudding cake is best served warm, just after it comes out of the oven. If you want to serve to company, you can start your prep several hours ahead:
- Make the sauce earlier in the day and set aside.
- Prep and pre-measure all your ingredients.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Finish the batter just before baking.
- Bake while you have dinner.
- Scoop and serve warm with ice cream.
Leftovers
Refrigerate any leftovers, then reheat individual servings briefly in the microwave. The sauce thickens when chilled but loosens again as it warms.
The right pan for pudding cakes
I use a 2-quart Staub ceramic baker for this recipe. A similar 2-quart baking dish with fairly deep sides will work well.
A ceramic or enameled cast-iron baker is ideal because it heats evenly and holds heat well, which helps the cake bake through while the sauce stays lush underneath. Use a fairly deep baking dish rather than a shallow one so there’s room for the batter and sauce to separate properly as it bakes.
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Butterscotch Pudding Cake
Equipment
- 2 quart baking dish
Ingredients
for the sauce
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
for the cake
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp butter, browned and partially cooled*
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
for serving
- vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F. Place a 2 quart baker on top of a baking sheet and set aside.
to make the sauce
- First make the butterscotch sauce by adding the 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2 tablespoons of water to a medium saucepan (make sure it is is a saucepan with high sides because the brown sugar mixture will bubble up as it cooks).
- Cook over low/medium heat until the brown sugar has melted and starts to bubble, do not stir. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture burn.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly before slowly adding 1 cup of water to the pan (be careful it will sputter.) The sugar mixture will seize up a bit, but that's fine. Return to low/medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and you have a smooth syrup. Remove and set aside to cool while you make the cake batter.
to make the cake
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed, 1 Tbsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk to combine, making sure any lumps of brown sugar are broken up.
- Add the 6 Tbsp butter, browned and partially cooled* (it can be warm, but make sure it is not hot), 1 cup whole milk, 2 large eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk well until everything is combined, but don't over mix.
- Pour the batter into your baking dish. Pour the butterscotch syrup over top (it should be warm, but not hot), and place the baking dish (with the baking sheet underneath) into the oven.
- Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the cake layer is a rich golden brown, and the center is just slightly jiggly.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm, with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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