• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Nourishing Gourmet

Nourishing. Satisfying. Gourmet.

  • THM Coaching
  • About
    • Privacy
    • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
    • Everyday Nourishing Food
    • Salad Cookbook
    • Soup Cookbook

Brownie Pudding Cake (Gluten and Dairy Free)

June 14, 2011 by KimiHarris 55 Comments

Thanks for stopping by! If you're interested in healthy eating check out my free gifts! and subscribe to get regular email updates. *Some links may be affiliate.*
Thanks for stopping by! If you're interested in healthy eating check out my free gifts! and subscribe to get regular email updates. *Some links may be affiliate.*


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.

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts

KimiHarris

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

Latest posts by KimiHarris (see all)

  • 2 Ingredient Peppermint Bark - December 21, 2022
  • Herbal Hibiscus Lemonade (Keto, THM) - March 16, 2022
  • Creamy Curry Red Lentil Soup - December 8, 2021

Filed Under: $5 Dishes, Baked Goods, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Previous Post: « Stay Connected on Facebook (and a sneak peak of what’s been brewing)
Next Post: Pennywise Platter Thursday 6/16 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan

    June 14, 2011 at 11:04 am

    Ah, so you understand. That’s where it gets hard for me to spend the extra money, when I know the people eating it couldn’t care less. I go back and forth but I do make the effort to feed people as healthfully as I can.

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 14, 2011 at 11:14 am

      I know! It can be challenging, especially if you are on a limited budget. I should make up a list of some of the dishes that are frugal, healthy, and feed a crowd too. 🙂

      Reply
      • Katie

        June 14, 2011 at 6:33 pm

        That would be amazing Kimi! I too struggle with feeding a crowd my more costly ingredients.

        Reply
      • Joy

        June 14, 2011 at 7:34 pm

        I feel the same way! Especially when it comes to really expensive things like grass-fed meat or dairy…

        Reply
  2. Meagan

    June 14, 2011 at 11:07 am

    Looks great. CHOCOLATE = yum!

    Reply
  3. Kelli

    June 14, 2011 at 11:20 am

    What are chia seeds and where do you get them from?

    Reply
    • @HilaryFleming

      June 14, 2011 at 1:27 pm

      You can buy chia seeds from any health food store and sometimes they even carry them at your regular grocery story if they have a supplement or “whole foods” type aisle.
      I just did a blog post last week all about chia w an accompanying tutorial on how to use them.

      http://www.healthgirltv.com/2011/06/5-reasons-to-add-chia-to-your-diet-ch.html

      Hope that helps!

      Reply
    • @HilaryFleming

      June 14, 2011 at 1:34 pm

      You can buy chia seeds from any health food store and sometimes they even carry them at your regular grocery story if they have a supplement or “whole foods” type aisle.
      I just did a blog post last week all about chia w an accompanying tutorial on how to use them.

      http://www.healthgirltv.com/2011/06/5-reasons-to-add-chia-to-your-diet-ch.html

      Hope that helps!
      psI’m having trouble posting comments (computer issues I think) hopefully you don’t get this three times…

      Reply
  4. Linda

    June 14, 2011 at 11:29 am

    Can you leave out the chia seeds? Also, I buy SO Delicious Original Coconut Milk. Do I need to water it down?

    Thanks
    Linda

    Reply
    • Samara

      June 14, 2011 at 4:59 pm

      Chia seeds are sometimes used to replace eggs, so they may be essential to the recipe.

      Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 14, 2011 at 5:39 pm

      Linda,

      In this case I used the chia seeds to help hold the cake together since it was gluten free. However the first recipe didn’t contain any eggs in it, and it is cooked almost more like a pudding, so it may turn out without it. You don’t need to water down the SO delicious coconut milk, however the original is sweeten, so it will make it slightly sweeter.

      Reply
      • Linda

        June 16, 2011 at 5:14 am

        Thank you. Often times seeds come with a label saying may be contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts and we must avoid those.

