Favourite Crockpot Chocolate Pudding Cake

This chocolate pudding cake is a slow cooker take on the classic British steamed pudding, where a covered mold full of batter sits in a water bath inside the crockpot for several hours. The steam keeps the cake moist and produces a tender, almost suet-pudding-like texture you can’t replicate in a dry oven.

Fresh bread crumbs are the unusual ingredient that makes this work. They absorb the milk and butter, holding moisture inside the crumb and giving the pudding its dense, satisfying chew. Sift them in with the cocoa and flour to keep the texture even.

Cover the mold tightly with foil and tie it down (twist ties or kitchen string both work) to keep the steam from condensing into the batter. Pour the hot water around (not into) the mold for the gentle steam-bath cook.

Serve warm with chocolate sauce or fudge topping puddled around each slice.

Pro Tips

• Use fresh bread crumbs from soft white bread; dried packaged crumbs absorb water differently and the cake turns dry.
• Check that the mold is fully sealed before placing in the cooker. Even a small steam leak waterlogs the cake.
• Don’t lift the slow cooker lid during cooking. Each peek extends the time and disrupts the steam buildup.
• Test for doneness with a skewer pushed through the foil; the cake is done when it comes out clean even though the top still looks soft.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of brewed coffee or espresso powder to the batter to deepen the chocolate flavor.
• Stir a half cup of chopped nuts or chocolate chips into the batter for texture.
• Swap in golden raisins or chopped dates for a sticky toffee-style version.