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Death by Chocolate Dump Cake

Sophia
A rich, gooey chocolate dump cake made with chocolate cake mix, instant pudding, chocolate chips, milk, butter, and hot water. No mixing bowls required.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix Use a standard 15.25-ounce box. Dark chocolate or fudge variety works especially well.
  • 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix 3.9 oz or 110 g; must be instant, not cook-and-serve
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips Regular chocolate chips can be substituted. Dark chocolate chips with at least 60 percent cacao intensify the flavor.
  • 3/4 cup milk 180 ml; whole milk gives the richest result, but 2 percent also works
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 115 g, melted
  • 1 cup hot water 240 ml
  • whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or chocolate syrup Optional toppings

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 175 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the dry chocolate cake mix evenly across the bottom of the dish. Use a spoon or your hands to spread it gently, but do not mix.
  • Sprinkle the dry chocolate pudding mix evenly over the cake mix. Make sure it covers the surface as evenly as possible.
  • Scatter the mini chocolate chips across the surface. Even distribution helps every bite get a little melted chocolate.
  • Pour the milk evenly over the dry ingredients. Try to cover the entire surface rather than pouring it all in one spot.
  • Drizzle the melted butter over the top. Move back and forth across the dish so the butter covers as much of the surface as possible.
  • Slowly pour the hot water over everything. This is the most important step. Do not stir. The hot water helps dissolve the sugar and pudding mix while the cake bakes, creating the gooey layer underneath.
  • Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The top should look set, but the center should still be gooey and bubbling underneath.
  • Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the layers to settle and makes serving easier.

Notes

Do not stir the layers before baking. Use instant pudding mix, not cook-and-serve. For the best texture, serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat individual portions in the microwave.