        Reply
  5. Gail for So Delicious Dairy Free

    June 14, 2011 at 11:31 am

    That looks incredible, Kimi! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. We can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  6. Mary Lou

    June 14, 2011 at 11:34 am

    Am I missing something or is this not also egg free? Which by the way I am jumping for joy if this is also truly egg free! Gluten free, dairy free, soy free and egg free recipes are hard to find in baked goods/sweets that actually taste good!

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 14, 2011 at 4:29 pm

      Yup, it’s egg free!

      Reply
  7. AmyM

    June 14, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    This looks amazing! I’ve been collecting recipes for “crowd-friendly” desserts. Would it work to raise the oven temperature and bake it for a shorter amount of time?
    Also, when is the chia seed mixture added? Is it with the baking powder, soda, etc? I didn’t see it in the recipe.

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 14, 2011 at 5:43 pm

      AmyM,

      I updated the recipe to include more clear directions. Hope that helps!

      I wouldn’t raise the temperature as it could cook to quickly on the top before the rest is finished. 🙂

      Reply
  8. Helen

    June 14, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    I think I love you! I am gluten, dairy, soy and egg free and desserts are the hardest for me to find. Thank you so much, can’t wait to try it 🙂

    Reply
  9. Debbie

    June 14, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    Oh, wow, just awesome! I was sitting here thinking of making brownies and watching Paula Deene make hers and your post showed up in my inbox. I love the way you made this with healthy ingredients. It looks SO good!

    Reply
  10. LGoin

    June 14, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    When do you add the chia seeds? And to which part? Do you grind them first or put them in the water whole? Thanks!

    Reply
  11. Pat @ Elegantly, Gluten-Free

    June 14, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    What a lovely idea to celebrate with!

    Reply
  12. Sharon

    June 14, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    Hi Kimi,
    Would you still need to add the apple cider vinegar if using ww pastry flour/buttermilk version?

    Reply
  13. Mary P.

    June 14, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    Funny…I was just thinking of your ww pastry flour version. I made it for Father’s Day a couple years ago and it was so good. I have since found out that I am gluten intolerant. This made my day to see your gluten free version!! This is a treat I will have to make! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
  14. Tina

    June 14, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    Do you think this would work with coconut flour instead of the rice flour?

    Reply
  15. Shirley @ gfe

    June 14, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    Kimi, this looks absolutely wonderful! It’s absolutely perfect for an upcoming gathering I’m having with gf/df/ef folks. 🙂

    Thanks, dear!
    Shirley

    Reply
  16. Angela

    June 14, 2011 at 9:08 pm

    I’m gonna try it with carob instead since we’re chocolate free around here. Thanks for the great idea. I too grew up with this type of pudding cake!!

    Reply
  17. jas (gluten free scallywag)

    June 15, 2011 at 12:48 am

    wow – this looks delicious – can’t wait to try it out!

    Reply
  18. Sherilyn @ Wholepromise

    June 15, 2011 at 2:27 am

    You are not alone in questioning the purchase of more expensive ingredients especially when guests couldn’t really care. The up side of course is your own conscience won’t stalk you and the guests may ask for the recipe and realise that things don’t have to be made out of refined nutritionally void ingredients to taste good. You have done a beautiful job here. Well Done!

    Reply
  19. pacerknits

    June 15, 2011 at 3:58 am

    How many eggs would I use in this if I wanted to? Would that mean I would omit the chia seeds?

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 15, 2011 at 9:47 am

      Pacerknits,

      The original recipe doesn’t actually contain eggs. 🙂

      Reply
  20. Samantha

    June 15, 2011 at 8:36 am

    I too struggle with buying/using better ingredients for guests when I know they do not care! This recipe looks easy though and has nothing pricey in it. The boys & I are going to try to whip it up this week – maybe for Father’s Day! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Brenda

    June 15, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Thanks, Kimi! I have made your original recipe for this quite a few times, and now I have some gluten-free family members, so this is really great! I think I’ll make one to take camping with us!

