Slow Cooker Chocolate Mocha Pudding Cake

I've got a serious backlog of posts. I actually made this dessert this weekend and it was so good I had to share it right away. I found this on Cookie Madness (thanks for the referral lm!) - she's actually been posting from Florence, Italy...sigh...oh how we loved Florence seven long years ago. If I have this right, this lady has actually won a big baking or cookie contest? It wouldn't surprise me based on the number of amazing recipes on her blog.

So this one caught my eye right away - don't you just want to lick the screen?!?!? I couldn't wait to try it, but had to wait for the weekend (another one of my rules...I'll be posting them soon if you're curious). So Friday night, into the crockpot she went. This was really fast to throw together and reminded me very much of these chocolate molten cakes. When this pudding cake is done cooking, it had a cake-like layer on the top with a rich, runny fudgey pudding layer underneath. This was amazing served warm over vanilla ice cream.

I will mo' definitely make this again.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Mocha Pudding Cake

adapted from Cookie Madness

Cooking Spray or butter for pot (I used light butter)

1 cup all purpose flour
¾ tbl of instant coffee crystals, optional

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (divided use)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk (I used skim)

3 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar

1 2/3 cup hot coffee or hot water (I used hot water since I used coffee crystals already)

Spray inside of 3 ½ to 4 quart slow cooker (I used a 6 quart pot) with cooking spray or rub with butter.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of the cocoa powder, coffee crystals if using, baking powder and salt. Stir in the milk, melted butter, vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread this mixture over the bottom of your slow cooker
In another bowl, mix together brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle cocoa mixture over the batter, but do not stir it in. Pour the hot water or coffee evenly over all. Again, do not stir.
Cover and cook on high heat for 1 3/4 to 2 hours (I cooked for 2) or until a tester inserted in the top portion of the cake comes out clean. The inside should be hot and similar to fudge sauce. Spoon cake and sauce out of slow cooker and serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Per Serving (1/6) without ice cream 253 Calories7g Fat (25.2% calories from fat)4g Protein;46g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 18mg Cholesterol; 322mg Sodium