Brownie Pudding Cake (Gluten and Dairy Free)

This dessert has a chocolate cake layer and a rich chocolate sauce underneath. It was a favorite recipe of ours growing up and is still a favorite. I knew I had to make a gluten/dairy free version for my family. It turned out sooo good. Here is my honey sweetened, dairy free version. I promised to share this version on my facebook page. And it’s worth sharing!

Now that  I’m “all grown up” (or at least mostly), this is a favorite not only for the flavor, but also for how frugal it is to make for a crowd.

I don’t know about you, but it’s always hard for me to decide when making desserts for a large crowd whether to use more typical ingredients, such as white flour and white sugar, or whether to fork out the extra dough for more expensive ingredients to make a “healthier” dessert (even though the guests could probably care less). This dessert helps me with that decision as it’s quite frugal to make, even with high quality ingredients.

I made a quadruple batch yesterday (using buttermilk and whole wheat pastry flour), as well as a single batch of the following gluten and dairy free version for Elena and I to eat. You see, it was a special day as it was Elena’s first piano recital. She played very well in a combined recital of some of my husband’s students and a few of mine. It’s been very fun to teach Elena piano. I hope that she continues to enjoy being taught by her mother! And I think that the wheat/buttermilk version was a success with the rest of the students as well.

Brownie Pudding Cake
I have used honey to sweeten this in the past, but this time I used a “dry sweetener”. If you do use honey, use scant measurements, otherwise it will be too sweet.

1 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup of thin coconut milk (about half full fat coconut milk and half water)  or coconut kefir (I tried out store bought by the So Delicious Brand)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar (omit if using coconut kefir)

1 tablespoon chia seeds
3-4 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil/butter
½ cup of whole cane sugar, coconut sugar, or sweetener of choice.

1 1/2 cups of boiling water
1/3 cup of cocoa powder
dash of salt
½ cup of whole cane sugar, coconut sugar, or sweetener of choice.

1-Mix together the flour , cocoa powder and coconut milk and apple cider vinegar, if using. Leave covered in a warm place for 12-24 hours.

2-When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chia seeds in the water and let sit for 15-20 minutes, until thickened. Put the water on to boil. Then mix the baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt, oil or butter and sweetener, and the chia seed mixture in with the soaked flour mixture.

3-In another, heat safe bowl, combine the boiling water, cocoa powder, dash of salt and honey. Mix until combined.

4- Scrap the batter into the pan 8 x 8 x2 or pie dish. Then pour the boiling water mixture over it.

5-Baking for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the cake topping. Then remove from the oven. Let rest at least ten minutes and up to 45 minutes before serving. The longer it sits the thicker the sauce will become.  My husband actually likes this best cold. But most enjoy it warm with some ice cream on top.