    Brenda

    Reply
  22. Jaime

    June 15, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    Yippee!! Gluten, dairy and EGG free? Wow! It looks great and I plan on making this soon. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  23. judee@glutenfreeA-Z Blog

    June 16, 2011 at 6:29 am

    That desert looks decadent and relatively easy to make. I love that is dairy free as well.

    Reply
  24. Rebecca

    June 16, 2011 at 9:33 am

    It sounds like this is a common struggle! It is fun when we bring nourishing snacks to school or playgroup and other moms ask for recipes, leading to conversations about the surprising ingredients list. But we also host our church frequently, and it’s a difficult decision to make. Last Sunday I made one loaf of sprouted sourdough and used a grocery store coupon to get a free loaf of white French bread. I somehow burned the bakery loaf to a crisp, and then only had my small loaf of homemade to serve as garlic bread to 30 people. That’ll teach me! 🙂

    Reply
  25. H

    June 16, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    Have you tried this with almond flour? We are grain free, and I wonder how almond flour would do.

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      June 16, 2011 at 5:12 pm

      When I was making it, I was thinking that almond flour would work well in this recipe. But I haven’t tried it yet. Let me know if you do!

      Reply
  26. SaraR

    June 17, 2011 at 11:20 am

    I have to take snack next week to our small group and this may end up being it. I’ve never done anything with chia seeds so we’ll see what I end up with. I may do the non gluten free version since that’s not a necessity however it’d be fun to do gluten free just to surprise people.

    Reply
  27. Shelley

    June 21, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    I made this recipe for my baby’s 1st birthday, actually. And shared it with my in-laws that don’t eat very healthy and think I’m a nut sometimes. And it turned out pretty good with strawberries on the top. They ate it right up.
    I was just wondering if you’ve tried anything as a substitute for the brown rice flour?

    Reply
  28. christina

    June 22, 2011 at 4:19 am

    We use sprouted rice flour. Do you think I still need to soak? Thanks.

    Reply
  29. carrie

    June 27, 2011 at 2:17 pm

    that looks tastee. It reminds me of the chocolate lava muffins my mom used to make for me as a kid. Its like one giant lava muffin 😉

    Reply
  30. carrie

    June 27, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    that looks so tastee. It reminds me of the chocolate lava muffins that my mom used to make for me and my brother as a kid. Its like one giant lava muffin 😉

    Reply
  31. Amelia

    June 27, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    I made this this weekend and it was FABULOUS!! Chocolate Upside Down Cake has long been a family favourite but since having to go gluten and dairy free due to my son, we haven’t been able to have it. My husband was skeptical but all it took was one bit and even he was completely sold!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

    Reply
  32. Lindsay

    February 23, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    Could I use Almond milk instead of coconut milk? I have all the other ingredients but coconut milk. I do have almond milk, though.

    Reply
    • KimiHarris

      February 23, 2012 at 2:12 pm

      I am sure that almond milk would work well too. 🙂

      Reply
  33. Katie @ Mexican Wildflower

    May 7, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    Oh my Kimi! You have outdone yourself! This was amazing! I made it for my 27th birthday last week. I’m making it again in the morning for some gluten free ladies in my Bible Study. I don’t need to be gluten/dairy/egg free but I would make this anyday over most other cakes!

    Reply
  34. Beverly

    September 6, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    Oh my! sinful, sinful……guess everybody needs a break from strict paleo every now and then…..I only had rice flour pancake mix with some of the baking soda/powder and a few other ingredients already added in, so I was a little shy with these ingredients. Smells awesome, crust is awesome and is in the process of cooling as I type….thank you…..

    Reply
  35. Rachael

    February 14, 2013 at 8:49 am

    You can use flax seed and a bit of water instead of chia seeds. I like them more and they add a touch of a nutty taste.

    Reply
  36. Jessica O

    April 20, 2013 at 9:32 am

    Just tried this…I used almond flour instead of rice and I’m not sure if that was the ‘problem’ or not but it didn’t turn out like your picture-not really a cake part on top, but it was a delicious chocolate pudding with traces of thicker brownie-type pieces. I know I mistakenly put in too much coconut oil and I used a combo of sweeteners to try and make it lower carb (coconut sugar/stevia/Just Like Sugar) but otherwise I followed recipe exactly. Maybe it needed more almond flour? Anyhow, though not what I was expecting, it was still good!

    Reply
  37. Becca C.

    July 28, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    Why does it have to sit for so long? Any help on this would be great! Thanks! =)

    Reply
  38. My Paleo Life

    September 25, 2014 at 11:56 am

    So trying out this recipe this weekend. This kind of pudding and cake was my favorite when I was a kid!!! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  39. Stephanie

    April 2, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    Looks yummy! I just found out I am allergic to both wheat and rice and don’t have experience with subbing different flours yet. Do you think coconut flour might work?

    Reply
  40. Katie McChesney

    January 31, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Have you tried with almond flour in place of Brown rice? Or could it possibly work with spelt or einkorn? Thank you!

    Reply
  41. MM

    February 14, 2017 at 7:26 pm

    We have made this recipe.

    There were multiple steps, including a step that had to be done the day before, which made this recipe seem time consuming.

    However, the family is sitting around eatng the pie now and we all feel it was worth the time and effort.

    The chia seeds made the cake have a rice krispy taste.

    We wouldn’t make it weekly, but maybe forba special occasion.

    Goes great with ice cream- vanilla bean!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Frugal and Healthy Summer Meals for a Crowd says:
    June 17, 2011 at 10:40 am

    […] lot of you related to my dilemma of what healthy meals to serve to a crowd when on a budget . It CAN be hard, especially when on a […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

ConvertKit Form

Get Every Recipe

And the insider's view from our kitchen

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Search

Please Read:

The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.

Categories

  • $10 Main (42)
  • $5 Dishes (43)
  • 52 ways to save money on a healthy diet (53)
  • AIP (23)
  • Baked Goods (83)
  • Beverages (72)
  • Breakfast and Brunch (61)
  • Condiments (8)
  • Dairy Free (492)
  • Desserts (184)
  • Dietary Needs (6)
  • Egg Free (11)
  • Egg Free (86)
  • For the Kids (66)
  • For the Love of Food and Books (18)
  • Gluten Free (484)
  • Grain Free (95)
  • Health (75)
  • Kitchen Tools (4)
  • Main Dishes (126)
  • Nourishing Frugal Recipes (167)
  • Nourishing Frugal Tips (70)
  • Nourishing Practices (56)
  • Nutrient Dense Foods (70)
  • Q and A (15)
  • Salads (39)
  • Sides (101)
  • Snacks (124)
  • Soups (50)
  • The Healthy $1 Menu (21)
  • The Low Energy Guide to Healthy Cooking (18)
  • THM (2)
  • Trim Healthy Mama (2)
  • Uncategorized (846)
  • Vegan (241)
  • Vegetarian (361)

Recent Posts

  • 2 Ingredient Peppermint Bark
  • Herbal Hibiscus Lemonade (Keto, THM)
  • Creamy Curry Red Lentil Soup
  • One-Pot Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese
  • Healthy Pumpkin Spice Granola
  • Crispy Pumpkin Spice Granola (oil-free)
  • Why I Use THM Principles Now
  • Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad
  • Coconut Flour Pancakes
  • Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

Recent Comments

  • Dorene St G on Cracker Toffee (Easy Peasy Christmas Candy)
  • Nadia Kriston on Finding a Toaster Oven Without Nonstick
  • KimiHarris on How to make heavenly coconut milk whipped cream (with an isi dispenser)
  • KimiHarris on Autumn Beef Stew (Tomato Free)
  • KimiHarris on How to make heavenly coconut milk whipped cream (with an isi dispenser)

Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons

Get Every Recipe

And the insider's view from our kitchen

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

Footer

Privacy

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework